Jim Walker
Distinguished Member
How to Install Windows 8 without a Product Key
http://tweaks.com/windows/65179/how-to-install-windows-8-without-a-product-key/
"For the first time since Windows XP, Microsoft is forcing users to enter a product key before Windows can be installed. This can be very annoying for legitimate users that simply want to install Windows 8 for testing. "
Note: The free MicrosoftWindows® Assessment and Deployment Kit is required to create the .iso file. To install the Windows ADK, your computer must be running one of the following operating systems:
• Windows® 8
• Windows® 7
• Windows Server® 2012
• Windows Server® 2008 R2
• Windows Vista®
• Windows Server® 2008
The steps described work. I have used the .iso file created to install a VM Windows 8 Pro without a product key. Starting with a Win 8 Pro upgrade ($40 until 1/31/2013) DVD instead of an .iso file, I copied the DVD to C:\Win8ISO folder in step 1 of "Once all the prerequisites are completed" section of the instructions. Following the remaining instructions created a good Windows 8 installation .iso file.
One problem, when I tried to create a DVD from the .iso file, the DVD install failed with error:
"Windows cannot install the required files. ... Error code 0x80070714" .
Have not yet determined the reason for this error when the modified DVD is used instead of the .iso file.
http://tweaks.com/windows/65179/how-to-install-windows-8-without-a-product-key/
"For the first time since Windows XP, Microsoft is forcing users to enter a product key before Windows can be installed. This can be very annoying for legitimate users that simply want to install Windows 8 for testing. "
Note: The free MicrosoftWindows® Assessment and Deployment Kit is required to create the .iso file. To install the Windows ADK, your computer must be running one of the following operating systems:
• Windows® 8
• Windows® 7
• Windows Server® 2012
• Windows Server® 2008 R2
• Windows Vista®
• Windows Server® 2008
The steps described work. I have used the .iso file created to install a VM Windows 8 Pro without a product key. Starting with a Win 8 Pro upgrade ($40 until 1/31/2013) DVD instead of an .iso file, I copied the DVD to C:\Win8ISO folder in step 1 of "Once all the prerequisites are completed" section of the instructions. Following the remaining instructions created a good Windows 8 installation .iso file.
One problem, when I tried to create a DVD from the .iso file, the DVD install failed with error:
"Windows cannot install the required files. ... Error code 0x80070714" .
Have not yet determined the reason for this error when the modified DVD is used instead of the .iso file.
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