How to download the Windows 8.1 ISO

I don't think you can d/l the iso using that little trick if you have an oem key - can somebody confirm that?

( It works fine if you got the cheap upgrade deal key, that counts as retail. )

If that is the case, bad news for anyone who bought an oem machine with 8.0 on it.
 
The first post on this thread explains how.

A simple summary:

Download both the install win 8 AND install win 8.1 from http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...oduct-key-only

Run windows8setup.exe, put in your win 8.0 key. As soon as it says "estimating", click the red X at top rt to close it.

Then run windowsSetupbox.exe, you don't need to enter anything, it will immediately start to d/l 8.1 which gives the option to create an iso.
 
SIW2 said:
I don't think you can d/l the iso using that little trick if you have an oem key - can somebody confirm that?

( It works fine if you got the cheap upgrade deal key, that counts as retail. )

If that is the case, bad news for anyone who bought an oem machine with 8.0 on it.
Click to expand...

I tried with my laptops OEM Windows 8 key and it did not work. In my original post I mentioned the need for a retail key. I used the key that I got when I took advantage of the dirt cheap upgrade deal.
 
Thanks for the confirmation.

It seems those who bought a win 8.0 machine have been left up the creek. :(

mosharino said:
SIW2 said:
I don't think you can d/l the iso using that little trick if you have an oem key - can somebody confirm that?

( It works fine if you got the cheap upgrade deal key, that counts as retail. )

If that is the case, bad news for anyone who bought an oem machine with 8.0 on it.
Click to expand...

I tried with my laptops OEM Windows 8 key and it did not work. In my original post I mentioned the need for a retail key. I used the key that I got when I took advantage of the dirt cheap upgrade deal.
Click to expand...
 
SIW2 said:
Thanks for the confirmation.

It seems those who bought a win 8.0 machine have been left up the creek. :(

mosharino said:
SIW2 said:
I don't think you can d/l the iso using that little trick if you have an oem key - can somebody confirm that?

( It works fine if you got the cheap upgrade deal key, that counts as retail. )

If that is the case, bad news for anyone who bought an oem machine with 8.0 on it.
Click to expand...

I tried with my laptops OEM Windows 8 key and it did not work. In my original post I mentioned the need for a retail key. I used the key that I got when I took advantage of the dirt cheap upgrade deal.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...


This makes me very, very sad. :( :(
 
The computer that I tried to DL the 8.1 iso. with uses an oem DVD bought from Newegg back when Win 8 first came out. I think that was the only type DVD you could get.

So, I have two other computers which use Win 8 that use the cheap upgrade disk. What do you think about getting the iso. with one of these other computers and then installing it on the oem computer? All are 64 bit. THANKS.
 
Yes that will be fine if it is Pro or Core . If you can d/l the 64bit iso on another machine. It is possible your oem install is a different SKU - core single language is different.

As far as I can make out, the generic keys which work to install are :

CoreSingleLanguage=Y9NXP-XT8MV-PT9TG-97CT3-9D6TC
Professional=XHQ8N-C3MCJ-RQXB6-WCHYG-C9WKB
Core=334NH-RXG76-64THK-C7CKG-D3VPT


Pretty sure you can get it to install on your oem machine by entering the generic key, then when it has installed, you will probably need to enter your oem key to activate. Better get your oem key first. Produkey should do that for you.


ProduKey - Recover lost product key (CD-Key) of Windows/MS ...
 
The install.esd claims to only contain one image. Pro in my case, so it can only be used to install pro.

There might be a workaround. Will have a look in a mo.
 
I just remembered that one computer is not PRO and two are PRO. So back to square one on the first computer. Thanks for all the help.
 
Jackman33 said:
If you have a purchased copy of Win 8, I can upgrade to 8.1 today, but down the road when you have a crash, you can reload 8 but how to you get back to 8.1 without a disk etc? I have upgraded my test machine with 8.1 and now I need to know how I can reinstall the OS after a crash? I don't want to go to 8.1 with my "good" machine if I don't have a good way to reinstall after a crash.

Sorry for my being so dense!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

You could make an image of all your local drives with Macrium Reflect on a usb drive.
Then if you have a crash down the road, reinstall everything from the usb drive.

Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download
 
This is very poor.

Consumers with an oem 8.0 machine get this half assed upgrade. They will not feel disposed to buy any more MS stuff, their next tablet/phone will be something else.

It doesn't encourage anyone to buy a preinstalled machine with any kind of windows on it.
 
SIW2 said:
This is very poor.

Consumers with an oem 8.0 machine get this half assed upgrade. They will not feel disposed to buy any more MS stuff, their next tablet/phone will be something else.

It doesn't encourage anyone to buy a preinstalled machine with any kind of windows on it.
Click to expand...

Yea, I don't know why OEM folks would be thrown under the bus especially when MS has decided to move on to 8.1 and leave 8 in the rear-view mirror.

Your suggestion to make an image after the upgrade is the best suggestion I suppose as long as the upgrade goes OK. Still means us OEM trash have no way to do a direct 8.1 clean install.

Again, not cool.

P.S. You'd think MS would have even less of an issue with OEM software now with the key being burnt into the ROM. Go figure.
 
It would also be useful to have something for repair install. If you keep your eyes open, something may pop up in the wild.

Bit ridiculous that people have to go poking round the nether regions of the net, they never know what they might meet there.
 
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