Microsoft does not want you to upgrade to Windows 8

[dZeus]

My aim was to buy the Windows 8 Pro upgrade for my trusty old IBM Thinkpad T43 w/XP Pro COA that runs a legit copy of MS Vista Ultimate and do a clean install of Windows 8 onto an to-be-purchased 128GB Crucial M4 Sata SSD.

The journey was long and difficult up to now, and I'm not yet at the end of it. My preliminary conclusion is that Microsoft really doesn't want you to buy and install the Win8 upgrade...

1st problem:
When you launch the Win8 upgrade assistant, it won't allow you to buy Windows 8 with less than 4GB of free space on drive C. Never mind the loads of free space on Drive D where I would like to download the files to...

Solution: install the original XP onto a spare HDD and run Win8 upgrade assistant from there

2nd problem:
My post code doesn't get accepted. I'm suspecting that country location is based on IP geolocation, as you cannot indicate the country for the billing address anywhere. Since I've recently moved countries, the billing address doesn't match the current country I reside in.

Solution: I changed the post code to a French one, and hoped that it wasn't going to be used in the credit card verification process.... and... success!

3rd problem:
Running upgrade assistant in Windows XP doesn't allow you to create an ISO install media... AARGG??!

And as a solution? I'm getting desperate now...
- Does the MSDN downloaded 'en_windows_8_x86_dvd_915417' accept the key bought through upgrade assistant?
edit: hmm I found some 'workaround' to change a cleanly install windows 8 into accepting upgrade keys, without using external software
- option 2: copy the \ESD directory to a more recent OS and hope that the upgrade assistant will 'detect' it upon installation and allow to create a .iso, or create an ISO directly from the stuff in the \ESD\Windows directory.

any advice? (yes I know what I'm getting into with Windows 8 UI, no need to warn me; that's where Classic Shell comes in)

[Umfriend]

I can offer no advice. I do hope one will tell me how to get the W7 UI in W8 when I'll have no choice but go W8. Good luck and sry 4 r loss.

[Byock]

Wow, that's quite the ordeal. If you just need the installation media, I have access to a technet ISO you could download and try the key on.


Other than that, not sure...

[Jammrock]

My aim was to buy the Windows 8 Pro upgrade for my trusty old IBM Thinkpad T43 w/XP Pro COA that runs a legit copy of MS Vista Ultimate and do a clean install of Windows 8 onto an to-be-purchased 128GB Crucial M4 Sata SSD.

The journey was long and difficult up to now, and I'm not yet at the end of it. My preliminary conclusion is that Microsoft really doesn't want you to buy and install the Win8 upgrade...

1st problem:
When you launch the Win8 upgrade assistant, it won't allow you to buy Windows 8 with less than 4GB of free space on drive C. Never mind the loads of free space on Drive D where I would like to download the files to...

Solution: install the original XP onto a spare HDD and run Win8 upgrade assistant from there

2nd problem:
My post code doesn't get accepted. I'm suspecting that country location is based on IP geolocation, as you cannot indicate the country for the billing address anywhere. Since I've recently moved countries, the billing address doesn't match the current country I reside in.

Solution: I changed the post code to a French one, and hoped that it wasn't going to be used in the credit card verification process.... and... success!

3rd problem:
Running upgrade assistant in Windows XP doesn't allow you to create an ISO install media... AARGG??!

And as a solution? I'm getting desperate now...
- Does the MSDN downloaded 'en_windows_8_x86_dvd_915417' accept the key bought through upgrade assistant?
edit: hmm I found some 'workaround' to change a cleanly install windows 8 into accepting upgrade keys, without using external software
- option 2: copy the \ESD directory to a more recent OS and hope that the upgrade assistant will 'detect' it upon installation and allow to create a .iso, or create an ISO directly from the stuff in the \ESD\Windows directory.

any advice? (yes I know what I'm getting into with Windows 8 UI, no need to warn me; that's where Classic Shell comes in)

1st Problem:

A lot of disk space errors can be worked around by moving the temp folders (through environmental variables) to a disk with more free space. Microsoft written downloaders and installers like to look for free space on the disk where the temp/tmp folders are and determine if you have enough free space using that.

Open System properties, Advanced tab, Environmental Variables.... Change the TMP and TEMP under user variables and under System variables. Reboot and see if that works.


2nd Problem:

Can't help you there. Outside of my geeky purview.

3rd Problem:

Download the ISO and grab the "Windows 7 USB/DVD download tool".

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

http://images2.store.microsoft.com/prod/clustera/framework/w7udt/1.0/en-us/Windows7-USB-DVD-tool.exe

This will allow you to burn a DVD or make a bootable USB drive that you can install Windows 8 from. It says Win7, but it works for Win8 as well. I've used it several times. Installing over USB is WAY faster, but it formats your USB drive so don't leave any data on it.

There are instructions for XP in the first link. Just need to install a couple of things, if not on there already. Should work on Vista without additional installs.


I looked up that ISO in MSDN and it appears to be the Retail bits so your purchased product key should work.


@Umfriend: There are about a dozen Win7 shells for Win8. Some are free, others cost a little money (usually less than $10 USD).

dZeus mentioned Classic Shell, which is one of the more popular ones.

http://www.classicshell.net/

Other popular ones:

http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/

https://www.pokki.com/windows-8-start-menu

[dZeus]

thanks for the information!

I'll use the 'changing temp directory' trick to keep my Vista install in workable order until I get the Crucial M4 128GB that I plan to install Win8 on.

As for the ISO/install image stuff, I guess using the MSDN iso on a DVDRW is the easiest approach as it's ready to use. I'll look into booting from USB in future, as it sounds interesting but I am not convinced my old Thinkpad T43 can use it properly (although there's an option for it in the BIOS).

[Jammrock]

You're welcome.

The USB boot option has always worked well for me. USB 2.0 installs of Win8 take about 30 minutes. USB 3.0 installs of Win8 to an SSD take about 10-15 minutes.