Location to download non-cracked retail version?

[Yargnit]

So long story short, My new Laptop/Tablet hybrid came with over 50GB of it's 128GB SSD unusable do to being divided into various other partitions. Somehow after removing the ones that windows didn't actually need (which worked fine) when i expanded the C partition to fill the empty space it decided to brick the system. So now I need a place to download a plain, uncracked, straight retail, version of Win8 (not pro) x64 to re-install. Everything on various torrent sites seems to be a pre-cracked this or that, but no one seems to have just a straight unaltered image of the CD.

Does anyone know where I can get one from? (Again, NOT looking for 1 with a pirated key or anything, I have a legit key already, I just don't have a cope of the OS to re-install since the partition software decided to eat the recovery partition on me even though I didn't tell it to touch it. (I do have all the drivers saved though by freak coincidence)

 

[zander1983]

Best would be to contact the manufacturer for a set of disks or get the place where you purchased it to use a demo model to burn you a set of recovery disks

 

[Yargnit]

That totally doesn't help when one is at home at night. Hence the word download.

 

[InvalidError]

And that is why premade PCs/laptops come with a welcome routine that offer you to create a set of recovery disks before you can start using them.

First things I did after completing the online Win8Pro upgrade download was copy the ISO to another PC while burning it on DVD just in case the installer went loopy and wiped the whole drive. (Happened to me once with Vista.)

As far as locating a credible genuine download source online goes, this does appear to be easier said than done, which is a little ironic/sad. I wonder how many DMCA notices Microsoft might be sending to people who are in a situation similar to yours, simply trying to get a clean uncracked ISO that they can activate using a legitimately owned key but are having a hard time finding any other source.

 

[birdymain]

Doesn't Microsoft have a download setup on their site? I do remember reading a article about buying the key for $40-50 and downloading the OS.

 

[bryonhowley]

As was said above you will have to get it from the retailer or from then manufacture to get one that would be legal. That is really your only chose. A back up set is always the first thing I do when I get a new laptop just for this reason.

 

[unksol]

You do not have to get it from the manufacture to be legal. The disk is nothing. Only the certificate of authenticity matter. unfortunately the isos are only on MSDN and Technet at moment but they, or any real windows 8 iso/disk should work.

Options: install windows 8 eval version while you wait for official isos to be up like they are for windows 7, or the manufacture to ship disks

find someone with.a disk or access to technet.

Install windows 7 with the official ISO from here by doing a clean install and unchecking the "activate when online" box and not entering a key.

Http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/w/microsoft_os/3316.2-1-microsoft-windows-7-official-iso-download-links-digital-river.aspx

then call Microsoft and use your downgrade rights to activate it.
www.microsoft.com/oem/en/licensing/sblicensing/pages/downgrade_rights.aspx

 

[bryonhowley]

You do not have to get it from the manufacture to be legal.

Well in that case point him to the Windows 8 .iso's then. Since that is what he was talking about and they are not out for download like the Windows 7 disc are. Unless he has a MSDN or Technet subscription(in which case he would have not had to ask here) then he would infact have to go though the retailer or manufacture to get a install disc really not that hard to figure out.

And if the OP uses his suggestion to "use your downgrade rights" just know that you loose the right to use your Windows 8 key after the downgrade you new laptop will on Windows 7 after that and you would have then buy Windows 8 just to use it.

Really thing hard before you degrade your laptop by downgrading the OS. Windows 8 is great and that is what you should use on that Laptop/Tablet hybrid.

Since it is new you might be able to just exchange it from where you got it.

 

[majestic1805]

You could try a few torrent sites looking for "MSDN" in the title/description. This is still very risky, but it's also an option.

 

[das_stig]

Do what I do with OEM systems, create a set of backup DVD's of the recovery partition.

Get all the drivers, burn to DVD.

Download a legit version of Windows 8 from Microsofts Own download service ..

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/29322-The-Official-Windows-8-Repository

Install and activate with the key from your laptop.


Information supplied is for people like "Yargnit" with a legal key but wanting to dump OEM bloatware and I do not support piracy.

 

[majestic1805]

Good find, das. I would recommend that instead. Though, note even your own link includes several torrents.

 

[unksol]

Well in that case point him to the Windows 8 .iso's then. Since that is what he was talking about and they are not out for download like the Windows 7 disc are. Unless he has a MSDN or Technet subscription(in which case he would have not had to ask here) then he would infact have to go though the retailer or manufacture to get a install disc really not that hard to figure out.

And if the OP uses his suggestion to "use your downgrade rights" just know that you loose the right to use your Windows 8 key after the downgrade you new laptop will on Windows 7 after that and you would have then buy Windows 8 just to use it.

Really thing hard before you degrade your laptop by downgrading the OS. Windows 8 is great and that is what you should use on that Laptop/Tablet hybrid.

Since it is new you might be able to just exchange it from where you got it.

It helps if you read before you speak. Microsoft CLEARLY states the product key is valid for windows 8 and you have the right to install windows 7 free of charge, and covert to windows 8 at ANYTIME because you ALREADY own the windows 8 license. That's how downgrade rights have ALWAYS worked

The majority prefer windows 7 anyway. I never said I did, simply provided options, instead of misinformation about windows licensing and making wild assumptions.