Windows 10 Is there a Windows 8.1 ISO?

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Still debating how to go about moving my install of Windows 10 to a different drive.
I noticed that my backup software will allow me to clone Windows 10 directly to the other hard drive?
That would be easy and quick, but it still doesn't address the registration issue if I want to leave the insider program.

I wonder if there is an .ISO file for Windows 8.1 that I could install directly to the new drive and then register with my W8 serial number instead of installing Windows 8 and having to go through the upgrade process twice to get to Windows 10?

One last question, what's with the reserving your copy bit?

I'm assuming that any time during the next few months I can update my Windows 8 install to Windows 10, whether I reserve a copy before tomorrow or not. Isn't that correct.

Mike

I found a place to download the Windows 8.1 ISO and I'm downloading it now.

 

[Trouble]

instead of installing Windows 8 and having to go through the upgrade process twice to get to Windows 10?

IDK, but.....
You need to decide pretty soon, you only have a year left starting tomorrow.

There are two legitimate sources that I know of, from which you can create installation media.
Create installation media for Windows 8.1 - Windows Help
AND
Upgrade Windows with only a product key - Windows Help

Both have their PITA caveats in order to use them.

 

[Mike]

It seems likely that they will allow you to reserve a free copy for one year after July 29th. However, no one can ever say anything for certain. Most likely, they have not given details on reserving your copy after July 29th, because they want everyone to upgrade to Windows 10. For them this is probably a marketing tactic. Once you are locked in to Windows 10, you will probably be inclined to download future iterations of the operating system, over the years, through Windows Update, and you will likely be charged for them. That is the way of the world.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I just found that it says that I can't register a Windows 8.1 installation with my Windows 8 product key so I guess that if I want to start over I'll have to reinstall Windows 8, so I guess I'll just go ahead and do it.

Mike

 

[Trouble]

so I guess I'll just go ahead and do it.

Definitely sounds like a plan.
Image everything now and get started....

 

[Mike]

You should upgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 using Windows Update otherwise it's not going to work.

 

[Trouble]

using Windows Update

Don't you still have to get it through the "Store" app in Windows 8?

 

[Mike]

Don't you still have to get it through the "Store" app in Windows 8?

Update to Windows 8.1 from Windows 8 - Windows Help

Yes, you are correct. It is in the Store.

 

[Trouble]

Yes.... I believe that that is Windows 8.1 Update.... aka Windows 8.1.1
I think once he has 8 installed it may be a long road to get to there unless something has changed, you need to update the crap out of Windows 8 first before the Store App, will let you get 8.1. Once 8.1 is installed, I believe is when the "update" comes in.
Unless there is some way to jump right to it. It has been a long time since I've been on Windows 8

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

So far I did find a place to download the Windows 8.1 ISO file.
Then I found that you can't register your 8.1 install with a Windows 8 serial number.

Next I used Belarc Advisor to check my Windows serial number and discovered that it is a Windows 8.1 serial number and is different then my Windows 8 serial number that I have on my Windows 8 disk package.

I did update to Windows 8.1 before I started using Windows 10 so I'm guessing that's when the serial number in my computer got changed.

So do you think that I can install Windows 8.1 from the .ISO file and register it using the serial number in my computer?

Create installation media for Windows 8.1 - Windows Help*

The one thing I don't want to do it overwrite my Windows 10 installation.
So it has to ask me where I want to do the install. I don't want to do the install from inside Windows 10.

*Edit I'm doing that and what it's doing is creating an .ISO file direct from Microsoft.
About 10 minutes to go!

Mike

 

[Trouble]

the one thing I don't want to do it overwrite my Windows 10 installation.

Can't you simply just disconnect the Windows 10 drive?
Or are your boot config files for both OSs on the same drive / partition. In which case installing Windows 8 or 8.1 is likely to mess those up no matter what you do.
Installing an older OS in the presence of a newer OS is going to overwrite the boot menu which will then need repairing.
I can't keep track of which drive or partition you have what on.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I'm guessing that since the drive I'm installing on has been formatted and is completely blank, that I don't have to worry about the boot options.

I can unplug the other drive when I do the install, I'm hoping that it won't see any connection between the two installs and I'll be able to select the drive I want to boot into after the install is finished.

I hope if I go ahead and do this that it asks for the serial number up front and doesn't go all the way through the thing and then say I can't verify it.

Link Removed

Mike

It finished and said, "Download Didn't complete, Path not valid", I told it to download to a folder on my desktop.

This time I'm trying to download it to the DVD, that's what it asks for, I figured it would put it wherever I specified. I don't see any activity on my DVD drive?
Maybe it writes to the drive all at once?

If this doesn't work I'll try to download it to a USB drive, (the other option).

It went farther this time it says getting files ready, still no activity on my DVD drive.
But I'm following their directions, but I don't know why it wants me to put the ISO file on a DVD?

I'm going to have to rewrite to another DVD when it's done anyway But I do see activity on my DVD drive now.

It now says Creating ISO.

Next up ImgBurn.

 

[Trouble]

You should be able to use the BIOS Boot Menu "F12" or whatever it is for your particular motherboard and choose which drive to boot from.
Good luck. At least I hope your luck gets better

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Yeah, on my computer it's the "Delete" key.

I wouldn't be doing this now if I hadn't kept carrying along errors in my Windows 10 upgrades.
But I'd like to see the whole thing working the way it's supposed to.

I may still let it update and see what happens, but it's writing the install disk right now so I'm tempted to just go ahead an do it.

I have made a system image of my Windows 10 install just in case.

Mike

Started to reboot to test the DVD and Windows started updating I had to grab the DVD out of the drive before it shut down, I'll try again.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Well I went through all of that, removed the side plate on my computer disconnected my second hard drive, (the one with Windows 10 on it) and started the install process.

Only to find out that it wouldn't' accept my serial number.
It's the one listed by Belarc as my Windows 8.1 Pro serial number so I guess this is a dead end.

For now I'll just let it update tomorrow and worry about it later. LOL

I'll probably have to go the long route and go through all the updates to get to Windows 10.

Mike