Windows 8.1 RTM Released to MSDN & Technet

Windows 8.1 is now available for download from Technet & MSDN

Based on the feedback from you and our partners, we’re pleased to announce that we will be making available our current Windows 8.1 and Windows 8.1 Pro RTM builds (as well as Windows Server 2012 R2 RTM builds) to the developer and IT professional communities via MSDN and TechNet subscriptions. The current Windows 8.1 Enterprise RTM build will be available through MSDN and TechNet for businesses later this month. For developers, we are also making available the Visual Studio 2013 Release Candidate, which you can download here. For more on building and testing apps for Windows 8.1, head on over to today’s blog post from Steve Guggenheimer.

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[alphanumeric]

I've got an 8 Pro upgrade key from 7 Ultimate (+ a MC key as well). If I do clean install using generic key I can then activate with the 7 to 8 upgrade key and then add WMC back. Is this right? It was my plan until I saw these posts about retrieving the key using RWEverything.

RwEverything is being used to retrieve the new embedded factory OEM keys. If you PC shipped with Window7 or earlier, it won't have one anyway. Upgrade keys can be problematic, they won't work for a clean install of 8 for example. I'm not sure it yours will be accepted though the change product key option. If somebody else has tried it I'm sure they post back how it went.

 

[alphanumeric]

I thought Win 8.1 was a free upgrade so why did it ask for a key when I installed it? I had keys from Technet for Win 8.1 Pro x64.

I think you won't need a key when it's released to consumers in October. The official route will be via the Windows Store, and I'd bet you won't need to put a key in through that route.

The current MSDN/Technet release is described as being "for testing" so doesn't have the final upgrade mechanism.

That's my understanding too, if you upgrade though the store you won't be asked to enter a product code. Assuming you have a legal activated system.

 

[Superfly]

If you upgrade though the store you won't be asked for a key. I wasn't when I tried out the preview. That's the way Microsoft wants you to do it. The general public isn't supposed to have access to the ISO files. If you do a clean install you'll get asked. I'm not sure what happens if you do the upgrade from the ISO with 8 already installed.

Yup.. makes sense...

I haven't had my first cup of coffee yet so bare with me.

Neither have I... bottoms up!

 

[alphanumeric]

I did a quick reread of this thread and it looks like if you run the setup from Windows 8 to do the upgrade, you do have to enter a Windows 8.1 product code. And then do the change product code option to enter your Windows 8 key. If somebody that has done this can confirm it that would be appreciated.

 

[theog]

I did a quick reread of this thread and it looks like if you run the setup from Windows 8 to do the upgrade, you do have to enter a Windows 8.1 product code. And then do the change product code option to enter your Windows 8 key. If somebody that has done this can confirm it that would be appreciated.

To upgrade yes, you need the Windows 8.1 key.

 

[alphanumeric]

I did a quick reread of this thread and it looks like if you run the setup from Windows 8 to do the upgrade, you do have to enter a Windows 8.1 product code. And then do the change product code option to enter your Windows 8 key. If somebody that has done this can confirm it that would be appreciated.

To upgrade yes, you need the Windows 8.1 key.

OK, that clears that up, thank you. :thumb:

 

[theog]

If I find time later, I will test with the Retail option, may be the OEM manufacturer's will work the same.

http://www.eightforums.com/installa...retail-windows-8-1-windows-8-product-key.html

It seems others are doing this:

You need a key to install it.

Bottom of the first post http://www.eightforums.com/windows-...1-rtm-core-pro-enterprise-x86-x64-leaked.html

You then need to enter your oem key to activate - better find out what that is first.

Not sure if I understand. How did you bypass the key prompt? I have a new W8 laptop with the BIOS key, so I'm assuming that mine, like yours, will also get its BIOS key recognized somewhere during the install. When I attempted to install, I didn't see a way around the key prompt.

Since I'm still using the laptop's OEM license:
I use the 8.1 Core version, to match the one the OEM installed for 8.0.

For this you need to make a custom ISO where you can select Core version (Pro will be also listed below). This will also skip the key prompt before install.

About that custom ISO:

It contains one extra file in the sources folder, that's all.

Version selection menu:
You don't actually need an ISO in the end if you boot from USB, just put the files on USB stick and in the sources folder, one extra file called "ei.cfg" with the following options in it:

[Channel]
OEM


[VL]
0

All options above work.

 

[floepie]

For those who are curious, I just installed 8.1 after formatting the previous install. I inserted the ei.cfg with the OEM option and I wasn't prompted for a key upon install. However, before windows begins the first boot, you are prompted once again for a key, but at this time, you can simply skip it.

I was wrong in my assumption that with this ei.cfg, the install would pick up the OEM BIOS key. I did have to enter it manually by changing the key in the system properties, and it activated just fine.

 

[theog]

Also
If you Clean install a OEM manufacturer's the Recovery Partition & USB Recovery Drive are made unusable.

 

[floepie]

Are you saying that a clean install would wipe the OEM recovery partition (which just can't be!)? Or, do you mean that an 8.1 generated USB recovery drive cannot be used to restore the copied WIMs on the USB drive from the OEM recovery partition because the WIM's are in an 8.0 specific format?

 

[nguchiro]

I was hoping that 8.1 would offer the option to install it as a desktop oriented OS rather than a touch based. MS seems to want everyone to transition to tablets and touch screens. I know you can customise, but customising takes time and effort that is not for the novice not for the faint hearted new users. We desktop users who use out PCs for work and not for multimedia and social networking are getting left behind. Knowing MS's record; this trend will continue.

I fail to understand why a new OS will require third party applications to make it work the way a user wants it. I have win 8 on my laptop and win 7 on my desktop. I am trying to customise my win 8 to function like my "customised" win 7 and it is a chore to say the least. Win 8.1? No thanks! Just my opinion!

 

[theog]

Are you saying that a clean install would wipe the OEM recovery partition (which just can't be!)? Or, do you mean that an 8.1 generated USB recovery drive cannot be used to restore the copied WIMs on the USB drive from the OEM recovery partition because the WIM's are in an 8.0 specific format?

Also
If you Clean install a OEM manufacturer's the Recovery Partition & USB Recovery Drive are made unusable.

You can not remake the OEM manufacturer's USB Recovery drive with Recovery Partition the option is greyed out in Windows 8.1.

 

[johnpombrio]

Are these statements true?

IF YOU FORMAT the boot drive, create new partitions, and do a clean install of Win8.1 from an .iso on a USB stick or DVD, you NEED to have a Win8.1 key.

If you UPGRADE Win8 to Win8.1 from the Windows store, you DO NOT NEED a special Win8.1 key, just your WIn8 OEM or retail key.

sound right?

 

[alphanumeric]

Are these statements true?

IF YOU FORMAT the boot drive, create new partitions, and do a clean install of Win8.1 from an .iso on a USB stick or DVD, you NEED to have a Win8.1 key.

If you UPGRADE Win8 to Win8.1 from the Windows store, you DO NOT NEED a special Win8.1 key, just your WIn8 OEM or retail key.

sound right?

Yes, if you do a clean install with an unmodified RTM ISO you have to enter a Windows 8.1 key to install it. If you upgrade though the store you don't have to enter any key.

 

[SIW2]

MS seems to want everyone to transition to tablets and touch screens. I know you can customise, but customising takes time and effort that is not for the novice not for the faint hearted new users.

Yes, you are right. It is possible to avoid much of the push to online services. It is probably only the more advanced users who would do that. MS is hoping the general public won't know any better and will will just accept the defaults and be drawn in without realising.

 

[SIW2]

You can not remake the OEM manufacturer's USB Recovery drive with Recovery Partition the option is greyed out in Windows 8.1.

You won't need that if you have the installation media. If you do want a copy of the recov partition for any reason, just copy the contents manually.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

MS seems to want everyone to transition to tablets and touch screens. I know you can customise, but customising takes time and effort that is not for the novice not for the faint hearted new users.

Yes, you are right. It is possible to avoid much of the push to online services. It is probably only the more advanced users who would do that. MS is hoping the general public won't know any better and will will just accept the defaults and be drawn in without realising.

OMG! That would be terrible! Kind of like getting sucked into a big, powerful MS black hole never being able to escape. Yikes!

Yeah, I think MS should go back to creating their good 'ole pure Windows shell desktop PC (and server) OSs aimed at their existing customer base even though that market has been declining and only to flat line very soon. Perhaps there other divisions will take up the slack for awhile?

Enterprise will start purchasing and deploying such new OSs as soon as they get the cash resources and/or borrowing power to do so after the worldwide recession is over. That should be anytime soon.....

What I question also is why they spent all that money developing those Surfaces and just recently buying that cell phone division. That's hard-earned money that they could have saved! Their customers will never buy that type of stuff!

I think they should slow down, take it easier, go back making those traditional OSs, and watch the other two conglomerates soak up all that profit generated by their nonsensical touch-centric mobile devices and services that the foolish general public consumer is buying up. It just doesn't seem like they want to sit at their desks in front of the good 'ole desktop PC anymore. They want to be up and about. I can't imagine why they would want to save so much money on those through-away consumption gadgets when they could have all that computing power just like businesses and techies use and need!

Sometimes I sit and wonder how Microsoft ever got to be such a huge, successful corporation. Maybe it was just pure luck?

 

[SIW2]

Sometimes I sit and wonder

Do you?

 

[Shadowjk]

Sometimes I sit and wonder how Microsoft ever got to be such a huge, successful corporation. Maybe it was just pure luck?

I think it started with this

 

[johnpombrio]

Nah, you youn 'uns, it started with this: