Is the Installation Media system-independent??

[cognus]

Microsoft provides an online utility for creating installation media from a running/valid Windows 8/8.1 machine.
I have a running 8.1 Pro Dell Latitude but it has issues I cannot tolerate so I'm creating the media to "start from scratch". Therein lies the rub: is it really "from scratch" or is it an image which will recreate the issues I am having?

??? Reading through Create installation media for Windows 8.1 - Windows Help it doesn't really address the question.

thx for your help
c

 

[Clintlgm]

You can download the ISO its windows 8.1.1, just download the version you have a Key for core or pro 32bit or 64 bit
you can use Rufus to create the Install media from the ISO if you want. The Microsoft one seems to work good though from what I'm hearing.

 

[AddRAM]

If you have issues, you brought them on yourself, a fully updated clean install of 8.1 Pro works perfectly

The answer to your question is... Yes

 

[adamf]

It is neither. If you download the ISO it will download the version of the architecture (x86 or 64) of the PC you download it from. If you want 64 bit make sure you use a PC running 64 bit. It will not include any drivers or other software specific to your PC. Therefore if "from scratch" you mean "like when I bought it" the answer is no. To do this you would use your own recovery disks or use the "refresh" or "reset" options.

The download is certainly not an image of what you have now though so a clean install using your link plus a visit to the Dell site to get drivers for your model should do the trick. You may want to download your drivers and put them on a second USB stick before you begin as certain things may not work. For example I can't use Wifi after doing a clean install until I load apple drivers and not having a ethernet port means I can't get internet without Wifi so it is easier for me to have the drivers available off-line.

Unless the issues you are having are with a Dell driver using your link (plus re-installing drivers) should do what (I think) you want to do as it will get rid of everything else.

 

[KYHI]

Yes the media tool will allow you to do fresh clean installation of windows

 

[cognus]

false. dell had the issues.
I fix their issues.

If you have issues, you brought them on yourself, a fully updated clean install of 8.1 Pro works perfectly

The answer to your question is... Yes