Installing win 8 upgrade, is it a new install?

[JackMDS]

I know it is "Halloween week" but Windows.old is not so scary it does not disturb the "all mighty" Fresh Install, it just sits there passively and might help in case some old info is needed.

Otherwise you can delete it.

 

[jhansman]

OK, forgive me if this has been asked an answered, but I too qualified for the $15 upgrade. I have the upgrade assistant on my screen, but before I pull the trigger, one question: does the download just go ahead and install, or do I have the option of installing it later, or perhaps, never? I've played with the Preview enough to know I can live with the changes, but I'd like the option of installing when and if I'm ready. Thanks for any info you all can provide.

NOTE: Just found this on Microsoft's "Upgrade to Windows 8" page"

"You can run Upgrade Assistant without purchasing or installing Windows 8. "

Does this mean you can purchase, download and not install?

 

[sze5003]

So how does this work if I buy the pro version of the upgrade? Will I be able to reinstall windows 8 again if something happens to my pc or I upgrade parts? I only use a 128gb SSD for windows and a 1tb drive for games and everything else.

Is it compatible with most newer games these days?

 

[hasu]

I had installed the release preview a few weeks ago and bought the Windows 8 Pro upgrade on Thursday. The upgrade assistant downloaded the relevant packages from Microsoft. Once the download was completed I had option either to continue with the install or create an ISO file. I chose the later option and did a clean install after burning a DVD. It was pretty simple process on my Dell E6400 laptop (a little old, but it runs better with Windows 8). Only problem I faced was because of a bad DVD burn which kept saying DVD driver was missing. http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/ completed the Windows 8 to make it a real successor to Windows 7 sans Aero.

 

[sze5003]

I had installed the release preview a few weeks ago and bought the Windows 8 Pro upgrade on Thursday. The upgrade assistant downloaded the relevant packages from Microsoft. Once the download was completed I had option either to continue with the install or create an ISO file. I chose the later option and did a clean install after burning a DVD. It was pretty simple process on my Dell E6400 laptop (a little old, but it runs better with Windows 8). Only problem I faced was because of a bad DVD burn which kept saying DVD driver was missing. http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/ completed the Windows 8 to make it a real successor to Windows 7 sans Aero.

Cool looks like I will need to find my USB drive and keep that image in there. 40 bucks is a nice deal for this OS. I just hope all my games and programs will function properly.

 

[dagamer34]

I did a clean (as in blank drive) install with an upgrade key i bought yesterday when running the upgrade advisor on a Windows 7 install. I used an MSDN iso and the key was valid for install but did not immediately activate. It continued to failed online activation, so I had to do phone activation, but it worked just fine.

So basically, don't use upgrade media. Go find a non-upgrade ISO and you should be good to go and not have to deal with any of this double install business.

 

[dagamer34]

OK, forgive me if this has been asked an answered, but I too qualified for the $15 upgrade. I have the upgrade assistant on my screen, but before I pull the trigger, one question: does the download just go ahead and install, or do I have the option of installing it later, or perhaps, never? I've played with the Preview enough to know I can live with the changes, but I'd like the option of installing when and if I'm ready. Thanks for any info you all can provide.

NOTE: Just found this on Microsoft's "Upgrade to Windows 8" page"

"You can run Upgrade Assistant without purchasing or installing Windows 8. "

Does this mean you can purchase, download and not install?

Yes, the upgrade assessment happens first, and then the later steps deal with buying Windows 8. You can stop before buying.

 

[sze5003]

I did a clean (as in blank drive) install with an upgrade key i bought yesterday when running the upgrade advisor on a Windows 7 install. I used an MSDN iso and the key was valid for install but did not immediately activate. It continued to failed online activation, so I had to do phone activation, but it worked just fine.

So basically, don't use upgrade media. Go find a non-upgrade ISO and you should be good to go and not have to deal with any of this double install business.

Do they sell non upgrade discs? I thought they pretty much did away with them. Anyone else have these issues yet? Probably because it was recently released and all the crackers might be using similar keys to install and then bypass activation.

 

[ViRGE]

The article states choosing keep Nothing is a clean install. This is NOT a clean install. What happens is that files in Program Files, Program Files (x86) and Users get trashed. Your old version of windows gets backed up to Windows.old. If you want a clean install, meaning you want to start completely fresh, you have to restart your computer and boot from the DVD / USB drive.

I don't know, I think this may qualfy as being a clean install. Keep in mind that the reason we do clean installs are so that old cruft (drivers, settings, etc) don't stick around. If it really does archive everything, then that's fundamentally no different than a clean install.

Do they sell non upgrade discs? I thought they pretty much did away with them. Anyone else have these issues yet? Probably because it was recently released and all the crackers might be using similar keys to install and then bypass activation.

From what I've seen MS is allowing you to upgrade any version of Windows with any media if you have a suitable key. So I guess it's safe to say there's no such thing as non-upgrade disc. There's merely an upgrade disc, and an upgrade/full-install disc

 

[sze5003]

I think that as long as you have an activated Windows 7 copy then the assessment program will download the copy of 8 for you. I also believe from reading on MS website when you buy the upgrade you get a key which means that having a windows 7 key is not necessary if you were to just burn or create a USB install and boot from it.

 

[MadScientist]

I don't know, I think this may qualfy as being a clean install. Keep in mind that the reason we do clean installs are so that old cruft (drivers, settings, etc) don't stick around. If it really does archive everything, then that's fundamentally no different than a clean install.

It may be a difference of semantics but to me this is what a "Clean Install" is.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-clean-install.htm

 

[sze5003]

It's a clean install anytime you boot from the media and wipe your primary drive. I have all games and programs installed on the disc drive and only important drivers and apps on the solid state along with windows. I also set up my user folders to point to the mechanicle drive.

 

[jhansman]

I had installed the release preview a few weeks ago and bought the Windows 8 Pro upgrade on Thursday. The upgrade assistant downloaded the relevant packages from Microsoft. Once the download was completed I had option either to continue with the install or create an ISO file. I chose the later option and did a clean install after burning a DVD. It was pretty simple process on my Dell E6400 laptop (a little old, but it runs better with Windows 8). Only problem I faced was because of a bad DVD burn which kept saying DVD driver was missing. http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/ completed the Windows 8 to make it a real successor to Windows 7 sans Aero.

Thanks. This is exactly what I wanted to know. I'm not the only one in the house who uses the machine that will eventually run Win8, so I'm not about to spring it on those who don't even know what it is or how different it behaves. I want to buy it, but installing it is going to be a "transitional" affair.

EDIT: Yep, once downloaded, you get the choice to save, burn or install the ISO. I saved it, then burned it.