Windows 8 in a New Build

I bought a retail copy of Windows 8 Pro from Staples and would like to install it on a new build but I'm not sure I have the right version to do a clean install on a new build. Will this retail copy of Windows 8 Pro install on brand new hard drives in a new build through some combination of install choices?

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=721044

In this thread SlovakBrit seems to suggest this may be possible, by going through the install process and then doing it again with 'custom install' after activation fails. But other threads seem to suggest you need a special version of Windows 8 (OEM) which is then tied to your motherboard.

I do have other windows PCs (a win7 laptop and an XP desktop) but I'd prefer to continue running them on their existing OS's. (I don't want a new build win8 based on one of their serial numbers to void either of their licenses.)

If I want to continue to use all 3 machines, what version of win8 (can I use my Windows 8 Pro Retail?) should I be trying to install on the new build?

did you buy the 8 pro upgrade or regular retail? can you link to staples? i purchased an upgrade version of 8 (with purchase of a win 7 pc) and was able to do a clean install with no media required. if its a standard retail copy it should install clean aswell. if its an upgrade version it may be different from the one i got.

Yes, it will install on brand new drives. Just select the "Custom" option when you pop in the DVD.

chop_wood said:

did you buy the 8 pro upgrade or regular retail? can you link to staples? i purchased an upgrade version of 8 (with purchase of a win 7 pc) and was able to do a clean install with no media required. if its a standard retail copy it should install clean aswell. if its an upgrade version it may be different from the one i got.

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Thank you for responding. Despite Super Nades' excellent and definitive response, I'll respond with the details in the hope that others with my same questions will be helped. The retail copy of Windows 8 Pro I have is as follows:

Staples:
http://www.staples.ca/ENG/Catalog/cat_sku.asp?CatIds=&webid=959865&affixedcode=WW
NewEgg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832416562

Some causes of my confusion with the retail box: Both websites (and others) list the only retail copies of Windows 8 Pro that they sell as being 'Upgrade'. However, the box itself doesn't say anywhere on it that it is an upgrade version and so is easily mistaken for what I would have referred to as a 'full retail' version of the software in past versions of Windows. Also, one can't be positive that the retail boxed copy is the same as what is being sold online as 'Upgrade'. The closest the box gets is a small paragraph on the box that says:

If your PC is running Windows7, your files, programs and settings will easily transfer to Windows 8 Pro. If your PC is running Windows XP or Windows Vista, you will need to reinstall your programs.

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This looked more like a warning about other software than a requirement. Nowhere does it say you need to have Windows installed. Even the base of the box does not list an existing Windows OS as part of the System Requirements.

System requirements: 1GHz processor, 20GB available hard disk space, 1366x 768 screen resolution, DirectX9 graphics processor with WDDM driver, Internet access, Microsoft account required for some features. You must accept the enclosed License Agreement. Activation required. Single license 32&64-bit DVD's included

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The closest the system requirements gets is 'you must accept the enclosed License Agreement.....Activation required.' but again no mention of requiring an existing Windows OS or a valid pre-8 windows license key.

Further sources of confusion for me: Looking at the lineup of Windows 8 products on Newegg, you will see what appears to be the builder's option: the OEM versions. However, the blurb from Newegg states:

This software is intended for pre-installation on a new personal computer for resale. This OEM System Builder Channel software requires the assembler to provide end user support for the Windows software and cannot be transferred to another computer once it is installed. To acquire Windows software with support provided by Microsoft please see our full package "Retail" product offerings.

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Oddly for me, this meant that this OEM version was both more expensive and had more restrictive terms than the retail box at Staples which appears to be completely backwards from what I expected. The part about this product being for PCs which would then be resold also makes it appear to be incorrect for a builder building for himself.

To add more fuel to my confusion fire, I went to the Microsoft user license page to try and get some clarity. For starters, they have licenses for pre-installed windows on your computer or for 'packaged software for end users' so a valid license for purchasing an OEM copy of Windows and using it yourself simply doesn't appear to exist. Not comforting. This is next bit is cut from the 'packaged software for end users' license at windows:

The software covered by this agreement is an upgrade to your existing operating system software, so the upgrade replaces the original software that you are upgrading. You do not retain any rights to the original software after you have upgraded and you may not continue to use it or transfer it in any way.

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So in summary:

1) Retail box hides that it has upgrade media in it.
2) The same product is clearly labeled online as 'upgrade only'.
3) The OEM 'builders' software is clearly labelled as for builders who are reselling, NOT end users.
4) Microsoft Windows 8 licenses don't have an option for building your own, only 'upgrading from previous Windows' or 'was installed on my PC when I bought it'.
5) The Microsoft license specifically states that you will ONLY be able to upgrade with the retail copy of Windows 8, and that it will VOID the license to the older copy of Windows you are upgrading from.
6) Therefore, a valid copy of Windows 8 that I can buy and install and use on my own newly built machine does not seem to exist!

7) None of the above matters because Super Nade indicates by simply clicking 'Custom Install' one can bypass all discussion of upgrades and install Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro retail upgrade copies as if they were 'Full' versions.
8) God bless overclockers.com.

It took me a while to type up, but I hope it will help others who fall into the same conflicting information whirlpool that I did. I'll report back with how it goes tomorrow.

lillebusy,

Thank you for taking the time to post your experience and thought process in some detail.

The confusion stems from experience with Windows 7, which allowed you to do a clean install with upgrade media, but necessitated a registry hack to activate it. With Windows 8, the registry hack is not necessary.

The various versions of Windows 8 are a nightmare to keep track of. Make sure you sign up for a free download of windows media center (it won't be freely available in January 2013). Instructions to sign up can be found here:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/feature-packs

Thanks for the tip Super Nade, I'll get right on that.

Update: The clean install process with a Windows 8 Pro retail 'upgrade' box seems to have worked. Despite having done a 'custom' install, I was still prompted for the activation key twice, once during the install and once later, after windows was running and I was doing windows updates. The first time this happened, I rebooted and re-installed another 'custom' install after formatting, with similar results.

When it happens like this, I was told that I was trying to activate windows upgrade on a clean build (which is true).

What I found worked for me was after the install process (where I had put in an activation key which was accepted, and then been told later that my Windows was still not activated) to put the Windows media back in the drive and run it while in Windows (not rebooting).

When prompted I opted to 'save nothing' but nonetheless did get messages about 'transferring settings' or some such which leads me to believe it thought I was 'upgrading' my non-activated Windows 8 Pro with Windows 8 Pro Upgrade. It worked for me this way and the activation seems to have stuck. It now reports being activated and has a product ID key when queried.

Thanks for the advice, I hope this helps others that were in my position (clean install, upgrade media).

lillebusy,

Thanks for the update! Your experience was quite different from mine. I merely disconnected my second HDD and installed on the target drive. I had to key in the serial just once. Bear in mind that I was connected to the internet and windows downloaded updates etc during the installation. Perhaps this has something to do with it?

Anyway, keep the commentary coming as this will prove useful to other members.

Edit:

If your screen flickers with an ATI card, you may need to edit the profile to change the 2D frequency. Let me know if this is the case.