is there any easy way to move Win 8 Professional from brand new Dell Insp i660 (still in box not even powered up) to another Dell (XPS 8500 with Win7)? I just googled and realized it's not as easy since Win8 activation is now done through the BIOS or something? I got Win8 & Win7 installation DVDs from Dell and installed Win 7 on Dell Insp 660 using new SSD w/o any major problems, incl. activation and all updates. However I am not sure how to go around Win8 activation after I do installation from DVD on XPS computer? I will definitely appreciate any help!
If you have the Dell installation discs Install Dell installation disc & BUY A Dell Windows 8 Professional SERIAL MAY NOT WORK Dell installation disc MAY CHECK THE MACHINE & NOT WANT TO INSTALL OR (MAY NOT WORK) 1.MAKE A Windows 8 (Dell Recovery) Bootable USB Stick (From Dell installation discs OR On/IN The brand new Dell Insp i660) 2.MAKE A EI.CFG File COPY [EditionID] Professional [Channel] Volume [VL] 1 INTO New Text Document Save As EI.CFG (NOT EI.CFG.txt) 3.MAKE A PID.txt File COPY [PID] Value=PUT Windows 8 Professional SERIAL HERE INTO New Text Document Save As PID.txt 4.ADD EI.CFG & PID.txt TO sources FOLDER ON THE USB STICK 5.Google -> Appendix A: KMS Client Setup Keys <- FOR Windows 8 Professional SERIAL & Use A KMS server OR KMSAuto v2.21 Portable EN to Activate.
You could clone/image the Win8 hdd and then put it on the other computer, then use a kms key and MDT to activate it.
I'm sorry but I need a little more help here.... 1/ clone Dell Insp660 Win8 Pro HD (it wasn't even powered up/activated) to new SSD 2/ on XPS machine loaded with SSD & cloned Win8 I need to do fresh install from DVDs? 3/ same time I should retrieve key using PKC from BIOS on Dell Insp 660? even though it's now running Win7? so BIOS is still holding Win8 key? 4/ use retrieved key to activate Win8 on XPS computer? Am I getting it or not? BTW, same serial it's not going to happen since my family member like to stick with Win7 on her Dell Insp 660 forever (she got good deal on open box at local store, but the same time she hates Win8 at work, so now she's very happy with Win7) However I would like to play/test Win 8 on mine XPS8500 from time to time...
I got it. Thanks! Once I activate Win 8 on old computer, is it going to make any temporary or permanent changes to BIOS? What happens if there is any BIOS upgrade, should I stay away or is it OK to upgrade? I'm still not following all this Win8 activation mambo-jumbo, but hopefully this work w/o any extra headaches... I assume on my old computer (XPS) swapping two HD with different OS should be no problem, am I right?
It will not effect the bios in anyway. You will be safe to update the BIOS. I should not cause no problems
Oops, so you telling me it's not going to work? What about ideas from post #2 (a little more complicated) or #3 (need to find what MDT means..). Do I have better chance with those?
To be honest, I'm not sure! My point is that the new activation scheme of Windows 8, special for OEM Preinstalled Windows 8, is using special BIOS, means the Product Key is located in the BIOS of that OEM Machine. Question is: Has MS a system which is able to check that the Product Key used is still located in the machine which should be activated or not! Frankly, I don't believe they would have miss that check! But I could be wrong, and also frankly: I don't know. Why MS would have changed to that new activation if they had not secure the use?! The only way to find out what could be done is: TEST!
pulled the key from new computer and moved cloned Win8 on SSD into old Dell. However I'm stuck in BIOS "Boot Mode" screen. Should I leave it at Legacy or change it to EEFI? Any other options like System mode=USER, Secure Boot State= disabled, Secure Boot=Disabled, Load Legacy OPROM=Enabled should be changed? TIA
Best solution would be to clean install windows 8 onto the old laptop and use the key from the new laptops bios to activate it on your older machine, if activation fails and says the key is in use or already used on another machine then try phone activation OEM DM keys can be phone activated!! I really would not bother cloning HDD'S as you might end up in a bit of a mess with the settings from the source
Interestingly enough cloned drive failed to boot under Legacy mode. After I switched to UEFI then SSD become visible and bootable, however it end up in Recovery BSOD with Error code: 0xc0000225 File:\Windows\system32\winload.efi is missing or contains errors. Repair didn't work either... So I went for clean install as you recommended. I was asked for the key right at the beginning but Win 8 Pro key previously recovered from the other new computer didn't work. Luckily the other Win8 key from same XPS desktop model worked, at least for installation part. (that computer was converted from Win 8 to Win7 as well) Now big question is if I should proceed with activation or not, since my machine has to most likely go back to Dell for replacement. At this point I hate to waste key which could possibly work. TIA
Actually I did, since Dell sending me replacement part only. and surprise, surprise - it's running all great! thanks to everybody for help