Re-install Windows 8 on separate SSD

[VolcomDust]

I just bought the ASUS g10ac desktop PC. It included a Windows 8 64 bit installation, but no installation disk. Separately I bought an SSD which I intended to run Windows on, but with no installation disk to install it with I'm a bit puzzled on what I should do?

I managed to get the licence key using a Key finder program on the computer. But when I ran that in the Windows Installer to create an installation media it said that the key I entered, though being valid, could not be used as a retail version of Windows 8...

I would greatly appreciate if someone could help me with this. How do I get my current installation of Windows 8 on the HDD to my SSD?

 

[das_stig]

You will need to clone the hidden recovery partition on the HDD to your SSD.

 

[legacyBIOS]

This is because when you buy a Windows 8 PC/laptop, the serial key used by your preinstalled OS is embedded in your system's BIOS. What you will need to do is get the same version of Windows 8 on your install disc and install using your key you found.

The only other way is a little more complex. First, you have to install the version of Windows 8 you want to install, on a USB drive. There are many ways to do it, and it's very easy. After the OS is installed and bootable on your USB drive, the only thing you have to do is follow these steps:

1. Create a txt file in the sources folder on your Windows bootable USB drive called PID.txt

2. Copy and paste this in the txt file substituting the X's for your CD-Key you want installed on your new OS.

[PID]
Value=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX

3. Save that, and you can boot using your USB drive to install Windows 8. This file overrides the embedded Windows 8 key on your system to allow you to install Windows 8.

I hope this helps. It was a pain to learn how to bypass this. Good luck.

 

[dextermat]

Hi,

You can also download an .iso from the microsoft that would work also.

 

[VolcomDust]

This is because when you buy a Windows 8 PC/laptop, the serial key used by your preinstalled OS is embedded in your system's BIOS. What you will need to do is get the same version of Windows 8 on your install disc and install using your key you found.

The only other way is a little more complex. First, you have to install the version of Windows 8 you want to install, on a USB drive. There are many ways to do it, and it's very easy. After the OS is installed and bootable on your USB drive, the only thing you have to do is follow these steps:

1. Create a txt file in the sources folder on your Windows bootable USB drive called PID.txt

2. Copy and paste this in the txt file substituting the X's for your CD-Key you want installed on your new OS.

[PID]
Value=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX

3. Save that, and you can boot using your USB drive to install Windows 8. This file overrides the embedded Windows 8 key on your system to allow you to install Windows 8.

I hope this helps. It was a pain to learn how to bypass this. Good luck.

That's some great help, a big thanks to you! I'll get right on this tomorrow, seeing that it's night here now. I'll get a hold of a suitable USB drive to create an installation media on.

I'll get back with an update! Thanks a lot! =)