Clean Install with Windows 8 Upgrade

**Brink** · 16 Nov 2012

How to Do a Clean Install with Windows 8 Upgrade

Information

This tutorial will show you how to do a clean install with a Windows 8 upgrade copy.

Note

Windows 8 System Requirements
Windows 8 works great on the same hardware that powers Windows 7.

Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster

RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)

Hard disk space: 16 GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)

Graphics card: MicrosoftDirectX 9 graphics device or higher

Additional requirements to use certain features:

To use touch, you need a tablet or a monitor that supports multitouch.
To access the Windows Store and to download and run apps, you need an active Internet connection and a screen resolution of at least 1024 x 768.
To snap apps, you need a screen resolution of at least 1366 x 768.

Warning

MICROSOFT SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT

Windows 8 EULA

What about upgrading the software?
The software covered by this agreement is an upgrade to your existing operating system (XP SP3, Vista, or Windows 7) software, so the upgrade replaces the original software that you are upgrading. You do not retain any rights to the original software after you have upgraded and you may not continue to use it or transfer it in any way. This agreement governs your rights to use the upgrade software and replaces the agreement for the software from which you upgraded. After you complete your upgrade, additional software will be required to playback or record certain types of media, including DVDs.

Here's How:

1. If you haven't already, you will need to either purchase a Windows 8 Upgrade from a retailer, or use the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant to purchase and download a Windows 8 Upgrade ISO online from Microsoft to create a bootable USB/DVD with.

2. Do a clean install or clean install with UEFI with your Windows 8 upgrade USB/DVD, and enter your Windows 8 product key number during installation.
NOTE: You can do the clean install using either a local account or Microsoft account. It doesn't matter.

Warning

You will only be able to enter a Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro product key.

You will not be able to enter a Window Media Center Pack or Windows 8 Pro Pack product key. These are considered to be an upgrade key and can't be used to install Windows 8. These can only be added after Windows 8 is installed, then use Add Features to upgrade to the Window Media Center Pack or Windows 8 Pro Pack.

3. When the clean install is finished, if you check in System, you will see that your Windows 8 upgrade may not be activated yet.

4. Do step 5 or 6 below for how you would like to activate the Windows 8 upgrade.

5. Activate by Refreshing the Windows 8 Upgrade

A) Refresh Windows 8, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You would use OPTION TWO at this link. Be sure to keep your Windows 8 installation DVD in the drive or Windows 8 installation USB connected.

6. Activate Windows 8 Upgrade using a BAT File Download

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .bat file below, and save it to your desktop.

Activate_Windows_Upgrade_after_Clean_Install.bat

B) Right click or press and hold on the downloaded .bat file, and click/tap on Run as administrator.

C) If prompted, click/tap on Run and Yes (UAC).
NOTE: If you like, you can stop getting the Run prompt by unblocking the downloaded .bat file.

D) You will now notice a command prompt quickly open and close while applying the changes to your registry.

E) Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

E) Restart the computer to apply, and go to step 7 below.

7. When finshed, if you check in System, you will see that your Windows 8 upgrade is now activated with the product key you entered in step 2 above.

8. You have just finished doing a clean install with an upgrade copy of Windows 8.

That's it,
Shawn

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**theog** · 16 Nov 2012

Nice work, Shawn.

**azasadny** · 16 Nov 2012

Thank you!!

**Brink** · 16 Nov 2012

Glad it could help.

**SelenaGomez Fan** · 17 Nov 2012

Thank you!!

**Brink** · 17 Nov 2012

You're welcome SelanaGomez Fan, and welcome to Eight Forums.

**japa** · 17 Nov 2012

Thanks, but I wish I knew this before. Instead had to wipe the drive again and install windows 7 then upgrade to 8.

**garry35** · 19 Nov 2012

can you please clarify a few things for me when doing a clean install do you have to :-

install the qualifying OS and boot from USB drive or ISO with the old OS still present ? or just boot from a clean drive. it was my understanding that the upgrader needs to see a qualifying OS to work. if the drive is clean then how can it work if it cant see a qualifying OS. it would be helpful and maybe clear up some confusion if you explained how the upgrader determined if you had a qualifying OS during the install process or is this only done with the upgrade assistant.

**japa** · 19 Nov 2012

Originally Posted by garry35

install the qualifying OS and boot from USB drive or ISO with the old OS still present ?

Clean install is when the partition or disk your installing to is completely empty or formatted.

Originally Posted by garry35

it was my understanding that the upgrader needs to see a qualifying OS to work. if the drive is clean then how can it work if it cant see a qualifying OS.

Well it seems the installer does not check for it. It is checked however during the activation and refreshing it is basically overwriting the current installation so it somehow fools windows that it was installed (upgraded) over previous version. At least that's my understanding of it.

**Brink** · 19 Nov 2012

Hello Garry,

Originally Posted by garry35

install the qualifying OS and boot from USB drive or ISO with the old OS still present ?

You would only need to boot from the USB/DVD that you created from the ISO to start the Windows 8 installation to install it to whatever drive/partition you like.

Originally Posted by garry35

it was my understanding that the upgrader needs to see a qualifying OS to work. if the drive is clean then how can it work if it cant see a qualifying OS.

Only the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant must be run in a qualifying OS to be able to purchase and download the Windows 8 upgrade ISO.

You can install Windows 8 upgrade however you like so long as you abide by the EULA and not use your qualifying OS while you have the Windows 8 upgrade activated.

The upgrade installation itself only checks for an existing Windowws for activation, that's why you install Windows 8 upgrade first, then must do the refresh for it to be able to activate. The refresh acts as the upgrade from itself to itself.

Hope this helps,

Shawn

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Clean Install with Windows 8 Upgrade

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