# Windows 8 upgrade-way to get clean install-takes some time.



## leroys1000 (Aug 16, 2007)

You can get the equivilant of a clean install from a windows 8 upgrade disk.
You still need to have the previous version of windows installed and run the
windows 8 upgrade installation on it.
Once it is installed,move your mouse down to the bottom right of the screen
to get the right menu.
Click settings,then click change PC settings.
Click general on the list to the left.
Scroll down the items til you see remove everything and reinstall windows.
Click get started.
While running the reinstall,make sure to select clean entire drive and save nothing.
Run the reinstall.
When it is done,it will be a clean install of windows 8,but it will have kept the license
and activation files for both the previous windows version and windows 8.
Those files are required for the windows 8 upgrade activation.
This leaves only windows 8 installed and gets rid of any files left from the
previous windows install,including the windows.old file.
It may request your upgrade disk for the reinstall.

Don't do this if you are trying to upgrade and keep your files.
This is only if you want to have a clean install of windows 8
with none of your previous data left.

Be advised that the reinstall itself can take several hours to run.
It is slow,so just let it do it's thing.

Just a note.
With windows 8 upgrade,you want to have your previous windows
version disks available,or a set of factory restore disks.
In case of a serious system crash,you will need to reinstall the
previous version then upgrade again.
Be smart and make a backup image of your system so you don't
lose your data in case of a crash.
Remember,once you upgrade,you can't use your previous windows
on another computer,even if it is retail.
The upgrade and the previous version licenses are tied together.
If you want to be able to use both,buy the retail version of windows 8
and install that.

Media Center for windows 8 Pro is free for a limited time!!!
Make sure to get your key while it is still available.
Scroll down this page to request a key.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/feature-packs


If you try to do a full install on an empty hard drive
with a windows 8 upgrade disk,it will install,but it
won't activate.
Don't waste your time on it.
You have to have the system key activation files
on the drive when upgrading.
Activation checks for them and kicks out an error
that windows 8 upgrade is not licensed for a full install.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

I made this a sticky. If you don't want that, *leroys1000*, just let me know and I'll unstick. Thank you for the info.


----------



## leroys1000 (Aug 16, 2007)

Yeah,that's a good idea.
I went through several days of install and hardware problems.
Figured this stuff out while I was at it.
Maybe it can save other people some time.


----------

