Discrepancy in Windows 8 Installations, I try to find out what's going on

Discussion in 'Windows 8' started by pisthai, Jan 16, 2013.

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  1. pisthai

    pisthai Imperfect Human

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    #1 pisthai, Jan 16, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 26, 2013
    Hi to all!


    First at all, this thread is NOT to appologize for post's I've done which may submitted wrong information. It's for to clear and find out what really is going on.


    Secondly I frankly ask for to post polite answers only without any insulting or accusations as in those other thread. Agressive answers will not be answered, will get reported and Mods/Admins will be asked for to delete those.


    In the past, I'd no time enough for to all the posted action on my own, many was done by my staff and reported in details to me. I had no regret to take them as true and correct because it were done py peoplewho working for years for me without any problems, short: I just believed what they told me.


    As I was get curious about the matter that we done something nobody else could do, was bring me to the point to start my own investigation to that the last two day's. Unfortunately, yesterday I was very busy with my Auditor for the Comapnies Accounting to get clear for the Revenue Department and I wasn't in my Office yesterday.


    The Movie Clip created and posted yesterday, were done by my staff and I couldn't check before posting what the content, just was thinking that were OK. That was a bad decision and my fault.


    Back to my home after the meeting, we got a powercut which lasted till an hour ago, that's the unstable electric system in Thailand. We get mainly 3-5 times power cut's a day but just for below a minute, which we didn't have problems with while using powerfull UPS's for all electronic equipment running. Those UPS's could keep the electronic device up and running for min. 40min, after that we have to stop anything and awaiting the power come back.


    Now, I'd a meeting with my staff and asked what they'd done and also to hand all copies of Windows 8 Files, drives (USB, DVD's, HDD's) over to me and also to report any single step done. That's in process right now and will take a bit of time for to be complete.


    Meanwhile I downloaded from MDL' Official Windows 8 Repository the following RTM ISO (or better used the Torrent Magnet Link for that!)
    and will start with that to compare with the ISO's we have. I would like to know if there's any difference and if, WHAT difference! That download were just finish a minute ago.


    Within the next 2 hour's I'll also have all Office computers, used for to create the USB Drives from the ISO's, on my table and I'll use each of them for to find out what the hell is going on that those USB Drives having not the right Installation files on it, in the case that's the fact!


    All of that will need some time and I'll not hurry up, I'll check as best as possible. In the following post's I'll publish my findings and maybe also ask some questions, if I have some.


    Thanks for reading and understanding.


    PS: just mounted the downloaded Windows 8 RTM English, 64bit ISO and checked the Soruce Folder: there is NOT a EI.CFG file? As I read in post's and Answers, those EI.CFG file should be in any extracted ISO?! Could someone please give an polite answer? Thanks.
     
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  2. TONSCHUH

    TONSCHUH MDL Addicted

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    Yes, the RTM has no EI.CFG, but the VL-Version has it.

    :)
     
  3. rrohela

    rrohela MDL Expert

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    #3 rrohela, Jan 16, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2013
    Glad to hear that you are ready to pin point what is going on....

    MSDN ISO don't have EI.CFG so when you start installing from it, setup will decide based on key which edition to install (Core or pro)..

    To bypass this & to install without key you need to place EI.CFG under Source folder.. But if Install.wim has two or more edition then it will present you with edition selection option & once selected it will ask for key later that you can skip..

    But if there is only one edition inside install.wim setup will skip edition selection option (Same with you WMC media clip)...

    Now come to your USB drives which you used for installation & don't ask for key initially.. Check source folder & you will find EI.cfg there.... If you used tool to create USB drive for installer then most tool give option to delete or add ei.cfg file based on edition so choose that option carefully. Else use manual method to create one.

    Last i cant answer this coz you mentioned that your upgrade media is looking for previous installation but for us it is not. Only you can provide screenshot or clip for that... Even we can't verify Hashes as they are different for every one...
     
  4. pisthai

    pisthai Imperfect Human

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    Thanks for the answer.

    Fist: I could assure you that I personally wouln't fool anybody, except those who fooled me.
    Secondly I've already the police in my office for to arrest one of my employee's who stole the original Product Key's ( replaced the original with WMC modified ISO's!) and sold the original to friends etc.! Also 2 other's will lose their job because of not reported that "change" to me!
    But that's my own problem now.

    Fact is that those guy were change embedding the WMC to the original ISO, after that was editing the INSTALL.WIM and took the WMC out again while forget to change the Info Screen at start. On that way the Install ask for to key in the Product near the end of installation. He than used every Product Key several times for installation on customer PC's. Approximately about more than 150 Key's he has stolen and sold.

    I'm just in the process with checking ALL Windows 8 Installations with Microsoft's Activation Center to find out the extend of many Keys are used for installation and activation and how many still valid. After done that and have the results, I've to check all PC's on which we had Windows 8 installed within all of my customers. That will be a week or even more of extensive work!

    Regarding the Upgrade Media, I'll use it for test install to get some infos for you. The with WUA downloaded Upgrade ISO, I had delete already I think, will look for it again if I get the time.
     
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  5. pisthai

    pisthai Imperfect Human

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    #5 pisthai, Jan 16, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    (OP)
    Found one thing on the USB Stick with Windows 8 Pro: a hidden EI.CFG file.

    That EI.CFG:

    Code:
    [EditionID]
    Professional
    
    
    [Channel]
    Retail
    
    
    [L]
    1
    
    I was copy and past that EI.CFG to an USB Stick with Windows 8 Pro RTM and this time it were asking on end of Installation for the Product Key. OK, this is an otherwise unmodified Setup, only were copy the EI.CFG to the Source Folder, it asked what Windows 8 I would like to install Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro
     
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  6. IND

    IND MDL Member

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    #6 IND, Jan 16, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 16, 2013
    - Moderation note: deleted
     
  7. ancestor(v)

    ancestor(v) Admin
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    No more flaming please. Just more unnecessary and useless work for the forum staff.
     
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  8. parapher

    parapher MDL Senior Member

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    #8 parapher, Jan 16, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2013
    pisthai, good to know you're getting to the root of your inquiries regarding Win8 activations, and sorry to hear some employees were trying to deceive you. I've found you to always be respectful, cordial, and honest. Please don't be offended by the reactionary people here, they are on every tech forum and it's getting really, really tiring to tolerate them. I'm glad admin is on top of them because they pull the entire atmosphere of a forum down. Having a fair/just administration will keep the atmosphere up as it should. Thanks to all the fair and mature moderators out there! (I've also seen bad moderation and silencing of good people in favor of 'important' forum people, which should be completely abhorred!)

    The internet is weird that way, that people try to get away with disrespecting other human beings. I've often seen how people drive like crazy in traffic, cutting people off, shooting the finger at them, endangering people's lives, and then they proceed to get out of their car, walk into the store, and then you meet them on the milk isle and they say 'excuse me' when they walk past you! This is called cowardice. If anything, the lack of facial expression, visual representation of the person you're dealing with online, cultural and language differences, people should be MORE cordial rather than less! But if there is no immediate social check upon them by being close to people in the flesh, they think they can get away with being demeaning and callous. But really they are just cowardly. And then some just have a generally bad attitude in life. Again, thanks to all mature and good moderators out there!
     
  9. pisthai

    pisthai Imperfect Human

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    Thanks a lot for your post.

    Today is a very bad day for me which has pushed me to my limits. Three employees out and one of them arrested for stealing my, and also my customers property, isn't easy to compensate. Special those are employees which were all more than ten year working for my company. And that "game" isn't over yet! We started to do an complete inventory check and the list of missing goods are expanding quite a lot.

    I also have to hire a new AS400 Programmer and System Engineer, which isn't easy to find this days. For the time being I've to do that work on my own now.

    In reality I've to be thankful for some of the MDL Members to "push" me in the right direction! Without the comments from those members may I would have need much more time to find out what were going on. I just had full trust for my employees and would never had even thinking they could do something like they did!

    Again, thanks a lot for your post.
     
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  10. rrohela

    rrohela MDL Expert

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    #10 rrohela, Jan 16, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    You found that... That is why i was telling you for the last 4 days that without EI.CFG its not possible...
     
  11. pisthai

    pisthai Imperfect Human

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    Never checked those USB Stick for hidden files and folders!! And hidden files in Windows installation medias are normally not available.
     
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  12. rrohela

    rrohela MDL Expert

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    Hire me....:biggrin3:
     
  13. pisthai

    pisthai Imperfect Human

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    And you're fluent in Thai? I hardly believe that and that's just point No. 1!!:cool:
     
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  14. parapher

    parapher MDL Senior Member

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    I thought the main issue was quite aptly resolved when we found out that pisthai's employees had actually been fraudulent with him... Plus, I do think he's under quite a bit of stress at the moment, given the fact is having to face many people and issues because of this, not to mention having to fire people and involving the police. If you've ever had to contact the authorities about someone, you will know it is a stressful thing for your family, especially when the people involved know you had sought out the authorities. Maybe just give him a break instead of being a bit personal and demanding him to make a show of good faith? I would only think that necessary if ill faith was shown, which I don't believe is the case. Peace...
     
  15. redroad

    redroad MDL Guru

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    #16 redroad, Jan 16, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2013
    Please! Besides ill faith was shown just read through the threads before you jump to judgement ..Do I have compassion for his predicament ? somewhat .. Was he warned by me about what might happen? yes!
    I ask you who allows there MDL account ID to be used by their employees? and does not want to accept the consequence of that action? If you would bother to read through the posts I provided you would see He received many posts from me that gave him far more understanding and tolerance than he or his employees extended to me .. This is such BS just change the posts admitt your wrong doing and move on .. It's that simple instead of all this soap opera BS


     
  16. redroad

    redroad MDL Guru

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    For me the only thing this has ever been about is providing accurate info so I don't have to readdress it every time someone needs help installing fresh from a RTM ISO with an upgrade key .. It's that simple .. If the OP corrects his posts to reflect that I'm good
     
  17. nash58

    nash58 MDL Member

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    I have read thru all the post, Very informative indeed. But it still has not given any clue on why some like me who did a clean install with the RTM ISO
    with the purchased upgrade key is activated without the fix needed while some need the fix to get activated on a clean install
     
  18. parapher

    parapher MDL Senior Member

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    #19 parapher, Jan 16, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2013
    It doesn't become a soap opera until you become dramatic. I will tune out now because I don't watch those ;)

    Main thing is I did not jump to a conclusion, rather I was trying to amend the situation a bit. But I guess when you're upset it's easy to mistake someone's intention. I do know that I am not upset, but I cannot speak for you :) Again, I was not aware ill faith had been shown.
     
  19. redroad

    redroad MDL Guru

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    Yeah right, you have already chose to inject your brand of drama into this regardless of how unaware you may be of that action..;)