Windows 8 Upgrade: Watch Your Step

Naturally, the Windows 8 Pro upgrade is for upgrading from an existing version of Windows. There’s even an Upgrade Assistant to verify that you’re ready to go. The upgrade software allows you to do a clean install, but unlike older versions of Windows it does not ask to see an installation disc of a previous version. Not until everything is running will the problem reveal itself: one cannot activate an upgrade from a clean install.

Watch your step!

If something goes wrong during upgrading requiring formatting the drive, or if later one loses a drive, the user may need to re-install their older copy of Windows first. The product key for an upgrade cannot be used to activate a clean install. The installation software never asks to see evidence of previous Windows installation, or warns that the key entered at the beginning cannot be used for a clean install. It’s a bit of a let-down to get through the entire installation only to be met with the message that you can’t continue using your OS unless you purchase another copy.

It appears that a number have discovered this problem (see comments at ghacks.net, “Windows 8 Upgrade: clean install possible?” and answers.microsoft) leaving some to wonder what happened to good user experience? This is Microsoft, remember, user experience isn’t a priority. According to Microsoft, “Why Can’t I Activate Windows,” the procedure is to first re-install an older Windows and then upgrade to Windows 8—or call technical support.

There’s another way to activate: edit the registry. The answer is the same as Windows 7. You can find it near the bottom of the article, at ghacks.net, “Windows 8 Upgrade: clean install possible?”

Why doesn’t the software warn the user about entering an upgrade product key before performing a clean install? Why doesn’t it ask for the product key—before or after installation—of your older version of Windows? Of course, that would require Microsoft to consider the user experience.

Personal experience: The Windows 8 Preview installed and ran flawlessly for months, but the Windows 8 Pro upgrade lost itself on the first reboot, and I’ve encountered the same glitches after two installations (concerning stuck themes.) It seems ironic I had OS X up and running on a test machine (my “Hackintosh Test“) in less time with fewer problems.

Note, I’m a Windows .NET developer and formerly a Windows NT/2000 technical support consultant. For the last three years I’ve been using a Mac, but naturally I’m more familiar with the guts of Windows.