I just got a new Acer laptop and it came with Windows 8.1 preinstalled. I want to reinstall Windows 8.1 so I can get rid of all of the Acer crap that came with it. I was just wondering how I could get a working 8.1 flash drive installation medium and if the product key that came with the laptop will work if I do a fresh install.
Just go to 'update and recovery' in windows (charmbar - search) - fresh install. Does the reinstall all for you. You can of course grab an applicable iso and use your key - then create bootable usb setup - just google it as i cbf'd.
If you just want to remove Acer bloatware - Decrapifier works just fine.
i could be wrong but i think that uses the image that it came with (nothing would get removed)
If it does, use decrapifier then maybe even CCleaner on the registry. Takes all of a few minutes.
I would rather have a completely fresh install. I think it has the retail version of Windows 8.1 on it so the key should work right?
Use a free program like http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html that will tell you what version of windows you have installed, and what your product key is.....
Then just download a Iso of that version, mount it on a USB using http://rufus.akeo.ie/ and fresh install from that USB using your own key.
I used Belarc to find my product key but when I put it into the program on this link: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media
it says "This product key cannot be used to install a retail version of Windows 8.1"
I've had problems with programs like Belarc not showing the correct product key so I'm going to check the papers that came with it so see if they're the same.
I would be inclined to think its more of a case that you don't have a retail version of windows, but a OEM installed on your system.
According to this: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/how-to-tell-if-windows-is-retail-or-oem/ea57d733-716d-4c9e-ba86-233be13545de
I do not have an OEM install.
Although my product ID is in xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx form and has OEM for the last 3 characters instead of xxxxx-xxx-xxxxxxx-xxxxx
With the retail version you always get a DVD.
I'll check the papers that came with it. I actually haven't look at them yet lol
Ok it did not come with a Windows CD.
I have been dealing with this problem for a couple of months on different windows 8 laptop computers. When I install a clean copy of windows 8 mainly Acers and a few others i have noticed that they refuse to accept the product key code that I retrieve from the laptops bios. Turns out what Acer and a few other OEM companys do is install windows with a OEM edition of windows 8 that isn't released to the public. There for forcing the customer after performing a clean instal either to pay them $35-$50 or pay Microsoft around $139 for a new product key code because the MSDN windows 8 iso will not work