GUIDE: How to backup and restore Windows 8 activation

Discussion in 'Windows 8' started by JaguarXJ12, Aug 8, 2012.

  1. bulldog147

    bulldog147 MDL Member

    Aug 5, 2009
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    I like to know that too
     
  2. marzino

    marzino MDL Novice

    Aug 23, 2009
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    vamt2 from Micosoft google search
     
  3. NICK@NUMBER11

    NICK@NUMBER11 MDL Expert

    Mar 23, 2010
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    #463 NICK@NUMBER11, Sep 2, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    I have created a bat file that will do all that I want automatically now. so thought that I would share.

    First a created a folder/s like this

    C:\WMC
    C:\WMC\Activation

    I coped the original install.wim to c:\WMC
    I then copied my Data.dat & Tokens.dat to c:\WMC\Activation
    I then placed a copy of imagex into C:\wmc
    I then mounted the original iso within windows 8.1 - the CD letter assigned was H
    I then updated the drive letter to match the mounted windows 8.1 iso (Highlighted in red)
    ran this auto.bat

    copy and paste into notepad and save as Create_Install.cmd

    Code:
    MD %~dp0MOUNT
    DISM /Mount-Wim /WimFile:C:\WMC\install.wim /index:1 /MountDir:C:\WMC\mount
    Dism /image:C:\wmc\mount /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3 /All /Source:h:\sources\sxs /LimitAccess  
    Dism /Image:C:\wmc\mount /Get-TargetEditions
    Dism /Image:C:\wmc\mount /Set-Edition:ProfessionalWMC
    attrib -H  C:\WMC\mount\Windows\System32\spp\store\2.0\data.dat /S
    del /s /f /q C:\WMC\mount\Windows\System32\spp\store\2.0\Data.dat
    del /s /f /q C:\WMC\mount\Windows\System32\spp\store\2.0\Tokens.dat
    attrib -H C:\wmc\Activation\data.dat /S
    COPY /y C:\wmc\Activation\data.dat F:\WMC\mount\Windows\System32\spp\store\2.0\data.dat
    COPY /Y C:\wmc\Activation\tokens.dat F:\WMC\mount\Windows\System32\spp\store\2.0\tokens.dat
    attrib +H C:\WMC\mount\Windows\System32\spp\store\2.0\data.dat /S
    attrib +H C:\wmc\Activation\data.dat /S
    Dism /image:f:\wmc\mount /set-productkey:*** MY FREE KEY HERE***
    dism /unmount-wim /mountdir:C:\wmc\mount /commit
    c:
    cd wmc
    imagex.exe /flags "ProfessionalWMC" /info C:\WMC\install.wim 1 "Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center" "Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center"
    Dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:C:\wmc\install.wim
    pause
    Once this complete I then copied the newly updated install.wim to the original iso overrighting
    I added this file to the souces folder also...


    And I added ei.cfg - contains this text

    Code:
    [EditionID]
    ProfessionalWMC
    
    [Channel]
    Retail
    
    [VL]
    0
    now I have an updated iso complete with Netframe 3.5 & Media Centre and my backup activation, so now in the future I can just reinstall and now worry about the activation again.... :D

    Hope this is usefull :biggrin:





     
  4. kloklo

    kloklo MDL Novice

    Jan 20, 2012
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    أHow do you update؟
     
  5. NICK@NUMBER11

    NICK@NUMBER11 MDL Expert

    Mar 23, 2010
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    sorry i do not understand what you are asking......

     
  6. MrAnalysis

    MrAnalysis MDL Senior Member

    Aug 4, 2012
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    #466 MrAnalysis, Sep 2, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    What is the difference between:

    Code:
    
    
    [EditionID]
    ProfessionalWMC
    
    [Channel]
    Retail
    
    [VL]
    0
    
    and

    Code:
    
    [EditionID]
    ProfessionalWMC
    [Channel]
    Retail
    [VL]
    1 
    Some people are saying put VL = 1 and another saying = 0 really confused can't remember what the VL means. Also are the spaces (returns) needed between the lines?
     
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  7. BTOR

    BTOR MDL Addicted

    Nov 18, 2009
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    vl means volume license and

    Volume License
    can be 1 (True) or 0 (False).
     
  8. MrAnalysis

    MrAnalysis MDL Senior Member

    Aug 4, 2012
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  9. BTOR

    BTOR MDL Addicted

    Nov 18, 2009
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    there is no officially supported professional WMC for volume customers, WMC is just for end user so if you specify 1 for it what it would do is install your professional WMC with generic Volume key and not the Generic Retail key. so if you want installer to use generic retail key , you should specify 0 for [vl] in ei.cfg.
     
  10. thilkumarsen

    thilkumarsen MDL Novice

    Nov 3, 2010
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    #470 thilkumarsen, Sep 2, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    I had installed Windows 8.1 Pro WMC and took a backup of activation. After that I followed all the steps and inserted my free WMC product key and then installed Windows 8.1 from USB drive. However when Windows is started my activation status was still not activated

    I don't know where i'm going wrong and when checked to activate the Windows it shows last 5 characters of my WMC key. Please guide me.
     
  11. hetero

    hetero MDL Novice

    Aug 12, 2013
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    What imagex.exe you used? I got error when tried this command: imagex.exe /flags "ProfessionalWMC" /info E:\WMC\install.wim 1 "Windows 8
    .1 Pro with Media Center" "Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center"

    And i got this error: This version of E:\wmc\imagex.exe is not compatible with the version of Windows
    you're running. Check your computer's system information and then contact the software publisher.
     
  12. MrAnalysis

    MrAnalysis MDL Senior Member

    Aug 4, 2012
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    Mount Windows 8.1 PRO ISO
    Go to Drive C:\ and make a folder called WMC within that folder make another folder called Activation.
    Now go to C:\Windows\System32\spp\store\2.0 View hidden files and folders and copy Data.dat and tokens.dat.
    Now go to C:\WMC\Activation and paste those 2 files.
    Open Notepad and Paste the following.
    Now click File "save as" select all files and call it EI.CFG save this some place you will remember (the desktop maybe?)
    Now open notepad and paste the following.
    Now change the bits in big red. The "F" = Drive the windows ISO is mounted. Also place product key right after the : with no space! If you have a space it will fail.
    Now go to file "save as" and select "all types" then save this as install.bat.
    Now grab install.bat and place this in the C:\WMC folder.
    Right Click on the WMC folder and make sure "read only" in unchecked and click apply/ok.
    Now go to the mounted Windows install and copy install.wim (this will be in X/Sources/Install.wim) Copy this file to C:\WMC

    So now you should have in Drive C:\ a folder called WMC and inside that folder 2 files (install.bat and install.wim) and another folder called Activation also in the WMC folder. Within the Activation folder you should have 2 files tokens.dat and data.dat that you copied. You should also have a Windows 8.1 Pro ISO still mounted.

    Right all set. Right click install.bat and run as administrator. Wait about 5 mins and see if any errors shown up. If you followed the above you should have everything go ok, if not restart this again and read it all you slacker lol.

    Right to finish off unmount the Windows 8.1 Pro ISO and open it with Ultraiso or something like it. Now go to X:\sources in Ultraiso or whatever you are using and remove install.wim. Now go to C:\WMC and copy the install.wim into the sources folder. Also that EI.cfg i told you to save to a place you will remember.. Copy that to X:\sources also.

    Now save the ISO as whatever you like and enjoy.. Done!

    Edit: Had to edit you're script it was set to copy files to the windows mounted iso and imagex was an issue for some. Anyway this should work i have tested it by making 3 ISO's for 3 different machines on 3 different machines so far. Most easy method by far anyone with the ability to create a folder, and copy a file should be able to do this.
     
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  13. coolbuddy

    coolbuddy MDL Member

    Aug 6, 2011
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    Check your PM.
     
  14. orca99

    orca99 MDL Junior Member

    Nov 30, 2012
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    There seems to be extra spaces in your install.bat (data.d at instead of data.dat & tokens .dat instead of tokens.dat)
     
  15. coolbuddy

    coolbuddy MDL Member

    Aug 6, 2011
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    I tried the one present in C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.0\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools\x86\DISM,worked well.
     
  16. hetero

    hetero MDL Novice

    Aug 12, 2013
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    C:\Windows\system32>attrib +H E:\WMC\mount\Windows\System32\spp\store\2.0\data.dat /S
    Parameter format not correct -

    I tried that bat, but got that error. What it cause?



    EDIT: There is typo in bat...
     
  17. coolbuddy

    coolbuddy MDL Member

    Aug 6, 2011
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    Which .bat file are you using?
     
  18. hetero

    hetero MDL Novice

    Aug 12, 2013
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    Here below is .bat ...
    .....
    .....
    attrib +H C:\WMC\mount\Windows\System32\spp\store\2.0\data.d at /S

    >>> data.dat is correct


    When you have done all or wanna do again, use this command to clean earlier temp files and image: Dism /Cleanup-Wim
     
  19. MrAnalysis

    MrAnalysis MDL Senior Member

    Aug 4, 2012
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    Sorry about that space in the .bat guys. When i click "edit post" the space is not there i guess its a text formatting error due to me enlarging the F or something.

    Anyway this should work for you guys :) I was tempted to create a self extracting file to place WMC folder and the .bat already in c:\ and making the .bat grab tokens from the windows you are on to make this even more simple but I don't think it is needed. all you have to do is make a few folders and copy some text :)
     
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  20. hetero

    hetero MDL Novice

    Aug 12, 2013
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    Maybe here in forum is bug.... I tried copypaste that line to here, correct one and wrong one. But when i reply to topic, same typo was there...