Click the install Windows 8 button to begin downloading Windows 8 installation media.
Luckily, there’s yet another confusing trick we can use to get around Microsoft’s limitations.įirst, visit the Upgrade Windows with only a product key page. You can’t normally download it with a Windows 8 product key.
The second problem is that Microsoft only allows you to download Windows 8.1 installation media with a Windows 8.1 product key. RELATED: Where to Download Windows 10, 8.1, and 7 ISOs Legally You should then be able to change your key to your original Windows 8 key from the desktop later.ĭownload Windows 8.1 With a Windows 8 Product Key Update: We’ve been informed that simply entering one of the KMS Client Setup Keys from Microsoft’s website during the Windows 8.1 installation process should let you install Windows 8.1 normally. We’ll just need to modify the Windows 8.1 installation media a bit. If we had a way of skipping the product key prompt during the installation process and entering the key later, we could install Windows 8.1 fresh - luckily, we do have a way of doing that. However, Windows 8.1 will accept the Windows 8 product key if you enter it on the desktop after installing Windows 8.1 - no, we don’t know why it works this way. The Windows 8.1 installer refuses to accept the Windows 8 product key and won’t allow us to install Windows 8.1 with it. In reality, there’s a way we can get around this limitation. Only people who purchase Windows 8.1 can install it fresh, not people who origianlly purchased Windows 8. Microsoft wants you to install Windows 8 normally and use the Windows 8.1 upgrade offer in the Windows Store to get Windows 8.1. RELATED: What You Need to Know About Windows 8.1 It’s a free upgrade to every single Windows 8 user, so there’s absolutely no reason to introduce a new product key system. This normally makes sense, but Windows 8.1 isn’t really a different version of Windows.
You also can’t install the original version of Windows 8 with a Windows 8.1 product key.
You can’t enter a Windows 8 product key into the Windows 8.1 installer, just as you can’t enter a Windows 7 product key into the Windows 8 installer. The problem is that Windows 8.1 product keys are different from Windows 8 product keys. The Problem, and How We’ll Fix It (Old Version) Please note that a valid product key is required during Windows 11 deployment.You can choose to put the boot media directly on a USB drive, or you can create an ISO for later use or to burn to a disc later.
With its help, you can create a bootable disk or an ISO image to deploy Windows 11 with ease.
Media Creation Tool comes in handy in situations when you want to try or reinstall Windows 11 on your PC and do not own an installation media. You can then use a disc burner to create a DVD containing the Windows deployment files. Alternatively, the application can generate an ISO image and save it to your PC. Create a bootable USB or an ISO imageĭownloaded files can be sent to a USB flash drive, but note that at least 8 GB of free space are required and that all the information stored on the USB drive is overwritten during the process. As you might imagine, its speed highly depends on the reliability of your Internet connection. In order to use it, your computer must be connected to the Internet, since all the installation files are downloaded from Microsoft. It actually consists of a wizard that guides you through all the necessary steps, making the entire process a matter of pressing a few 'Next' buttons. Wizard-like interface with clear optionsįocusing on ease of use, this application adopts a forthright approach, enabling you to have your Windows 11 deployment package ready in minutes. Created by Microsoft itself, Media Creation Tool can help you easily create a setup file for Windows 11. If your computer is running Windows 10, you need a bootable disk to help you deploy Windows 11.