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Solved CLEAN install Win 8 on OEM system w/ NO COA lable - SOLVED
After hours of researching various forums - I have solved this riddle!
If all of you would like to know the solution to being able to not only find your unique product key, and being able to clean install and activate - then respond here and let me know!
Administrator
Administrator
mvp
OS
64-bit Windows 10
Computer type
PC/Desktop
System Manufacturer/Model
Custom self built
CPU
Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
Motherboard
ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
Memory
64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
Graphics Card(s)
ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
Sound Card
Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
Monitor(s) Displays
2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
Screen Resolution
2560x1440
Hard Drives
1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
PSU
OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
Case
Thermaltake Core P3
Cooling
Corsair Hydro H115i
Keyboard
Logitech wireless K800
Mouse
Logitech MX Master 3
Internet Speed
1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
Browser
Internet Explorer 11
Antivirus
Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
Other Info
Logitech Z625 speaker system,
Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
Galaxy S23 Plus phone
Well-Known Member
VIP Member
Guru
Because there is no legal way to do this perhaps?
(like the hat Shawn!)
OS
Windows 10 Pro X64
Computer type
PC/Desktop
System Manufacturer/Model
Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
CPU
Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
Motherboard
Lenovo
Memory
16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
Graphics Card(s)
Intel Integrated HD Graphics
Sound Card
Realtek HD Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
HP h2207
Screen Resolution
1680x1050@59Hz
Hard Drives
250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
PSU
500W
Keyboard
Wired USB
Mouse
Wired USB
Internet Speed
3GB Up, 30GB Down
Browser
SeaMonkey
Antivirus
Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
Other Info
UEFI/GPT
PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH
Administrator
Administrator
mvp
That was my thought as well, but was just curious to see.
OS
64-bit Windows 10
Computer type
PC/Desktop
System Manufacturer/Model
Custom self built
CPU
Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
Motherboard
ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
Memory
64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
Graphics Card(s)
ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
Sound Card
Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
Monitor(s) Displays
2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
Screen Resolution
2560x1440
Hard Drives
1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
PSU
OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
Case
Thermaltake Core P3
Cooling
Corsair Hydro H115i
Keyboard
Logitech wireless K800
Mouse
Logitech MX Master 3
Internet Speed
1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
Browser
Internet Explorer 11
Antivirus
Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
Other Info
Logitech Z625 speaker system,
Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
Galaxy S23 Plus phone
Totally legit way guys - and here it is:
How to Get Windows 8 to clean install:
Get RWeverything @ rweverything.com
use rweverything to check your ACPI -> MSDM to find out what your key is
Replace or upgrade hard drive.
Clean Install with the SAME version that your OEM machine was installed with.
Once installed and into the OS - load an administrator CMD and use the command: slmgr /ipk
[Product Key] to enter in the key you found using rweverything.
Once I did this - windows 8 automatically activated (must have checked the bios using
slp3.0?) - there was no need to activate over the internet!
ALSO - You could technically replace the hard drive first, and after the clean install run
rweverything (in the case you get a system with a dead hard drive). Just make sure that
you install the version that came with the system!
Administrator
Administrator
mvp
Last edited: Dec 15, 2012
OS
64-bit Windows 10
Computer type
PC/Desktop
System Manufacturer/Model
Custom self built
CPU
Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
Motherboard
ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
Memory
64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
Graphics Card(s)
ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
Sound Card
Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
Monitor(s) Displays
2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
Screen Resolution
2560x1440
Hard Drives
1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
PSU
OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
Case
Thermaltake Core P3
Cooling
Corsair Hydro H115i
Keyboard
Logitech wireless K800
Mouse
Logitech MX Master 3
Internet Speed
1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
Browser
Internet Explorer 11
Antivirus
Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
Other Info
Logitech Z625 speaker system,
Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
Galaxy S23 Plus phone
Yeah, I read that whole forum you posted as part of my research.
The clean install using a generic (non oem branded) win8 disk didn't auto activate when a clean install of win8 was put on.
Note: The key that was found with rweverything IS the key in the BIOS.... the one that is checked.
So once I entered THAT key into the clean install of win 8 - it auto activated.
Administrator
Administrator
mvp
Ah, ok. I see now.
OS
64-bit Windows 10
Computer type
PC/Desktop
System Manufacturer/Model
Custom self built
CPU
Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
Motherboard
ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
Memory
64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
Graphics Card(s)
ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
Sound Card
Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
Monitor(s) Displays
2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
Screen Resolution
2560x1440
Hard Drives
1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
PSU
OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
Case
Thermaltake Core P3
Cooling
Corsair Hydro H115i
Keyboard
Logitech wireless K800
Mouse
Logitech MX Master 3
Internet Speed
1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
Browser
Internet Explorer 11
Antivirus
Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
Other Info
Logitech Z625 speaker system,
Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
Galaxy S23 Plus phone
Should this be made a sticky? I would have loved to have found this info right away without hours of searching.
Administrator
Administrator
mvp
Unfortunately, we can't sticky everything.
OS
64-bit Windows 10
Computer type
PC/Desktop
System Manufacturer/Model
Custom self built
CPU
Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
Motherboard
ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
Memory
64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
Graphics Card(s)
ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
Sound Card
Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
Monitor(s) Displays
2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
Screen Resolution
2560x1440
Hard Drives
1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
PSU
OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
Case
Thermaltake Core P3
Cooling
Corsair Hydro H115i
Keyboard
Logitech wireless K800
Mouse
Logitech MX Master 3
Internet Speed
1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
Browser
Internet Explorer 11
Antivirus
Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
Other Info
Logitech Z625 speaker system,
Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
Galaxy S23 Plus phone
Well-Known Member
VIP Member
Guru
LordX, sorry to have sounded so negative. I was not thinking of a newer system with the key in the BIOS/UEFI, but older system that you wanted to upgrade to Windows 8 without a key or COA sticker.
I tried RWeverything and on my old Intel P4 which does not have a MSDM entry under ACPI. It sure does pull a lot of data though.
Can you post an example of what the ACPI/MSDM window looks like (blotting out the actual key of course)?
OS
Windows 10 Pro X64
Computer type
PC/Desktop
System Manufacturer/Model
Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
CPU
Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
Motherboard
Lenovo
Memory
16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
Graphics Card(s)
Intel Integrated HD Graphics
Sound Card
Realtek HD Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
HP h2207
Screen Resolution
1680x1050@59Hz
Hard Drives
250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
PSU
500W
Keyboard
Wired USB
Mouse
Wired USB
Internet Speed
3GB Up, 30GB Down
Browser
SeaMonkey
Antivirus
Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
Other Info
UEFI/GPT
PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH
Sure - here is the screen shot from the PC that I am using:
Now - on another forum where I posted this - I got some people saying that their Windows 8 disk required them to put in a key BEFORE it would even install.
So in the case of a failed hard drive - the solution I found for them was to install windows seven (with no key entered) then use rweverything to find the key - then insert windows 8 dvd and install windows 8 with the key they found.
Kind of a pain in the butt.
Rweverything has a portable version - but it would not run on the USB boot tools that I use.
Can anyone here try a PE or USB boot option and see if they can get rweverything to work from there? That would be great!
Polyhedric Stellation
VIP Member
Pro User
Nice findings!
So in the case of a failed hard drive - the solution I found for them was to install windows seven
But if the hard drive failed, how are you able to install seven on it?
Can anyone here try a PE or USB boot option and see if they can get rweverything to work from there? That would be great!
I suggest using a Win7/8 or Vista repair disk that you can make on you own system:
http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-create-windows-8-recovery-cd/
Then put it on USB.
Extract the rweverything folder to USB as well.
Boot with the made USB and in Command Prompt change directory to rweverything and launch "RW.exe"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IMPORTANT:
The repair disk needs to be 32bit (made on 32bit system) in order to launch 32bit programs from command prompt.
I believe it's the case for RW to be 32bit as well.
I works with all native and simple programs with no extra framework dependencies
(example .NET requirements, Direct-X, sound, heavy graphics...).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OS
Windows 10 x64
Computer type
Laptop
System Manufacturer/Model
HP Envy DV6 7250
CPU
Intel i7-3630QM
Motherboard
HP, Intel HM77 Express Chipset
Memory
16GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel HD4000 + Nvidia Geforce 630M
Sound Card
IDT HD Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
15.6' built-in + Samsung S22D300 + 17.3' LG Phillips
Screen Resolution
multiple resolutions
Hard Drives
Samsung SSD 250GB + Hitachi HDD 750GB
PSU
120W adapter
Case
small
Cooling
laptop cooling pad
Keyboard
Backlit built-in + big one in USB
Mouse
SteelSeries Sensei
Internet Speed
slow and steady
Browser
Chromium, Pale Moon, Firefox Developer Edition
Antivirus
Windows Defender
Other Info
That's basically it.
VIP Member
VIP Member
Gold Member
Secure Boot will stop any boot disk from booting, that is not signed by Microsoft.
OS
ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Other Info
Notebooks x 3
Desktops x 5
Towers x 4
Hopachi - the product key is in the BIOS - not stored on the hard drive - so if a hard drive fails - simply put in a new (or temp one for win7 install).
VIP Member
VIP Member
Gold Member
Hopachi - the product key is in the BIOS - not stored on the hard drive - so if a hard drive fails - simply put in a new (or temp one for win7 install).
That would be a Secure Boot Violation.
OS
ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Other Info
Notebooks x 3
Desktops x 5
Towers x 4
Well - I tested this already - I put an old 160gb sata drive into a new ASUS laptop with win8 - and installed win7 no problem..
So what is this secure boot thing?
VIP Member
VIP Member
Gold Member
OS
ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Other Info
Notebooks x 3
Desktops x 5
Towers x 4
Well - the machine took the new hard drive without a problem - and installed windows 7 without an issue. So I dont know if this Secure Boot will be an issue for what this thread is about.