Hazzaaa! Download Windows 8.1 ISO Using Windows 8.0 Product Key

[Nazmus Shakib Khandaker]

We have figured it out guys!!! A Microsoft community member has figured out a genius trick to download a Windows 8.1 ISO using a retail Windows 8.0 product key! The community member's name is v-4abrew, and here's his awesome tip:

 

Simple Steps to Get Windows 8.1 ISO

Step 1: Go to this page and click on the ?Install Windows 8? button. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/upgrade-product-key-only

Step 2: Run the file and enter in your retail Windows 8.0 product key. Click Next.

Step 3: It will show you the version of Windows that is to be downloaded. Click Next.

Step 4: Download should be started. Cancel the download immediately by clicking the X button on the upper right of the setup Window.

Step 5: Go to this page again and, now, click on the ?Install Windows 8.1? button. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/upgrade-product-key-only

Step 6: Run the file and it should say ?Download is interrupted?. Close it and run the file again. It should now start downloading Windows 8.1.

Step 7: Once the download is complete, you will be given the option to create an ISO file. Do this and you now have an ISO file that you can use at your disposal.

You can now also use this ISO file to burn to a DVD or USB and use it to refresh or reset your PC! This is great to see the community members stepping up to make up for the stupidity of Microsoft not willing to give its paying customers an ISO file.

This post was originally published in McAkins Online

[Atomic Wanderer Chicken]

OMG it worked, this is awesome! I am not sure if the Windows 8 key will work in the 8.1 installation though.

[LittleNeutrino Veteran]

OMG it worked, this is awesome! I am not sure if the Windows 8 key will work in the 8.1 installation though.

no reason it shouldn't as they are the same OS

[Nazmus Shakib Khandaker]

OMG it worked, this is awesome! I am not sure if the Windows 8 key will work in the 8.1 installation though.

 

It won't, but you can use the default Windows 8.1 install keys (google it) and when it installs, you can change the product key to the Windows 8 version. Then, it will reactivate!

[NightScreams]

"this key cannot be used to install a retail version of windows 8"

Yet I have OEM, not retail.

[Nazmus Shakib Khandaker]

"this key cannot be used to install a retail version of windows 8"

 

You need a retail key. MSDN keys won't work. OEM keys won't work either. You had to have baught Windows 8 either from Windows.com or at a retail store. If you use the $40 upgrade offer, it works too. But if you baught a System builders OEM version, that key won't work.

[Nazmus Shakib Khandaker]

no reason it shouldn't as they are the same OS

 

They are not the same OS. Windows 8.1 is over 1000 build higher. It doesn't install like a service pack. It has different build number, build string, it has also different setup. For instance, Windows 8 can upgrade from Windows XP, windows 8.1 cannot upgrade from Windows XP.

[Atomic Wanderer Chicken]

It won't, but you can use the default Windows 8.1 install keys (google it) and when it installs, you can change the product key to the Windows 8 version. Then, it will reactivate!

Have you done this? So I enter a generic product key in the initial installation, then enter the Windows 8 product key after installation, and that is how you do a clean 8.1 install?

[LittleNeutrino Veteran]

They are not the same OS. Windows 8.1 is over 1000 build higher. It doesn't install like a service pack. It has different build number, build string, it has also different setup. For instance, Windows 8 can upgrade from Windows XP, windows 8.1 cannot upgrade from Windows XP.

they have been saying since it was released that it would use the same product keys, not looking to start another flame war like what happened in the other upgrade thread.

[Nazmus Shakib Khandaker]

they have been saying since it was released that it would use the same product keys, not looking to start another flame war like what happened in the other upgrade thread.

 

No, don't worry about starting a flame war. Yours is a legitimate question. For whatever reason, the Windows 8 keys do not work when you are trying to install Windows 8.1. You have to install Windows 8.1 with a Windows 8.1 key. Once you finished installing Windows 8.1, you can change the product key from PC settings and you can use your Windows 8.0 key then and activate.

Long answer short, no you can't install windows 8.1 using windows 8 key. You can only activate it post install. I know from experience. :) Don't shoot the messenger. I am only saying what I have seen from experience.

[trek]

Works for me. DOwnloading 8.1 with my $40 upgrade key... I'll check the ISO hash with the one I downloaded from TN.

[Shad0w480]

Thanks! already downloading it :) so any windows 8.1 key floating on the net could get installed 8.1 and when install ends i go in and just change the product key from the settings stuff? i have already 8.1 installed through update, but it would be nice a clean install :) Thanks!

 

*edit* my key is from the $40 bucks upgrade

[Atomic Wanderer Chicken]

Thanks Microsoft for causing problems by complicating things like you always do! So you can upgrade to Windows 8.1 from Windows 8, but if you do a clean install of Windows 8.1 you cant use your Windows 8 product key, this just makes absolutely no sense!

[ViperAFK]

Thanks! already downloading it :) so any windows 8.1 key floating on the net could get installed 8.1 and when install ends i go in and just change the product key from the settings stuff? i have already 8.1 installed through update, but it would be nice a clean install :) Thanks!

 

*edit* my key is from the $40 bucks upgrade

334NH-RXG76-64THK-C7CKG-D3VPT for Core, XHQ8N-C3MCJ-RQXB6-WCHYG-C9WKB for Professional are generic 8.1 keys for the installer.

 

Hopefully posting these isn't against any rules, but I believe its fine because these are embedded in Windows itself as a placeholder default key and do not let you activate, they only let you proceed during the install and you need to activate with a legit windows 8 key.

 

I used the professional key and it worked fine, and then activated after with my windows 8 pro key. My windows 8 key is also from the 40 dollar upgrade and it let me activate after the 8.1 clean install.

[Shad0w480]

334NH-RXG76-64THK-C7CKG-D3VPT for Core, XHQ8N-C3MCJ-RQXB6-WCHYG-C9WKB for Professional are generic 8.1 keys for the installer.

 

Hopefully posting these isn't against any rules, but I believe its fine because these are embedded in Windows itself as a placeholder default key and do not let you activate, they only let you proceed during the install and you need to activate with a legit windows 8 key.

 

I used the professional key and it worked fine, and then activated after with my windows 8 pro key. My windows 8 key is also from the 40 dollar upgrade and it let me activate after the 8.1 clean install.

 

Did you found any difference from installing it from 0? or it's the same if you do the store one? *i mean about performance or something else

[ViperAFK]

Did you found any difference from installing it from 0? or it's the same if you do the store one? *i mean about performance or something else

I only did a clean install because after I did the store upgrade from 8 it b0rked my windows update and I kept getting the same updates over and over even after clearing the windows update download cache etc...

 

Aside from that issue the upgrade worked fine and there wasn't any difference in the performance of the system. The upgrade process does take forever though and it reboots a bunch of times, if you have good backups a clean install might actually be quicker lol.

[JustGeorge]

Can you do a fresh install with Upgrade ISO and activate without installing previous OS first? I know you could with Windows 7 Upgrade, but not sure here.

[Nazmus Shakib Khandaker]

Did you found any difference from installing it from 0? or it's the same if you do the store one? *i mean about performance or something else

 

Maybe it's just me, but I am getting MUCH better performance with a clean install. I always had issues with in place upgrades (which the store version does). I downloaded using the method and installed it using generic keys. I chose clean install ("Keep Files and Settings Only). This did a clean install.

 

After the install, I had to go to PC settings, enter in a new Product Key. I used my Windows 8 Pro upgrade key and it worked! Everything is running perfectly. Performance is much better than the store upgrade.

[Neu B]

I just did a fresh install with the Update ISO. I did have Win 8 installed but I deleted partitions at setup. When you go to activate Windows, it does tell you the key does not work. I changed the key to my Win 8 Pro that I purchased from MS and it activated. You will have to reboot after activation to get rid of the Watermark in the bottom right corner. All is running well. Windows updates are done. All system setting are working. Yeah. Clean install is the way to go.

[scaramonga]

Reporting to Microsoft.

[sagum]

If you use this ISO and your 'upgrade' key doesn't work, you can add a folder 'langpacks' to the root and a ei.cfg file to root/sources/

 

contents of ei.cfg:

[channel]
volume
[vl]
0

You'll no longer be prompted to provide your product key at the start of installation and your key will work at the end.

 

Probably best to make a USB windows 8.1 installer stick for ease of editing.

[JustGeorge]

Thanks for this. Worked like a charm :)

[Mandosis]

I try this but when i put my key in it says it cannot connect to the internet for what ever reason

[ViperAFK]

Reporting to Microsoft.

Reporting what? This is something we should have been able to do without any silly workarounds in the first place.

[Stoffel]

Has anybody used this ISO to clean install on a PC that original came with Win 8.0?

Mine didn't have a sticker on the bottom with the product key. Is the key embedded in the BIOS and I just never have to enter a key?

Or should I extract the key somehow and use that during setup?