How to install Windows 8 on Dell XPS 13-Ubuntu flavour

[barbarba]

Hi all,
I am trying to install Windows 8 on an XPS 13 9333.
The XPS came to me with pre-installed Ubuntu.
I'd like to install Win8 on it, starting from an ISO image coming from my organization's subscription to MSDN.
So, I used ISO2Disc to create a bootable USB stick and tried to install Win8 from it.

The installation does not work well as the XPS often freezes when trying to boot Windows.

I was thinking of reinstalling from scratch, starting from a Windows image already containing the XPS specific drivers, but I have no idea how I could build such an image.

How can I build a Windows image with preconfigured specific drivers?

Or is there a simpler path for installing a non-OEM Windows 8 on the XPS 13?

Many thanks!!!

 

[Anshad Edavana]

Hi

The recommended way to create a USB install drive is via manual DISKPART method. The resulting drive will be compatible with both Legacy and UEFI BIOS based systems. Please read the below tutorial and follow the instructions.

USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create - Windows 7 Help Forums

( The instructions are originally meant for 7 but the same applies to 8 ).

Since you have access to MSDN subscription, make sure to download the latest "Windows 8.1 Update 1" ISO and use it to prepare the USB flash drive. Boot from the USB and simply delete all partitions created by "Ubuntu" and create two new partitions. A 100 GB or bigger partition for OS and the rest of space for data storage.

You don't need to create a custom install image. All drivers can be downloaded from official support page.

Drivers & Downloads | Dell US

After installing all required drivers and software, create a backup image or custom "refresh" image which can be used to refresh/repair OS.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/3610-refresh-windows-8-create-use-custom-recovery-image.html

 

[barbarba]

Hi Anshad,
thank you for your answer.
In the end I installed Win 7, its ISO taken from the MSDN and put on a USB stick, using ISO2Disc.
Win7 installed and is working smoothly on the XPS 13.