Happy Christmas to all. If I buy the MS Win 8 Upgrade offer does the PC I'd like to have Win 8 on "need" to be actually running Windows 7 or can I just put in the install medium when asked like in previous OS upgrades? I'd prefer to do a clean install but don't actually have a "genuine" Win 7 PC.... only a DAZ loader one if you see what I mean...
If you use an Upgrade Key (original bought!) and use an RTM ISO instead of the offered Upgrade ISO, you don't need to have a preinstalled OS. The Upgrade ISO will ask on the beginning of setup for the Key while the RTM ISO will ask near the end of installation for that key.
I have the MSDN ISO so I really don't need a previous installation then? Is this a kind of a loophole?
I don't think it's an Loophole! MS also could see the reality and that's that MS couldn't expect that a user at all time need to re-install the previous OS for to get the new one to work. If you take the time and read the EULA terms, you'll get all infos, include that you even could transfer the OSD an other computer and/or owner! MS makes only easy for the buyer of an Upgrade Key to get the ISO directly downloaded after buying. They didn't close other ways to obtain the Software as well.
OK I've purchased a genuine Windows 8 Pro Upgrade from MS for £24.99 - purely for educational purposes of course Just so I know, if I'm so inclined..... for future reference If I install it cleanly (from an MSDN ISO like mentioned above) can I transfer it at some point to another PC by going through the whole "phone activation - yes I have only installed it on one machine so I can get a new activation code malarky?" And if that is possible is there a maximum amount of times you can do this (3 maybe?)
There shouldn't be a problem! If you have to call to MS for activation if you used to install that Windows 8 on an different machine, just explain that you had bought a new MB! The MB is the weakpoint that your activation will not work any more automatically. That also could be happen even if you use an saved activation of the .dat files. Over the last 3 week I tested to install Windows 8 Pro on 6 different machines with different MB's and used the same Legit Key. 3 Times I'd to call to MS for activation and there wasn't a problem with that.
Another way to obtain Windows 8 ISO :I used upgrade assistant in Windows 8( with W7 compatibility applied).Bought online license key and download was complete.I chose to not install OS immediately.Ugrade assistant asked also if i want to create a media from files downloaded.I chose to make a ISO.After that ISO successfully burned I rebooted and installed Windows from that ISO (clean install) with same language I had before and same x64 Windows architecture.I wrote this maybe will help other people.
I run 2 machines at the same time with the same legit key! Difference between those 2 is: 1 has WMC installed and the other not. So, the ID is different! First installed with WMC and second without! That works with the same key at the same times. And I also was run the first with WMC us activated the second one!
please explain in detail .. Upgrade W8 pro offer? $14.99 or $39.99? both machines have at base same activation key? data.dat swap?
$14.99! Same Key! NO data.dat swap or even used! Both new installation! 1. installed Windows 8 Pro, activated and after that used Free WMC key to get Media Center 2. installed Windows 8 Pro and activated, NO WMC! Both machine working on the same Network, same IP Range and same Sub-Net! Both connected via Ethernet on Gigabit Lan to the same ISP! Any more infos needed?!
And just to ad: Both machine having the same MB but different Memory, CPU, HDD and Graphic Card. The Product ID of both machine is different as well.
Fascinating - surely that can't last? At the first WGA update/check surely M$ "could" check to see that is happening ?
It's running already since November and NO problems!! All Updates done till today, even not checked what were update upfront, just to see it will works or not. I've spare key's, so that wouldn't any problem!
Even if same amount of ram machines would still have different hardware hash MAC addresses are always different. No such thing as identical motherboards.
You could clone the Mac address! But there isn't any identical MB! Even if it's the same Brand and Model! The only way would be to clone the BIOS of the MB as well because that holds the Serial Number of the MB! Newer MB having the BIOS soldered on MB and not removable as the older MB's.
Interestingly about 2 weeks ago I prepared a full Win 8 Core installation using XXXXX-CYQG3 as the key (to install) It's fully loaded with Office 2010 and all other software and utilities - it's basically ready to go. So.. when a friend or relative buys a Windows 8 Core laptop I just simply re-image their drive, extract their key from the MSDM table in the BIOS, insert it via slmgr -ipk XXXXX and voila, activated and fully loaded in one easy move (apart from adding the odd missing driver, which is no big deal with Win 8 anyway) The other great thing is that if someone wants Windows 8 installed on an older laptop (that had Win 7 or older) then all I need to do is re-image their drive with my prepared Windows 8 Core, buy a £24.99 Windows 8 Pro Upgrade key and enter that into the "Get More Features option dialog" and again, voila, after a few minutes of "updating" we end up with a fully activated Windows 8 Pro - with all software ready installed - even though the base Windows 8 installation wasn't activated. I guess because it's an upgrade key it just works! And as an added bonus this all works with the free WMC keys until the end of January 2013 - result!