I have a relatively new desktop pc with a factory installed windows 7. I have upgraded to windows 8 pro and want to get a response to a question that I am puzzled with. If ever the need for me to reinstall windows, do I have to install windows 7 then windows 8 upgrade or can I do a clean install with just the windows 8 upgrade?
You can do a clean
reinstall (
Clean Install - Windows 8) without reinstalling the qualifying OS (not a work around). You are likely to have to activate with the refresh procedure described here if you reinstall:
Clean Install with Windows 8 Upgrade.
1. Installing Windows 8 on a blank hard drive is a re-install?
2. Running a refresh on Windows 8 installation that isn't activated because it wouldn't accept an upgrade key, and then entering the key, isn't a work-around to avoid Microsoft's requirements for using an upgrade license?
Bending the language doesn't matter, I suppose.
3. My belief is that the above installation method is a backdoor, built by Microsoft. I thought the same thing of the dual-install method that served a similar purpose with Vista and Win 7 upgrade licenses. I have never seen official confirmation of any of those, though.