Bios license : how to re-install Windows 8? (Linux guy!)

Discussion in 'Windows 8' started by nono240, Aug 10, 2014.

  1. nono240

    nono240 MDL Novice

    Aug 10, 2014
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    #1 nono240, Aug 10, 2014
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2014
    [SOLVED] Bios license : how to re-install Windows 8? (Linux guy!)

    Hi folks!

    I left the Microsoft's world many (many) years ago (in fact, when I stopped playing video games!). I'm a software dev, since working on Linux (not only because of the philosophy, but mainly because it's the way to go when working on OSS).

    I bought (last year) an MSI GS70 with Windows 8 pre-installed. Of course, I immediately ripped it off to install a fresh Linux on it (including that ugly recovery partition), thinking I would be able to re-install it when needed (on resale :p) using whatever ISO found.

    Unfortunately, things have changed a lot and it seems that, nowadays, there's no more license sticker below the cases, and much less trustworthy ISO available :(

    Now, I'd like to sell my computer to a (Windows) friend, but I'm somewhat lost. Since my BIOS already embeds a genuine license, I don't want to deal with hacktivation, patches, or KMS stuff (from what I read so far). Asking for recovery DVD(s) to MSI is a not a solution since I'm living abroad, and it would take too much time anyway.
    I read many thread here, but for a Linux guy, that's almost cryptic :rolleyes:

    Can someone point me towards the right direction? Which kind of Windows 8 flavour/ISO I need? What will be the activation procedure? Do I need a generic key at some time? Which came first : the egg or the chicken? :confused:
     
  2. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
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  3. nono240

    nono240 MDL Novice

    Aug 10, 2014
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    #3 nono240, Aug 10, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    (OP)
    I'm not sure which ISO I should use. Here's my acpidump (I'm not allowed to post links!) : paste.ubuntu.com/XXXXXXX

    acpidump summary:

    Code:
    renaud@stealth:~$ sudo acpidump -s -z
    
    
    Intel ACPI Component Architecture
    ACPI Binary Table Dump Utility version 20140214-64 [Mar 29 2014]
    Copyright (c) 2000 - 2014 Intel Corporation
    
    
    ACPI: RSDP 0x00000000CB45D000 000024 (v02 MSI_NB)
    ACPI: RSDT 0x00000000CB45D028 00007C (v01 MSI_NB MEGABOOK 01072009 MSFT 00010013)
    ACPI: XSDT 0x00000000CB45D0A8 0000D4 (v01 MSI_NB MEGABOOK 01072009 AMI  00010013)
    ACPI: DSDT 0x00000000CB45D210 00F589 (v02 MSI_NB MEGABOOK 00000028 INTL 20120711)
    ACPI: FACS 0x00000000CB9E3080 000040
    ACPI: FACP 0x00000000CB46C7A0 00010C (v05 MSI_NB MEGABOOK 01072009 AMI  00010013)
    ACPI: APIC 0x00000000CB46C8B0 000092 (v03 MSI_NB MEGABOOK 01072009 AMI  00010013)
    ACPI: FPDT 0x00000000CB46C948 000044 (v01 MSI_NB MEGABOOK 01072009 AMI  00010013)
    ACPI: ASF! 0x00000000CB46C990 0000A5 (v32 INTEL   HCG     00000001 TFSM 000F4240)
    ACPI: MSDM 0x00000000CB46CA38 000055 (v03 MSI_NB MEGABOOK 01072009 AMI  00010013)
    ACPI: LPIT 0x00000000CB46CA90 00005C (v01 MSI_NB MEGABOOK 00000000 AMI. 00000005)
    ACPI: SSDT 0x00000000CB46CAF0 000228 (v01 INTEL  sensrhub 00000000 INTL 20120711)
    ACPI: SSDT 0x00000000CB46CD18 00018F (v01 Intel  zpodd    00001000 INTL 20120711)
    ACPI: SLIC 0x00000000CB46CEA8 000176 (v01 MSI_NB MEGABOOK 01072009 AMI  00010013)
    ACPI: SSDT 0x00000000CB46D020 000575 (v01 PmRef  Cpu0Ist  00003000 INTL 20120711)
    ACPI: SSDT 0x00000000CB46D598 000AD8 (v01 PmRef  CpuPm    00003000 INTL 20120711)
    ACPI: MCFG 0x00000000CB46E070 00003C (v01 MSI_NB MEGABOOK 01072009 MSFT 00000097)
    ACPI: HPET 0x00000000CB46E0B0 000038 (v01 MSI_NB MEGABOOK 01072009 AMI. 00000005)
    ACPI: SSDT 0x00000000CB46E0E8 000315 (v01 SataRe SataTabl 00001000 INTL 20120711)
    ACPI: SSDT 0x00000000CB46E400 003432 (v01 SaSsdt SaSsdt   00003000 INTL 20091112)
    ACPI: SSDT 0x00000000CB471838 0013DE (v01 SgRef  SgPeg    00001000 INTL 20120711)
    ACPI: MSFF 0x00000000CB472C18 000029 (v01 MSI_NB MEGABOOK 00000010 AMI  00010013)
    ACPI: BGRT 0x00000000CB472C48 000038 (v00 MSI_NB MEGABOOK 01072009 AMI  00010013)
    ACPI: DMAR 0x00000000CB472C80 0000B8 (v01 INTEL  HSW      00000001 INTL 00000001)
    ACPI: SSDT 0x00000000CB472D38 001941 (v01 OptRef OptTabl  00001000 INTL 20120711)
    ACPI: UEFI 0x00000000CB474680 00063A (v01 INTEL  RstSataE 00000000 ??   00000000)
    ACPI: UEFI 0x00000000CB474CC0 00005C (v01 INTEL  RstSataV 00000000 ??   00000000)
    ACPI: SSDT 0x0000000000000000 0003D3 (v01 PmRef  Cpu0Cst  00003001 INTL 20120711)
    ACPI: SSDT 0x0000000000000000 0005AA (v01 PmRef  ApIst    00003000 INTL 20120711)
    ACPI: SSDT 0x0000000000000000 000119 (v01 PmRef  ApCst    00003000 INTL 20120711)
     
  4. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
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  5. nono240

    nono240 MDL Novice

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    Many thanks for your expertise which probably saves me from a lot of trial and errors :eek: On install, will the installation be hassle free? Will it automatically detect my key by reading the BIOS? Knowing Microsoft in the past, I doubt it could be so straightforward :rolleyes:
     
  6. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
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  7. nono240

    nono240 MDL Novice

    Aug 10, 2014
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    Yup, sorry... Too much fragmentation/information around... :rolleyes: I will keep you updated!
     
  8. fr0stebyte

    fr0stebyte MDL Novice

    Mar 9, 2014
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    Hello nono240,

    There are 2 options.

    Option 1

    download an windows 8.1 w/ update 1 DVD, with your desired language and edition (probably core), extract it to a usb or a partition, add Win 8.x / 7 Multi Oem ISO Project (MDL Projects Forum Section) inside the folder Sources.
    Install with a generic key (inside this forum).
    This makes it so when windows finishes installation it extracts the msdm key from your computer and auto inject it.

    Warning: This project comes along with many fluff, wallpapers, logos and whatever. If you want to keep it as vanilla as possible, there's an .txt file telling you to delete a folder and all that's gone.

    Option 2

    Install windows with generic key, config your computer as you desire, in the end simply download OEM-DM Key Dumper(MDL Projects Forum Section). Extract it to a folder and create a bat with this and execute it as admin and it's done.

    If you wish to provide him with a recovery partition check Anarethos Recovery Tools aswell in MDL Section, cheers
     
  9. nono240

    nono240 MDL Novice

    Aug 10, 2014
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    Thanks for the clarifications.
     
  10. nono240

    nono240 MDL Novice

    Aug 10, 2014
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    Just to follow up : everything went smoothly! I used the generic key for install, and then just had to extract my OEM key and update it using slmgr.vbs /ipk %oemkey% :clap:

    Thanks!


     
  11. EFA11

    EFA11 Avatar Guru

    Oct 7, 2010
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    great! now lets get back to linux :clap::p