Benefit of the retail package of Windows 8 Pro

[znod]

I upgraded three PCs to Windows 8 Pro. Two were 64-bit and one was 32-bit. I used the 64-bit ISO from one of the 64-bit systems to do a clean install on the 32-bit system, so all three are 64-bit now. The product keys are the same for both.

How could you do that?

Each time I upgraded one of my PCs, I downloaded the ISO for the upgrade, which is the same as the full install disk. After upgrading one of my PCs (the one that had the 32-bit version of Windows 7), I did a clean install with the 64-bit disk. All three of my PCs were upgraded to Windows 8, the clean installs were performed using the 64-bit upgrade disk by booting to the disk and starting a clean install. Once complete, you may receive the following message when trying to activate:


"Code 0xC004F061" Windows cannot be activated due to not being an upgrade.


1. Launch the command prompt as an administrator (Windows key & X –or CMD X if running on a Mac).


2. Type regedit and press enter.


3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE


4. Look for the item MediaBootInstall and set the status to 0


5. Close regedit and head back to the command prompt that should be still open.


6. Type slmgr /rearm and restart when prompted.



You will have an activated clean install of Windows 8.

I think I know the answer, but please clarify what you were running on your 3 machine at their upgrade times. I think it was 2 64-bit Win7's and 1 32-bit Win7--all upgraded to 64-bit Win8. ... You said something about all the product keys being the same. Please clarify that too.

You mention that the ISO's yielded, in effect, full-install discs. Did you try a clean install where you formatted prior to using one of your created discs. On which type of installs did your receive "'Code 0xC004F061' Windows cannot be activated due to not being an upgrade?" 64 bit to 64 bit, or 32 bit to 64 bit.

 

[MrShowdown]

How could you do that?

Each time I upgraded one of my PCs, I downloaded the ISO for the upgrade, which is the same as the full install disk. After upgrading one of my PCs (the one that had the 32-bit version of Windows 7), I did a clean install with the 64-bit disk. All three of my PCs were upgraded to Windows 8, the clean installs were performed using the 64-bit upgrade disk by booting to the disk and starting a clean install. Once complete, you may receive the following message when trying to activate:


"Code 0xC004F061" Windows cannot be activated due to not being an upgrade.


1. Launch the command prompt as an administrator (Windows key & X –or CMD X if running on a Mac).


2. Type regedit and press enter.


3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE


4. Look for the item MediaBootInstall and set the status to 0


5. Close regedit and head back to the command prompt that should be still open.


6. Type slmgr /rearm and restart when prompted.



You will have an activated clean install of Windows 8.

I think I know the answer, but please clarify what you were running on your 3 machine at their upgrade times. I think it was 2 64-bit Win7's and 1 32-bit Win7--all upgraded to 64-bit Win8. You did 3 actual upgrades, right? You said something about all the product keys being the same. Please clarify that too.

That's the point!

freeky1
said all product keys are the same, that confuses me, as Microsoft's retail EULA said that only 1 computer per product key at a time

 

[Hopachi]

To upgrade from x32 to x64, you need to do a clean install.
To downgrade from x64 to x32, you need to do a clean install.

Its the essential part. Why do people start discussions about forced or impossible "bitness" change... It is what it is.

So you have 64bit already installed:
You simply put the 32bit disk in and boot with it: it will install the 32bit version following setup instructions: this is a clean install.

So you have 32bit already installed:
You simply put the 64bit disk in and boot with it: it will install the 64bit version following setup instructions: this is a clean install.

The other options are from an architecture to the same (64 to 64 and 32 to 32) but with the disks inserted and booted, there will also be a clean install.

There's nothing else to discuss about.

Yours sincerely
Hopachi

 

[Hopachi]

Sadly it isn't just a different extension. It is a compressed file.

I don't think anyone has yet worked out what to with it.

But you did.
A converter from esd to wim if I'm right... I saw that in one of Shawn's great tutorials.

That would solve some major problems around here.

 

[znod]

To upgrade from x32 to x64, you need to do a clean install.
To downgrade from x64 to x32, you need to do a clean install.

Its the essential part. Why do people start discussions about forced or impossible "bitness" change... It is what it is.

So you have 64bit already installed:
You simply put the 32bit disk in and boot with it: it will install the 32bit version following setup instructions: this is a clean install.

So you have 32bit already installed:
You simply put the 64bit disk in and boot with it: it will install the 64bit version following setup instructions: this is a clean install.

The other options are from an architecture to the same (64 to 64 and 32 to 32) but with the disks inserted and booted, there will also be a clean install.

There's nothing else to discuss about.

Yours sincerely
Hopachi

I think they start them because MS is confusing on the issue. And, all of us don't have the test facilities or the time needed to do obtain understanding about every conceivable case that may be encountered. Additionally, those in the know often don't provide complete or completely satisfying explanations/clarifications.

 

[freeky1]

I paid for three upgrades on three PCs, so yes, I have three different product keys. I was merely trying to let people know that the key that you receive when you do the online upgrade will work with the 32-bit or the 64-bit ISO. Also, you can do a clean install using the upgrade ISO, but you may receive that error. If you are unable to activate after doing a clean install, you can either call MS or use the process I put in my previous post to activate Windows 8. I never, at any time, stated that you could use a product key more than once, only the ISO.

 

[Hopachi]

To upgrade from x32 to x64, you need to do a clean install.
To downgrade from x64 to x32, you need to do a clean install.

Its the essential part. Why do people start discussions about forced or impossible "bitness" change... It is what it is.

So you have 64bit already installed:
You simply put the 32bit disk in and boot with it: it will install the 32bit version following setup instructions: this is a clean install.

So you have 32bit already installed:
You simply put the 64bit disk in and boot with it: it will install the 64bit version following setup instructions: this is a clean install.

The other options are from an architecture to the same (64 to 64 and 32 to 32) but with the disks inserted and booted, there will also be a clean install.

There's nothing else to discuss about.

Yours sincerely
Hopachi

I think they start them because MS is confusing on the issue. And, all of us don't have the test facilities or the time needed to do obtain understanding about every conceivable case that may be encountered.

Yeah. That seems to be logic. We all go through different learning stages and one's first installs are always rising some suspense: Am I doing it right? Will I get to see my desktop again?... Ans so on.

 

[znod]

How true.

Note that we must have been posting simultaneously. My complete reply above was:

"I think they start them because MS is confusing on the issue. And, all of us don't have the test facilities or the time needed to do obtain understanding about every conceivable case that may be encountered. Additionally, those in the know often don't provide complete or completely satisfying explanations/clarifications."

I am not criticizing above. Just implying that some want more that the facts about what works; they want to eliminate their confusion given all the seemingly different and contradicting things that are said on various topics. Doing so is not always so easy. For example, see the MS quotes I posted above and their discussion.

 

[MrShowdown]

I paid for three upgrades on three PCs, so yes, I have three different product keys. I was merely trying to let people know that the key that you receive when you do the online upgrade will work with the 32-bit or the 64-bit ISO. Also, you can do a clean install using the upgrade ISO, but you may receive that error. If you are unable to activate after doing a clean install, you can either call MS or use the process I put in my previous post to activate Windows 8. I never, at any time, stated that you could use a product key more than once, only the ISO.

Thanks for the clarification!
Before it just confuses me with the word "the product key is same for both".

Just adding information, if you don't want to mess with the registry, right after clean install, you can directly refresh Windows 8. As described by Brink's Tutorial:
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/13375-clean-install-windows-8-upgrade.html

 

[SIW2]

I made something to create an iso from the installation files.

It doesn't convert .esd to .wim

I don't know a way to open or mount an .esd

Sadly it isn't just a different extension. It is a compressed file.

I don't think anyone has yet worked out what to with it.

But you did.
A converter from esd to wim if I'm right... I saw that in one of Shawn's great tutorials.

That would solve some major problems around here.

 

[Hopachi]

I made something to create an iso from the installation files.

It doesn't convert .esd to .wim

I don't know a way to open or mount an .esd

Sadly it isn't just a different extension. It is a compressed file.

I don't think anyone has yet worked out what to with it.

But you did.
A converter from esd to wim if I'm right... I saw that in one of Shawn's great tutorials.

That would solve some major problems around here.

Oops. Sorry.

That esd as archive seems to be newer (known since the downloads of Win8) if it's mostly unsupported. The wim format has been around for a while in iso's and 7-zip supports it well. We'll see what this esd is with time.

 

[MrShowdown]

ESD is Electronic Software Download, an encrypted WIM File.
What is an ESD File? (Windows 8) | GravyCode

 

[Hopachi]

ESD is Electronic Software Download, an encrypted WIM File.
What is an ESD File? (Windows 8) | GravyCode

Thanks for pointing this out.

I don't have any ESD's but maybe 7-Zip can handle these as well if they are WIM related.

 

[orlandotek]

What if you go through the process of purchasing Windows 8 Pro upgrade and do all the work on a 64-bit system, and then download the ISO (through the upgrade process) but don't install it...just create the media..and then when you do get around to installing it and you decide to put your Windows 8 Pro on a 32-bit only system? The downloaded ISO won't work??

If that is the case, then I think the easiest way around that scenario would be to use the re-download ISO steps with your purchased key on a 32-bit only system and THEN it would download an ISO that would be good on a 32-bit system and then you could create the media that would work on a 32-bit system.

Does that sound right?

 

[fafhrd]

ESD files are encrypted. 7-Zip will not open them.

Orlandotek - yes you can redownload both x64 and x86 ISO versions from 64-bit and 32-bit Windows editions respectively. However you can only install one at a time within the terms of the EULA.

 

[pewe]

If that is the case, then I think the easiest way around that scenario would be to use the re-download ISO steps with your purchased key on a 32-bit only system and THEN it would download an ISO that would be good on a 32-bit system and then you could create the media that would work on a 32-bit system.

Does that sound right?

That's the procedure I followed to download my iso - except I purchased on a 32bit PC and re-downloaded on a different 64bit PC.
I then formatted the 32bit drive and clean installed the 64bit.

 

[Hopachi]

ESD files are encrypted. 7-Zip will not open them.

Thanks for confirming this. :thumb:

 

[fafhrd]

You are welcome - of course, in future, the encryption algorithm and key store may become available.