Budget 0-20k Dell AIO Windows installation media/keys available from support?

vishalrao

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Hi,

I'm thinking about buying a Dell AIO (Inspiron 20 series 3000 or Inspiron 23 series 5000) for my parents and immediately replacing the hard disk with an old 128 GB SSD I have (Crucial M225 model).

My question is will I be able to reinstall the Windows 8.1 OS edition that comes with it by obtaining installation media (CD or USB) from Dell at no (or little) cost? I live in Pune.

Will I get the valid license key (unless it's embedded in the device BIOS) for installation along with the media from Dell support?

Thanks!
 
Crap site. " You need to login to view this posts content."

I think that you will run into trouble since windows 8 activation is based on hardware ids along with few other things. So if you change the hdd to ssd it will ask you to buy a new key since windows 8 license if for single use only. It might activate or not. Tell the cc that you upgraded the hdd and they will give you a new activation key.
One other way is to use acronis backup to shift data from old hdd to the ssd. I haven't used it so can't connect if it works. The free version available on Seagate or WD site allows you to do this.
 
Crap site. " You need to login to view this posts content."

I think that you will run into trouble since windows 8 activation is based on hardware ids along with few other things. So if you change the hdd to ssd it will ask you to buy a new key since windows 8 license if for single use only. It might activate or not. Tell the cc that you upgraded the hdd and they will give you a new activation key.
One other way is to use acronis backup to shift data from old hdd to the ssd. I haven't used it so can't connect if it works. The free version available on Seagate or WD site allows you to do this.

Windows 8 activation is hardware based, it is based on the motherboard of the system, the hard drive holds no significance
 
Step-by-step procedures:
  • Run "slmgr.vbs /dlv" on the factory-installed OS & note down the SKU.
  • Spoiler:
    XdWJEfq.png
  • Use this or this or this or this method to extract the OEM:DM key from the MSDM table.
  • You can determine the SKU of Windows from the OEM:DM key too; use this or this or this; note down the "Edition Type" field value.
  • Follow the table:

Latest available edition: Windows 8.1 with Update
(9600.17053.winblue_refresh.141120-0031 / IR5)

SKU = Core (N) Create ISO from ESD manually
or
Use Windows Installation Media Creation Tool
or
Use MSDN copy of Windows 8.1 with Update (multiple editions) ISO
SKU = CoreSingleLanguage (*) Create ISO from ESD manually
or
Use Windows Installation Media Creation Tool
SKU = CoreCountrySpecific Create ISO from ESD manually
or
Use Windows Installation Media Creation Tool
SKU = CoreARM Read this guide carefully
SKU = CoreConnected Use leaked OEM ISO
SKU = CoreConnectedSingleLanguage Use Windows 8.1 Update 1 with Bing SL IMG
SKU = CoreConnectedCountrySpecific No solution at this moment
SKU = Professional (N) Create ISO from ESD manually
or
Use Windows Installation Media Creation Tool
or
Use MSDN copy of Windows 8.1 with Update (multiple editions) ISO
SKU = ProfessionalStudent Install CoreConnectedSingleLanguage & upgrade using the generic key.

(*)
FaiKee has made an excellent guide to change the language of CoreSingleLanguage after installing.

Notes
  • If you use MSDN ISO or ISO created from ESD for 8.x, Windows installer should automatically detect the OEM:DM key, installs appropriate edition & activates automatically if internet connection is available.
  • If Windows installer can't detect the OEM:DM key, it means you are using older 8.1 ISO on a PC that comes with 8. So you need to use the generic keys to install appropriate edition & after completion install your OEM:DM key. The Windows activates automatically if internet connection is available.
  • Alternately you can use this so there is no need to use generic keys at time of installing.
  • You can also activate by phone.
  • You need to make sure there is no (valid) ei.cfg under sources folder. Otherwise the edition selection window would be displayed.
  • If you have ei.cfg in sources folder & choose different edition than the pre-installed one for installing, you can continue the installation. But you can't activate it using your OEM:DM key.
  • You can use the VL edition of Pro but using retail MSDN edition is recommended.

After a fresh install, using a solution like this to make recovery partition/media is always recommended.

Credits
MDL Forums, specially 5856898, Arekusei, Shenj, KNARZ, BTOR, ambidav, iSkyfree, Humphrey, ms-7, searchengine, abbodi1406, moderate,The_Guardian
 
Windows 8 activation is hardware based, it is based on the motherboard of the system, the hard drive holds no significance

Your post info is directly opposite of what the software manufacturer is saying. It's a well known fact that windows 8 uses all the installed hardware in the PC to make an activation token. If you replace the system it won't activate again. After upgrading my system, the key won't activate again. Even the cc does not help. 8k down the drain.

Hardware changes

If you made substantial hardware changes to your PC, such as replacing your hard drive or motherboard, you'll need to activate Windows by phone. To learn how, go to the product activation article.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-IN/windows-8/why-activate-windows#section_6
 
Yeah, I've read about doing similar tricks to reinstall the OS, but I was hoping for a more straightforward approach, like getting media from Dell itself such that it would reinstall and activate based on the embedded product key in the BIOS.

Still looking for similar experiences if anyone can post , positive or negative :)
 
There will be a sticker on the back of the AIO which will have the key for your OEM copy of Windows. That should help you if you re install the same version. As for the OS no discs are provided these days. There is a recovery partition on the HDD or you can install same version/edition from the net and use the key to register it as OEM.
Worked for my Dell Laptop
You can also download iso images from the net for specific h/w mfg. and use the key which comes with your device to register it.
 
Why bother doing all that? Just migrate the hard disk drive to ssd by connecting a cheap usb to sata converter off ebay. Samsung provides the software when you buy their ssd (crucial doesn't offer any such software and I never had such requirement except on one Lappy on which I had installed a samsung ssd), else you can get other softwares like acronis true image.
 
No simple way to activate a new installation when you upgrade the HDD in a laptop? That just sounds like a stupid move from MS. Things were much simple when the Windows sticker had the key..
 
Hi,

I'm thinking about buying a Dell AIO (Inspiron 20 series 3000 or Inspiron 23 series 5000) for my parents and immediately replacing the hard disk with an old 128 GB SSD I have (Crucial M225 model).

My question is will I be able to reinstall the Windows 8.1 OS edition that comes with it by obtaining installation media (CD or USB) from Dell at no (or little) cost? I live in Pune.

Will I get the valid license key (unless it's embedded in the device BIOS) for installation along with the media from Dell support?

Thanks!
I have used lenovo OEM keys to activate my windows 7 and windows 8/8.1 on my assembled PC , things i did was get MSDN iso from microsoft or you can get them on torrents as well . Just used the key and it was activated , you can make it simpler by using microsoft toolkit and backing up the activation later restoring. Its realted to the hardware you activate the key on , a change in mobo will need a key/activation .So you can use your existing windows 8.1 OS edition key and AFAIK they dont give key along with the media . And as for the activation with hardware change, a hard disk change never gave me any activation problem .It is only when I gave my motherboard for RMA and got a new one in return I saw my activation was not working so I needed a new OEM key to get it activated on windows 7 , so by my experience HDD -> SSD worked with same key , mobo changed required a new key.
 
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