Reinstalling windows in laptop

[harshilsharma63]

Hi. One of my friend has an HP laptop that came with Windows 8 Pro. Now I now laptops have Windows key embedded in BIOS which is used by the recovery disk. The laptop didn't came with any recovery/repair disk. How can I format the laptop including completely deleting C partition and be able to use the key embedded in BIOS for activation?

 

[meetdilip]

There are many tools which extracts Windows key. Use one of them.

 

[whitestar_999]

there should be a recovery partition(maybe hidden).did you check partition layout in disk management?now-a-days many laptops recovery option is in bios & does not require recovery discs only recovery partition.

 

[harshilsharma63]

there should be a recovery partition(maybe hidden).did you check partition layout in disk management?now-a-days many laptops recovery option is in bios & does not require recovery discs only recovery partition.

Yes, there is a recovery partition but using it leads to rempval of all user-created partitions and thus a total loss of data. What I want to do is to be able to format the c drive and reinstall Windows and use current key to activate it. Should I use OEM version of Windows 8 for the purpose?

 

[whitestar_999]

Windows 8 oem reinstall - [H]ard|Forum

Next time do a "slmgr.vbs /dlv", if sku is "CoreSingleLanguage" or "CoreCountrySpecific" you're screwed, if it returns "Core" or "Pro" then any windows 8 disk should autoactivate when detecting an internet connection.

from page 2 of same thread a post by most likely an Indian

I have a HP Pavilion g6-2231tx Notebook which comes with a preinstalled OEM version of Windows 8.
Tried repartitioning the HDD and am facing the same problem as "xovertheyearsx" had faced.
I have downloaded the ISO mentioned by "MrsOldMX", burned the ISO on to a DVD n while installing, encountered the following error.
"The product key entered does not match any of the Windows images available for installation. Enter a different product key."
Searched for solution and found out that you can bypass the error message by creating an "ei.cfg" file and injecting into the Source folder of the ISO. Was able to install Windows 8, but after connecting to the internet Windows is not getting activated. Says "the Product Key didn't work. Try a different key, or a buy a new one." Also it shows "Current edition is Windows 8" and "Current product key - *****-CYQG3"

reply to this was

Its because the sku is "CoreSingleLanguage" or "CoreCountrySpecific", afaik there is no real solution for those skus and clean installations, but some guys at mdl forums modified a russian .iso and injected the en.-us language pack and activated with success, dont quote me but sounds like a lot of work

so it seems like if windows 8 sku is single language/country specific(most likely) then there is no way to fresh install windows 8.

 

[rijinpk1]

i guess, even online activation fails, he can try phone activation by calling microsoft. i dont know whether it will work or not.

 

[whitestar_999]

how it will work if you don't have the specific install version of windows 8?it's like trying to activate windows 8 pro edition with windows 8 basic key.even if the key is genuine you must use windows 8 basic(not pro) dvd to install & in case of single language/country specific version only laptop manufacturers have those versions images.

 

[rijinpk1]

how it will work if you don't have the specific install version of windows 8?it's like trying to activate windows 8 pro edition with windows 8 basic key.even if the key is genuine you must use windows 8 basic(not pro) dvd to install & in case of single language/country specific version only laptop manufacturers have those versions images.

it comes with windows 8 pro as op said that in first post.

 

[harshilsharma63]

Windows 8 oem reinstall - [H]ard|Forum

from page 2 of same thread a post by most likely an Indian

reply to this was

so it seems like if windows 8 sku is single language/country specific(most likely) then there is no way to fresh install windows 8.

thanks, this is really helpful In "Computer" properties, it says Windows 8 Single language, so I believe he is screwed

 

[whitestar_999]

@rijinpk1,install of windows 8 pro in hp(india) laptop=/=windows 8 pro dvd in flipkart/any site.unlike windows 7,windows 8 editions are very specific.e.g. a chinese only windows 8 pro oem bios key will not work with a standard windows 8 pro dvd with install language selected as chinese.

 

[rijinpk1]

@rijinpk1,install of windows 8 pro in hp(india) laptop=/=windows 8 pro dvd in flipkart/any site.unlike windows 7,windows 8 editions are very specific.e.g. a chinese only windows 8 pro oem bios key will not work with a standard windows 8 pro dvd with install language selected as chinese.

i understand. this has something to prove Guide to preserve Windows 8.x OEM Activation

 

[whitestar_999]

^^that was what someone mentioned in the thread link i posted earlier:

some guys at mdl forums modified a russian .iso and injected the en.-us language pack and activated with success, dont quote me but sounds like a lot of work

thanks for the source link & i recognized them(@Tito & @BTOR at mdl forums both are Indians & quite knowledgeable about windows bios activation) though i wouldn't suggest this procedure to a novice unless someone is there to help at each & every step.