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i've purchased a copy of Windows 8 Pro Upgrade.

i have a drive i would like to install it on:

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When it comes time to do the upgrade, i'm not sure what option i want to check:

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i'm concerned that:

  • if i choose to keep Nothing, the installer might keep nothing
  • if i choose Keep Windows settings, personal files, and apps, that the installer might keep Windows settings, personal files and apps

Is there a way to tell the Windows installer to keep everything and to keep nothing?

Irrelevant Bonus Information

From the Help me decide link:

Here are the options you might see:

  • Windows settings. Windows settings like Ease of Access, your desktop background, or Internet favorites and history will be kept. Not all settings will be moved.
  • Personal files. Anything saved in the User folder is considered a personal file, like the Documents and Desktop folders.
  • Apps. For the apps that are compatible with Windows 8, some will just work while others will have to be reinstalled in Windows 8. For the apps that need to be reinstalled, find the installation media and installers.
  • Nothing. Delete everything and replace your current version with a copy of Windows 8. Your personal files will be moved to a windows.old folder.

If you choose Nothing, make sure to do the following before you continue:

  • Back up your files to an external hard drive, DVD or CD, USB flash drive, or network folder.

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Update

Not trusting Microsoft to not destroy my existing installation of Windows, i unplugged my two other hard-disk SATA cables, and booted from the DVD. That way there no was chance of losing data.

After getting Windows 8 installed i had an Action Center item to activate Windows. Unfortunately i'm not allowed to activate Windows:

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Ian Boyd
  • 23,066

3 Answers3

6

Since you did a clean install of Windows 8 using the DVD to a blank hard drive with no trace of a previous operating system, you should be able to work around the product activation issue as follows:

  1. Open Registry Editor (regedit).

  2. Navigate to the registry key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\OOBE

  3. Modify the value MediaBootInstall changing it from 1 to 0.

  4. Open a Command Prompt as Administrator.

  5. In the Administrator Command Prompt window, run:

    slmgr -rearm

  6. Restart the computer.

  7. Press Win+Q, type Activate Windows into the Search box and press Enter.

  8. Now enter your product key.

If you have Windows activated at this point, then stop and enjoy.

If at this point it still refuses to accept the product key, then continue on with:

  1. Open a Command Prompt as Administrator.

  2. In the Administrator Command Prompt window, run:

    slmgr -ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

    inserting your Product Key instead of XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX.

  3. In the Administrator Command Prompt window, run:

    slmgr -ato

Check that Windows is activated now.

If it's STILL not activated (very unlikely), then use the nuclear option:

  1. Install a previous version of Windows onto the blank hard drive.

  2. Install Windows 8 over this version of Windows. Choose to keep Nothing, and delete the windows.old folder after installation.

Michael Hampton
  • 14,171
1

You cannot install Upgrade version of Windows 8: it's supposed to replace your existing copy of Windows with this brand new Windows 8 Pro installation.

You cannot keep using your previous version and use Windows 8 at the same time. That's what the installer complains about.

If you want a clean install of Windows 8, you can do it this way:

  1. Backup all your personal files to another drive.
  2. Start Windows 8 setup booting from DVD or USB.
  3. Enter the key you purchased.
    It will find the previous Windows version on disk C: and allow the installation.
  4. When it asks where to install, you can reformat your C: drive to remove all the traces of previous Windows version.
  5. Wait for the installation process to complete.
    It won't touch other drives you have: only the drive where you install Windows is affected.
  6. Enjoy your brand new and clean install of Windows 8.

You may be lucky to install it on another drive but still it's illegal to use Windows 8 and the previous version of Windows you had before at the same time. On the other hand, you can re-install your previous version (and remove Windows 8): this is a legal action.

Alexey Ivanov
  • 4,428
1
  • Disconnect the SATA connector of the hard drive you don't want damaged
  • Boot from the Windows 8 upgrade DVD
  • Install Windows 8
  • From inwide Windows 8, run setup.exe from the Windows 8 upgrade DVD
  • Install Windows 8, selecting the Keep nothing option
  • Take ownership, grant Full Control, and delete the Windows.old folder
  • Activate Windows 8 with your upgrade key
Ian Boyd
  • 23,066