Clean install media for OEM systems?

Raident

New Member
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Does Microsoft provide any official channels for obtaining vanilla Windows 8 media without the OEM bloatware, the way they did for Windows 7?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Microsoft have never provide any official OEM manufacturer's vanilla Windows media without the OEM bloatware for any OS.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
Just to clarify, I'm not talking about OEM images, which by definition are neither clean install media nor vanilla Windows.

I'm talking about regular retail off-the-shelf Windows 8 DVDs or ISO images, like the Digital River ones that were publicly available for W7.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
like the Digital River ones that were publicly available for W7.

There are RETAIL & NOT for OEM manufacturer's PC's.

You would need to buy a Windows 8/8.1 DVD.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
Considering how just about any Windows 8 disk can be used to reformat an OEM system (I used a Windows 8 Pro retail DVD on a Windows 8 core OEM laptop, and it installed and activated Windows 8 core using the embedded BIOS product key), I don't see what the problem is.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
The problem is that not everyone has the DVD.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer V5-573P-6896
    CPU
    i5-4200U
    Memory
    12 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    integrated
The TechNet/MSDN Windows 8.0 ISO will read the OEM embedded key and install the matching version automatically. They don't list separate OEM and Retail ISO's on TechNet or MSDN and the ones listed are multiple edition, Core and Pro. As far as I know the retail DVD's are the same. The box may say 8 Pro but the actual disk in the box can install Pro or Core and read the OEM embedded keys. Like Hicksville stated though, getting your hands on one can be an issue. Other than TechNet or MSDN, which are subscription services, the only official download link I've seen is this one, http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/18309-windows-8-windows-8-1-iso-download-create.html?filter , unfortunately it won't accept OEM keys. In the past I had to resort to bit torrent to get an ISO. I now have TechNet/MSDN access so I can easily get the ISO I need. I used my TechNet ISO to do a clean install on my ASUS laptop and it read the embedded key and installed 8 Core automatically without asking me to enter a key. I've since moved on to 8.1.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
Thanks for answering the question, alphanumeric :)

As a follow-up question, were you able to do clean installs of Pro/Enterprise on your ASUS laptop? Or were you forced to do the install-Core-then-upgrade procedure?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
I was able to do clean installs. At the time I swapped drives I wasn't a Microsoft MVP so I had to hunt up an ISO on bit torrent. That was a Windows 8.0 ISO. It read my embedded code and installed 8 Core automatically. I didn't have to enter a product code and it activated automatically online. I am now a Microsoft MVP and one of the perks that comes with it is a free TechNet and MSDN subscription. With that I can get 8.0 and 8.1 ISO's and keys. Right now My laptop is running 8.1 Enterprise, that was a clean install. I did that so I could setup a Windows To Go drive, its only an option with enterprise. My two desktops are running 8.1 Pro + Media Center. Both were clean installs. The one time I did the store update to 8.1 Preview I had issues afterward. My WIFI went intermittent and my wireless keyboard and trackball started acting weird. I haven't done the store update since then.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
EDIT:

How to download and clean install Windows 8.1 if you have an OEM computer with UEFI firmware (BIOS) embedded Windows 8/8.1 product key. -> link
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo G580
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-3230M
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, standard user account
    Other Info
    UEFI firmware (BIOS) embedded Windows 8 product key.
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