Is it possible to use a Windows 8 Pro Upgrade key to clean install Windows 8.1 Pro? If yes, how? Also tell me, is it a legal thing to do or not?
Maybe not. I download "Install Window 8.1" from "Upgrade Windows with only a product key" web page and got "This product Key didn't work. Check it and try again" after input my key in "Windows 8.1 Setup". It's working for "Install Windows 8" but not 'Install Window 8.1". So maybe we need install Windows 8 first then upgrade it to 8.1 later. What a stupid way to wasting time and bandwidth.
yes you can, that's what I did I have an upgrade key and it works using the retail image for Windows 8.1 Pro
I've been reading the forum and this is a sumary of I have gathered. CASE1. Downloading: Some people download ISO using the WindowsSetupBox.exe utility. If your running W8 they will ask for a 8.1 key before starting download but your original W8 won't work. Some have successfully used leaked generic keys to download it but a lot of people is reporting internet connection errors probably due to overload servers. Installing: Again. Your W8 key won't work for installation and you have to use a generic 8.1 key to install. It will not activate but once installed you can activate with your valid real W8 key. CASE 2: If your running W7 it the WindowsSetup utility will start downloading windows without asking for 8.1 key. But the downloaded ISO will probably have to use a generic key to install and then you will have to activate it with your real W8 key once installed. CASE 3: Installing with a retail W8.1 ISO image. At least the guy in the previous post says it can be installed with his W8 key. Not sure why should be different than installing from the ISO from the WindowsSetupBox utility that requires a valid 8.1 key for installation. Even though its been demonstrated that the ISO's from the utility have unique hashes and all differ from the retail ISO SH1. I don't see why MS will implement different key checks when in their installation process. Do any body have an "Retail ISO image" link (torrent) to share so we can try it?
i read earlier this GA release is to block those leaked keys, cant remember if it was neowin or another site i read it on but unsure.
But how did you obtain the retail image? afaik there is only the leaked RTM, and then other editions like VL that are on TechNet. It is not possible to get the GA retail version with a regular 8 upgrade key because Microsoft hasn't made it available. Using the download tool from Microsoft doesn't work using a regular 8 upgrade key.
Unless I am mistaken, it's not the same as the GA version. Some updates were added and I would have to use the WZOR leak. That is what I meant by retail, I don't know about the boxed versions in stores.
GA isos on MSDN are only VL (Enterprise and PROVL). They did not release Core/Pro iso's today. Todays iso's date 10-17-13, and for me anyway, will now be called GA and not RTM, as RTM has been released and these are a refresh of RTM.
I could not care less about all the noise and the huge number of posts on the change in ISO. If it is different from the rtm of sep 2013, I do not give a hoot. I have the technet sep 2013 iso which was identical to the wzor. Just apply the updates and that is it. If I remember, win 8 GA was followed by a huge number of updates (perhaps 2756872 of 160-165 mb and 2770917 of 90 mb). Again ask 50 questions for something of very little importance. Even the win 7 sp1 original and the media refresh of may 2011 were more or less similar and did not make any difference.