Windows 8.1 w/ Update 1 reformat with original W8 key

As I plan to reformat (or refresh) my computer soon via W8.1 settings menu.. I was wondering if I would have to enter my W8 key again or install W8 then do all the updates. I couldn't find any information on this on Google nor Bing. I also asked a couple of friends about this and they didn't know either.

Hello McTickle, and welcome to Eight Forums.

It depends. Did Windows 8 come preinstalled on your OEM computer, or did you install a retail copy of Windows 8 on the computer?

Retail copy I bought from Newegg a year ago.

Perfect.

If you like, you could download a Windows 8.1 ISO using OPTION ONE below.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/18309-windows-8-windows-8-1-iso-download-create.html

Afterwards, create a bootable USB from the ISO file.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-create-windows.html

OR

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2227-create-bootable-usb-dvd-windows-8-iso.html

You can then do a direct clean install of Windows 8.1. You would enter a generic key while installing Windows 8.1. When installation is finished, you would change the key to your Windows 8 key to activate with.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...e-firmware-interface-install-windows-8-a.html

OR

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2299-clean-install-windows-8-a.html

Brink said:

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I'm well aware of doing that stuff. The thing I'm trying to ask is... Would I have to enter a cd-key if I chose to reformat from Update and Recovery? I'm also aware that you don't have to for refreshing and that's one of the reasons why I'm doing it in the first place as something went all screwy with windows.old.

If you refresh, you will not have to enter the product key, but you will go back to Windows 8.

If you format to do a clean install boot, then yes you would need to enter your product key. You could either clean install Windows 8 with your key and update again afterwards, or do what I posted above to clean install with Windows 8.1 instead. It's just a matter of what you would like to do.