Win 8 iso

[Glenn]

Hi
Has anyone found how to create a win 8 disk for reinstalling pcs and laptops that have licence embedded in bios, I thought it may be a case of using ei.cfg
but cannot find any good answers anywhere. This is going to be a pain if they wont let you replace hd if user hasnt created recovery media.
Regards
Glenn

 

[DocGreen]

I'm sure you could order a disc from the manufacturer as a last resort.

 

[FoolishTech]

Hi
Has anyone found how to create a win 8 disk for reinstalling pcs and laptops that have licence embedded in bios, I thought it may be a case of using ei.cfg
but cannot find any good answers anywhere. This is going to be a pain if they wont let you replace hd if user hasnt created recovery media.
Regards
Glenn

why are you trying to modify a win8 disk, for what purpose? any plain win8 disk will install on such PCs without need for the key... I did it twice last week (wiped a new factory install and recovery partition, then reloaded vanilla.) Quite the opposite of a PITA, it was the easiest Win install to date.

 

[Glenn]

Thanks for quick replys, I am experimenting with an asus k55a laptop and trying to see how to reinstall after hd swap, just to find out best way of doing it for future use. I only have a win 8 pro disk that was purchased by download from m/s. can you explain which disk you are using for laptops with bios encoded licences, I dont mind buying a disk but want to get the correct one.
Win 7, vista etc could all be installed from tweaked isos, just hoping it isnt necessary to buy all win 8 versions
Regards
Glenn

 

[FoolishTech]

I used the plain win8 download from technet in this case - it is labeled 'all editions' and is everything but enterprise. TBH I was under the impression they were ALL 'all edition' disks except for Enterprise versions and the N (all edition) versions which MS makes a separate d/l available for those.

I didn't realize they made just a 'pro' disk... are you sure that is what it is? Hmm, you purchased a download... Is it the upgrade edition? I'm betting it is b/c the only upgrade to Win8 I believe is to Pro - and if so, those probably won't read the bios keys (why would they need to if they are upgrades?) In that case you may need to actually extract the key from the BIOS. Haven't tried it, but was tipped off by another that RW-Everything could pull the key from the BIOS...

 

[nlinecomputers]

Windows 8, unlike previous version of windows, does not need any special disk for this. ALL WINDOWS 8 ISOs are designed to check the bios for the Digital Product Key. ALL OF THEM. So you don't need to generate a special version. Just slam the disk in the DVD drive or make a USB thumb drive from the iso and go to it. Only good thing about Windows 8 is the method of handling this. No more crawling under desks to see a worn out COA sticker. No more having to acquire copies of each companies install disk.

 

[katz]

Windows 8, unlike previous version of windows, does not need any special disk for this. ALL WINDOWS 8 ISOs are designed to check the bios for the Digital Product Key. ALL OF THEM. So you don't need to generate a special version. Just slam the disk in the DVD drive or make a USB thumb drive from the iso and go to it. Only good thing about Windows 8 is the method of handling this. No more crawling under desks to see a worn out COA sticker. No more having to acquire copies of each companies install disk.

So the Win 8 license lives & dies with the motherboard? In the event that you must replace the motherboard how do you get it to activate if the key resides in the bios...or can you still input the key from the sticker?

 

[ohio_grad_06]

Don't think there are even keys on the sticker anymore.

 

[trevm999]

So the Win 8 license lives & dies with the motherboard? In the event that you must replace the motherboard how do you get it to activate if the key resides in the bios...or can you still input the key from the sticker?

Which is generally how a Windows license works anyway, unless you are replacing with the same motherboard or the replacement motherboard listed by the manufacturer, in which case, I would assume the new board already has a activation key in the bios.

 

[nlinecomputers]

So the Win 8 license lives & dies with the motherboard? In the event that you must replace the motherboard how do you get it to activate if the key resides in the bios...or can you still input the key from the sticker?

Yes as stated below Oem licenses have always been tied to the motherboard. If you change motherboards the license is void. Most techs have ignored this and even on upgrades just installed the same key anyway. This method closes that loop hole. Should your motherboard malfunction in warranty the OEM is required to ship you a new one with a replacement digital product key (RDPK). Microsoft really had to fight with the Tier one OEMs to get this method but as most all OEMs even before Windows 8 put the serial number in the bios on the assembly line it is not a major effort to add a Windows key to it as well.

Don't think there are even keys on the sticker anymore.

Correct, with the key in the BIOS a sticker COA with a Product key on it is no longer needed.

Which is generally how a Windows license works anyway, unless you are replacing with the same motherboard or the replacement motherboard listed by the manufacturer, in which case, I would assume the new board already has a activation key in the bios.

Yes.

 

[katz]

Should your motherboard malfunction in warranty the OEM is required to ship you a new one with a replacement digital product key (RDPK).

Which rarely seems to happen. (malfunctioning within the warranty period). So, it looks like more business lost for the independent shop; In my experience most people aren't going to want to pay the cost of replacing a motherboard & having to purchase a license to get it activated again.

Throw away & buy a new one...

 

[nlinecomputers]

Yep one more reason NOT to service the home market. Managed services is the future.