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Getting Win8 online for later install

Ken g6

Ken g6

Programming Moderator, Elite Member
Moderator
I find this whole buying-a-Windows-download process confusing. What I'd like to do is buy Win8 now while it's $40 online, hang on to that download until Haswell comes out, build a Haswell-based PC, and install Win8 on that. I have a copy of WinXP Pro 32-bit that I've never used, which I'd like to be the basis of the "upgrade" - though I'd do a fresh install if possible.

So, how do I do the download thing? Do I have to do it from Windows? Should it be WinXP-32 (which I'm never upgrading), Win7-64 (which I'm probably never upgrading), or could it even be from a Windows 2000 VM? Can I save it to an ISO?

If it's too complicated, I could buy the $67 DVD from Amazon (with Amazon gift cards), but I'd rather save the $27 and use the gift card money for hardware.
 
the $40 download does it all. you can save it as a iso file then hit the back button and it will put the setup files on a usb flash drive , hit the back button again and install it now if you like. as for a fresh install, don't think so. check again when your ready to install.
 
I think all you need for a fresh install is to have Windows on the hard drive you are installing it on when you boot from the disc. Once you're in the setup you can wipe the HD and do a clean install of Win 8.

It's also transferable from your old machine to your new one. I started on an i7 920 rig, upgraded to my current 3930k, and just used the automated phone key authentication tool to transfer the license to the new machine.

You can also re-download the .iso with the upgrade tool from MS apparently. http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/13200-windows-8-upgrade-iso-redownload.html
 
1. Download Windows 8 advisor
2. Run it and go through the steps
3. Pay
4. Choose "Create install media" or "Save to ISO"
5. Click finish

That should be all there is to it. Seeing as it's an upgrade i'm pretty sure you will need Windows xp/vista or 7 already installed to install a Windows 8 upgrade. The install process is the same as Windows 7, so you can delete all partitions and do a clean install.
 
Keep in mind the $40 Windows 8 upgrade will automatically download the 32bit or 64bit version based upon what you're currently running. If currently 32bit, then it'll d/l the 32-bit Win8 and likewise for 64bit.

Everything installed just fine, but I had some activation trouble, because like you I used this upgrade for a fresh install. The answer was to change one value in the registry to 0. I'm sure you'll find it through Google. This install replaced a legit XP 32bit install on my old rig, so I think I'm on OK ground here.
 
Try this


Windows 8 users who noticed that the operating system can’t be activated after the installation may want to try the following workaround that worked to activate when installing Windows 8 using an upgrade on a clean PC.

Open regedit by pressing Windows-q, entering regedit and selecting the result from the list of hits.
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/
Change MediaBootInstall from 1 to 0

Go back to the start screen and enter cmd there.
Right-click Command Prompt and select to run it as administrator.
Type slmgr /rearm on the command line and hit enter.

Reboot Windows now.
Run the activation utility afterwards, enter your product key to activate Windows.
Click to expand...
 
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