Official Microsoft ISO/Media Creation Tool

:thumb: For those that may not know, this tool will let you download a Windows 8.1 ISO to do a clean install with. No Product Code is needed for the download. Core, Pro , N and the elusive Single Language versions are available in 32 bit and 64 bit. You can also use it to create a bootable thumb drive to install Windows with.

I downloaded 8.1 Core from this link and used it on my ASUS laptop. It read and used my laptops embedded 8.0 code. No having to install with a generic code to activate with my OEM 8.0 code. No having to even know what the OEM code was. It activated online within seconds of booting up with no issues.
 
You no longer need to download the pirated version of Windows 8.1.

How to download and clean install Windows 8.1 if you have an OEM computer with UEFI firmware (BIOS) embedded Windows 8/8.1 product key? -> link
 
Have anyone tested it with windows 8 upgrade version?

Do I still need:
install older version windows (for example 7, vista or XP)-> install windows 8 -> update to windows 8.1 from store.
or use generic key when installing and then workaround to activate with update key.
it would be nice to just install windows 8.1 with windows 8 update key.
 
Have anyone tested it with windows 8 upgrade version?

I have tested it with "Windows 8 $15 Upgrade Offer" product key. The installation is easy to do.

How to download and clean install Windows 8.1 if you don't have an OEM computer that came with Windows 8/8.1 preinstalled? -> link
 
Yes OEM and Upgrade Windows 8 keys are now accepted.. You can do a clean install with a windows 8 key.. no tricks needed
 
Have anyone tested it with windows 8 upgrade version?

Do I still need:
install older version windows (for example 7, vista or XP)-> install windows 8 -> update to windows 8.1 from store.
or use generic key when installing and then workaround to activate with update key.
it would be nice to just install windows 8.1 with windows 8 update key.

Nope, just download media and install with windows 8 key
 
I can't download the media!
I click on "Create Media", and it downloads OK. I then run this little program and select
Language (Danish)
Edition (Windows 8.1 Pro)
Architecture (64-bit X64)

Then click NEXT

Here I can select either USB flash drive or ISO file. I select ISO-file and click NEXT

The I select where it saves the ISO-file.

And then the error come allmost instant.

"Download did not complete successfully"
The download task did not complete.
The file or the folder is not a NTFS reparse-point.

I have tried to save on HDD, on a USB-stick formatted NTFS, formatted FAT32, but the same error shows up.

What can I do about this?


EDIT: I have now tried to make the same again, but in English, so it should not be the danish language that gives the error. In English I also got this error, so I would like to get help to this :)
 
save to your hard drive
it downloads temp files then creates the iso file

if you unhide your system file you will notice an ESD folder - rename it before clicking finish on the tool - now you will an iso and media

you'll need about 6.5 GB of hard drive space for download files and iso
 
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Do any of you know if this is 8.1 or 8.1.1 ISO. I downloaded the ISO file and saved it. At the end the only choice I had was finish.It did not burn it to a DVD. Do you have to burn it with another program.
 
it took 34 updates after install - 9600.17238.amd64fre.winblue_gdr.140723-2018 - The tool release date Oct, 28 2014
if you unhide your system file you will notice an ESD folder -"" rename it before clicking finish on the tool "" - now you will have iso and media

Double clicking the iso file appears to mount it as a virtual dvd drive (using windows 8) you should be able to right click on the iso and burn the iso to dvd (using windows 8)
 
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"Sarcasm on" Wow, am I dreaming? It took MS almost a year to realize that it's customers might want to do a clean install of Windows 8.1 instead of upgrading from Windows 8. That's customer service at it's best "sarcasm off".
 
Well this is weird, I D/Led the files, that created the ESD folder, and the contents, the program automatically created the ISO, which emptied the ESD folder.

OK so I have the ISO that it said was good, I burned it to DVD with WinISO, and it was a dud, the thing wouldn't verify, and gave me an error, OK, so did it again with Nero, this time it wouldn't verify after creating either, tried to read both DVD's in my DVD but they wouldn't read at all, it just said dvd was without media. ???

So now I can't even re make the ISO from the ESD folder since the files were removed after it made the ISO. I'm not sure what the deal is, cause if the ISO was deemed corrupt, you'd think the program would have said so.

I now have 2 DVD's that are hosed, what could be the problem?

btw both programs said the burn process had completed successfully after the burning process ???

============

edit 1

Just tried it again using yet another burning program, same thing, I can't belive 3 DVD's are bad. this time i took a couple screen shots, one shows the thing as completing, and the other shows it again as not showing up to be verified.

I'm now trying one more (4th) DVD, but I'm using my old Vista machine and an older version of Nero. I'll edit when its done and see if that works.


Burned ISO 3rd time.jpgStill not verify.jpg

================

edit 2

man OK, well unbelievably, the burned ISO I did on my old Vista machine works, now I'm not sure if the first 3 DVD's were bad, or what, cause the burner on my laptop works fine. I tested the disk to make sure it would even boot being it was made on the 32bit Vista machine, and it does.

I assume even though it shows the Windows 8 logo on the opening screen its the latest version 8.1.1 right??? I clicked next just to see what it does, and it gave me a screen to repair windows, I assume that's because I already have 8.1.1 installed, and if not it would go into the install screen.

Anyway I have this one now, one of W8 the first version, and another install DVD of the ISO I downloaded from one of the torrent sites of W8.1, back when MS was acting crazy, and the normal update of 8.1 didn't want to work, so I assume i have it pretty much covered lol. Since I make several Image backups as it is I may never really need a "clean" installer anyway, only reason I can see for it is if i buy a used machine with some OEM OS like XP or 7.

Now wonder how W10 will deal with it?
 
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Actually it is rumored that windows 10 will also be a free update.. And using your old media means you will have to play tricks again, just trash the disks.. You now have a reliable install method... Yeah and it only took a year to conceive.. Because as soon as 8.1 update came out, 8 was trash and old news.. MS did not do so good on the windows 8 platform as far as sales.. windows 10 is more geared for big companies with a familiar user interface - that is their target market with 10..
 
I clicked next just to see what it does, and it gave me a screen to repair windows, I assume that's because I already have 8.1.1 installed, and if not it would go into the install screen.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/26095-repair-install-windows-8-a.html



How to Do a Clean Install

Boot the computer from your Windows 8.1 installation DVD or USB flash drive.



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

-or-

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...e-firmware-interface-install-windows-8-a.html
 
Yay about time! Finally MS seen sense.

First thing I'll be doing when I get home will be downloading this
 
@bubblebobble,

This Windows 8.1 installation media accepts Windows 8/8.1 product keys. For example, if you are using "Windows 8 Pro $15 Upgrade Offer" product key, the activation should succeed in all Windows computers (OEM, non OEM, UEFI, non UEFI).
 
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