Windows 10 How to Perform a Clean Install of Windows 10 Pro With a Windows 8 Pro Key

EDLIU

Senior Member
Hi,

How do I "Perform a Clean Install of Windows 10 Pro With a Windows 8 Pro Key"?

Thanks in advance.

Ed
 
If the machine has never had WX before then a clean install isn't an option however if it has, at least one once, had WX then the key is already there and the W8 key isn't needed.

Assuming no past WX you have to upgrade the W8 to W8.1.1 before you can then install WX... starting with a blank hdd you install WX 8 pro (use that key) then goto the Microsoft store with an Microsoft id from within this machine and download/ install the 8.1 free upgrade. Then you patch that to at least 8.1.1 and then download/ install the WX iso from Microsoft.

Edit: fixed typos.
 
Last edited:
8.1.1 is short hand for the April 2014 (KB2919355) patch also called the 8.1 upgrade patch by Microsoft... this fixed many driver issues with the free basic 8.1 upgrade from 8 and MUST be installed before you can get any more patches from Microsoft.

This patch also caused a lot of confusion at the time because it's listed as mandatory so people mistook that to be the free 8 to 8.1 upgrade was also mandatory... which is not the case.
  • so if you have windows 8 then you can (but don't have to) use the free upgrade to 8.1
  • IF you do upgrade 8 to 8.1 then you MUST also install this extra patch before you can continue getting updates from Microsoft and 8.1 without this patch is, in fact, unstable on many motherboards any way.
 
ussnorway said:
If the machine has never had WX before then a clean install isn't an option however if it has, at least one once, had WX then the key is already there and the W8 key isn't needed.
Click to expand...

No. My computer never had WX on it.


Do I have to install W8 Pro and upgrade to W8.1.1 Pro before using WX? Can't I just "download the WX Software from the WX iso link you gave me", and clean install it on my machine?

I'm not very good at computers, can you be more specific? Or step by step processures that can be found on the Internet?

Thanks.

Ed
 
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Sorry but no... WX will NOT install over the top of W8, but only W8.1.1 or W7 sp1

  • starting from W8, you log into a Microsoft account and download the free 8.1 upgrade from the Microsoft store,
  • then patch that to 8.1.1
  • then use the WX iso linked to install WX
I recommend getting someone to do these steps for you as a shop will normally offer a backup of your W8 as an option and a LOT of people don't like WX after they have played with it... it's nice to have options.
 
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Hi, Uss,

My desktop does't even have W8 Pro or W8.1 Pro on it.

So I can't "just download the WX Pro iso" and install it on my computer?

BTW, can I download and stall the WX Pro and purchase it through Microsoft? Since a W8 Pro KEY cannot be used to CLEAN INSTALL a WX.

Thanks.

Ed
 
EDLIU said:
How do I "Perform a Clean Install of Windows 10 Pro With a Windows 8 Pro Key"?
Click to expand...

EDLIU said:
My desktop does't even have W8 Pro or W8.1 Pro on it.
Click to expand...

Make up your mind please.

EDLIU said:
BTW, can I download and stall the WX Pro and purchase it through Microsoft?
Click to expand...

You can get from Microsoft if you happen to live in a place that they sell too... overwise just shop around like every one else does.

4 example only; WX pro = Microsoft Windows 10 Pro (64 bit)
 

>>>Thanks for the concise explanation on this Norway!! Very good to know. Couple of posts down, Kemical also posts a link for this having happened.
<<<BBJ>>>
 
kemical said:
Just for your historical records:
Windows 8.1 - Windows 8.1.1 Update
Click to expand...

>>>Thanks, Kemical!! Very good information to have. I've bookmarked it in my Win8x troubleshooting archives. Makes sense. I had heard MS was thinking about putting this fix into W10 SP1 out later this year or beginning of next for people attempting the W8-->W10 installs.<<<

**Kudos to Norway for bringing it up!**

<<<BBJ>>>
 
 
Hi,

I downloaded the WX.iso from Microsoft and burned it to a DVD.

I tried to boot from the DVD I burned but failed.

Don't know what went wrong...

Ed
 
Hi,
could be a couple of things that went wrong:

How fast did you burn the iso? It should be no faster than 4x.

Did you enter your bios and change the boot order from HDD to DVD-ROM assuming you burnt it to disk rather than USB.

Even if you did change the boot order you must still watch for the prompt to 'Press any key' otherwise you'll just boot up as normal.
 
Hi Ed,

We could help you better with your problem, if you provided answers to some of the basic questions we asked you about the computer you are having problems performing your WX upgrade on. For example, what is the MAKE/MODEL (such as Dell Inspiron 537) of your computer? Is it a Desktop or Laptop? What version of Windows EXACTLY came with the computer? And what version EXACTLY of Windows is on there now. (i.e.: Windows8, Windows XP, Windows8.1).

I don't think that's too much to ask of you to find out. Since you say you don't know much about computers, as Norway suggests, then you shouldn't be even attempting the WX upgrade--it is not for newbies! We see a lot of this on the Forum here. People assume that since Microsoft is giving them a Free upgrade, that they just click the button and voila, it works. Sorry, No!! I get many computers here in my repair shop where average computer users attempt this and scramble their PC or laptop horribly, and it has to be rebuilt from scratch. Akin to tinkering with your car, if you take your engine apart to fix a noise coming from under the hood, but have never taken any mechanics courses, your chances of getting of getting it back together in a running condition are slim and none.

Providing us with necessary information is like calling your mechanic on the phone and asking him to tell you what's wrong with your car because it's making a funny noise under the hood, and then when he asks what kind of car and model it is, you simply ignore the question, and just ask him repeatedly what part is broken how do I fix it, etc.

<<<BBJ>>>
 
Hi,

I'm trying to install the WX on my MacBook Pro(17-inch mid 2010).

Is it possible that the WX I downloaded from the WX iso Microsoft is an "upgrade version" instead of a full installation installer?

Thanks.

Ed
 
the iso is the same for upgrade or fresh install... the difference is in the key and that stays with microsoft.
 
I've yet to see anyone install WX on a Mac or Mac Pro. Doesn't mean it can't be done. Does your MacBook Pro run Windows in emulation mode (aka: Bootcamp?). Was your MacBook Pro running a previous version of Windows such as 7/8/8.1? If not, how are you going to run Windows on a Mac? If you've never run Windows on that MacBook Pro, it's possible it's simply never been done before--perhaps some of our other Mods who have done it can share with us any secrets required...

The other possibility is that you can run VMware on your Mac and install the WX there. Norway, what do you think?

In the meantime you could check both the Mac community forums on Apple.com and the Microsoft Community forum at Microsoft.com and post this question there if you haven't already done so. Since I'm mostly a PC guy and just dabble in Macs, it's possible that your specific model MacBook Pro doesn't have a native Intel processor chip--some models do not; and you are trying to run WX in a pure software emulation mode, which may not be supported by WX nor your particular Mac. You might check your hardware specs on that Mac. If it does not have a true Intel chip inside it (Motorola or AMD), it may not be suitable to run WX.

Any other guesses as to why it won't run is pure speculation at this point, since the only Mac I own is a MacSE circa 1991, and I'm pretty sure it won't load WX!! Do you happen to actually know anyone who claims to be running WX on a modern MacBook or MacBook Pro??

Best of luck,
<<<BBJ>>>
 
BIGBEARJEDI said:
The other possibility is that you can run VMware on your Mac and install the WX there. Norway, what do you think?
Click to expand...
Vmware on a Mac is called Fussion (link) ... the other option is Parallel (link).

I don't have my Mac for testing... sorry, on loan to a mate... but afaia it works.

Edit;
Ref vmware forum (link)
 
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@Norway: Thanks! One of those methods is what the OP will need to try. The real question here is whether or not OP had used one of these to run an earlier version of Windows OS or not prior to WX attempt. If he hadn't I have no idea if WX can even work on any Mac at all.

<BBJ>
 
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