Windows 8.1 clean install with Windows 8 OEM key

[Mr-Smith]

Hello! I have a HP Probook 450 with Windows 8 preinstalled. I want to upgrade to Win 8.1, but I want to perform a clean install. Which means: inserting the Win 8.1 DVD (I've downloaded the .iso from the internet.), formatting the disk, and at last, Windows 8.1 installation.

Will this work? I've read that my Win 8 OEM key, which is hardcoded in the BIOS, will not allow me to install Win 8.1. Forum users say here and here that it is possible to perform a Win 8 clean install. How is with Win 8.1?

[IN4MER · Accepted solution]

I did it.  It is possible with elitebook revolve..

You will need:

1. Windows 8.1 ISO

2. Windows 8.1 Default Installation Keys (http://pastebin.com/Cs9GUhyT)  <---If this link is gone, you can find it using google.

3. Your Windows 8 OEM Key (You can use Belarc Advisor software to find it, http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html.  You can also use the Microsoft Toolkit that can grab that information for you as well)

4. USB Drive with at leat 8GB.  (You can use a micro SD card but it will be SLOW)

5. YUMI Creator (pendrivelinux.com)

My instructions are summarized by several forum posts (one source for more details http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/48434-Windows-8-1-Clean-Install-Guide).  So this point starts after you've retrieved your win8 OEM key.

Instructions

1. You need to download the Windows 8.1 ISO (Can be done several ways.  If you have a retail Win8 key, that will make life easier, otherwise look for online sources)  http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57608376-285/how-to-download-the-official-microsoft-windows-8.1-...

[Basically, download windows 8 setup and get that started, then cancel it right away and download windows 8.1 setup.  This is the way to bypass windows 8.1 key request]

2. After downloading the ISO, use YUMI usb creator and create a USB bootable with windows 8.1 ISO).  I had problems with booting from the USB, it seems there is a design flaw, but maybe just mine.  Let me know if you can boot.  If you can't, you need to SLIGHTLY remove the USB drive (1-3mm).  Basically, my usb must not go all the way in in order to boot.

3. Install windows 8.1 using the default installation keys.  Your OEM key will not work.  This key is only for installation, but you will need your win8 OEM key for activation after installing windows.

4.  When everything is installed, go to windows activation or press win + pause (you might need to use a function key (fn)).  Change your product key by entering your win8 OEM key.

5. I suggest if your laptop has softpaq installer for your computer drivers, install that first.  Then you can select the drivers and software you want to install and do it all at once without having to download one at a time.

6. Finish

Let me know if you have any problems, I can walk you through it as I took two days to finally figure it out.  I hated doing the windows 8, all updates, then windows 8.1 update.

I also recommend you install the easeus to-do backup.  You can install all your drivers and programs then use this program to create a disk image.  My disk image is approximately 20GB which sits on a secondary partition (so if your SSD crashes, it's all gone though), for fast restoring.  It takes approximately 20 minutes to backup.  Then 20 minutes to restore the disk image which I find fairly quick.

[Hecticated]

Here is your answer. This guy made a tutorial video on how to do it properly and it's easy

http://www.hecticated.com/video/490/how-to-clean-install-windows-8-1-on-oem-machine/

[clarksfield]

---

@SSJDENG wrote:

I did it.  It is possible with elitebook revolve..

You will need:

1. Windows 8.1 ISO

2. Windows 8.1 Default Installation Keys (http://pastebin.com/Cs9GUhyT)  <---If this link is gone, you can find it using google.

3. Your Windows 8 OEM Key (You can use Belarc Advisor software to find it, http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html.  You can also use the Microsoft Toolkit that can grab that information for you as well)

4. USB Drive with at leat 8GB.  (You can use a micro SD card but it will be SLOW)

5. YUMI Creator (pendrivelinux.com)

My instructions are summarized by several forum posts (one source for more details http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/48434-Windows-8-1-Clean-Install-Guide).  So this point starts after you've retrieved your win8 OEM key.

Instructions

1. You need to download the Windows 8.1 ISO (Can be done several ways.  If you have a retail Win8 key, that will make life easier, otherwise look for online sources)  http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57608376-285/how-to-download-the-official-microsoft-windows-8.1-...

[Basically, download windows 8 setup and get that started, then cancel it right away and download windows 8.1 setup.  This is the way to bypass windows 8.1 key request]

2. After downloading the ISO, use YUMI usb creator and create a USB bootable with windows 8.1 ISO).  I had problems with booting from the USB, it seems there is a design flaw, but maybe just mine.  Let me know if you can boot.  If you can't, you need to SLIGHTLY remove the USB drive (1-3mm).  Basically, my usb must not go all the way in in order to boot.

3. Install windows 8.1 using the default installation keys.  Your OEM key will not work.  This key is only for installation, but you will need your win8 OEM key for activation after installing windows.

4.  When everything is installed, go to windows activation or press win + pause (you might need to use a function key (fn)).  Change your product key by entering your win8 OEM key.

5. I suggest if your laptop has softpaq installer for your computer drivers, install that first.  Then you can select the drivers and software you want to install and do it all at once without having to download one at a time.

6. Finish

Let me know if you have any problems, I can walk you through it as I took two days to finally figure it out.  I hated doing the windows 8, all updates, then windows 8.1 update.

I also recommend you install the easeus to-do backup.  You can install all your drivers and programs then use this program to create a disk image.  My disk image is approximately 20GB which sits on a secondary partition (so if your SSD crashes, it's all gone though), for fast restoring.  It takes approximately 20 minutes to backup.  Then 20 minutes to restore the disk image which I find fairly quick.

---

I don't understand why you wasted time in making a bootable USB instead of using the ready to burn ISO of windows?

[IN4MER]

You can use a DVD if you want, but the elitebook revolve doesn't come with a DVD-ROM. DVDs are slow anyways, faster with USB 3.0.

[ppat]

you can perform a net install with Serva

http://vercot.com/~serva/an/WindowsPXE1.html

[fasst]

I have an 840 upgraded to win8.1 and want to do a clean install of 8.1 on a new and larger SSD. Is there any way to create the recovery partition, with the correct files/drivers etc for win8.1?

Making the recovery partition itself is straight forward but I haven't found any description on how to create the content for the recovery partition.

[IN4MER]

As far as I'm aware, you won't be able to do a clean HP recovery install on a different HDD.  The recovery partitions are created at the factory.

If you know otherwise, please share as I would like to do that as well, but I'm most certain it's done at the factory because I've been trying to create a recovery partition but there is no way I'm aware of.

[Jared_88]

Hi SSJDENG

Quick question. When I'm going through the setup process (Elitebook Revolve 810 G1) I don't see just the four typical HP parititions (as I have in the past with my other HP laptops). It actually has seven, which are set out below:

1. Name: Drive 0 Partition 1: WinRE, Total size: 1000.0MB, Free space: 642.0MB, Type: Recovery

2. Name: Drive 0 Partition 2: SYSTEM, Total size: 100.0MB, Free space: 53.0MB, Type: System

3. Name: Drive 0 Partition 3, Total size: 128.0MB, Free space: 128.0MB, Type: MSR (Reserved)

4. Name: Drive 0 Partition 4: OS, Total size: 216.4GB, Free space: 165.2GB, Type: Primary

5. Name: Drive 0 Partition 5: HP_RECOVERY, Total size: 14.9GB, Free space: 2.4GB, Type: OEM (Reserved)

6. Name: Drive 0 Partition 6: HP_TOOLS, Total size: 2.0GB, Free space: 2.0GB, Type: OEM (Reserved)

7. Name: Drive 0 Partition 7, Total size: 4.0GB, Free space: 4.0GB, Type: OEM (Reserved)

From what I think I understand:

1. Relates to windows system restore, etc. - Leaning towards keeping it

2. Unknown, when I googled it said it was to do with windows system restore, but I thought that was (1)?

3. No idea - Can I delete?

4. Primary paritition

5. HP factory system restore - Probably will delete

6. HP diagnostic tools - Plan on keeping, however it is strange that there is no occupied room in this partition?

7. No idea - Can I delete? Especially since it takes up a lot of room.

Are you able to shed any further light on the above?

Many thanks

Jared

[IN4MER]

Looks like Windows was installed using gpt instead of mbr so that's why you have a handful of partitions. Wiki gpt table. If you don't need the hp recovery partition, you can delete those, f11 will stop working so hope you have a recovery program. You will probably need a partition manager to merge the extra space to your system partition. I recommend you back up your files before you make any partition changes.