How to install Windows 8 on New SSD

[ChristianCEI]

I have a client that brought in a laptop with Windows 8 on it, and they never upgraded to Windows 8.1.
I had to install an SSD into the laptop, and Fresh install Windows 8 for them, and activate it with the original License key. Is this even possible? Where can I get a Windows 8 ISO for this installation? All I can find is Windows 8.1, and I know you can't activate Windows 8.1 with a windows 8 key.

 

[SkyNetRising]

If laptop was sold with windows 8, then license key most likely is embedded into BIOS.
Just install windows 8.1. It has to be same version as windows 8 (Home or Pro).
If you do everything correctly, windows installation will pick key from BIOS and won't even ask you.
System will activate automatically once you connect to internet.

 

[ChristianCEI]

If laptop was sold with windows 8, then license key most likely is embedded into BIOS.
Just install windows 8.1. It has to be same version as windows 8 (Home or Pro).
If you do everything correctly, windows installation will pick key from BIOS and won't even ask you.
System will activate automatically once you connect to internet.

I shall give it a shot. From what I experienced yesterday the setup keeps asking for a license key and rejects the one that came with the laptop. I will give it another shot.

 

[SkyNetRising]

It's possible, the laptop was not sold with windows 8 preinstalled. Then there would be no key embedded into BIOS.

There are generic windows 8 keys that can be used to install windows, but will not activate.
Just make sure you install correct edition(Home or Pro). After install, you can use valid key to activate.

 

[gaborbarla]

Another option is to just clone the original Hard drive across to the SSD. Then you wont have to re-activate. For this you would have to put the HD into another computer together with the SSD. Make sure that the HD boot partition has less data on it than the size of the SSD and then clone it across. Samsung SSDs come with a great cloning tool. I do this on all my systems.