# [SOLVED] Accidentally Installed Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation...



## niko381 (Jan 31, 2007)

Hey everyone, I made a dumb mistake and I really need some help fixing it, if at all possible.

I'm helping a friend with her computer, which came installed with Windows 8 Pro, but it's hard drive went bad. I got her a new hard drive, but when I installed it and grabbed a Windows 8 disk, I accidentally installed the Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation instead...

Now I know in Windows 8, the product key is now stored in the BIOS. Does this mean that her old product key was overwritten with the enterprise evaluation one now? I tried formatting the hard drive and using a Windows 8 Pro disk to reinstall, but when it was installed, at the bottom right of the desktop view it once more said that there were 90 days left on the enterprise evaluation version activation. Is there any possible way to go back to Windows 8 Pro, and have that original product key be detected?

Thank you in advance!


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## Macboatmaster (Dec 17, 2014)

*Re: Accidentally Installed Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation...*

1. The installation of the evaluation edition will not have overwritten the licence key embedded in the firmware - UEFI. It cannot do so - that key which is not the product key as we have always known it - is installed in the firmware by the OEM manufacturer

2. My opinion is that you should make the new hard drive 0ne partition of unallocated space - *using the installation disc* - the install of 8 will then itself partition the drive to create the EFI partition - FAT (not NTFS) from which the windows boots - and hands control to the Boot Manager to complete the process - the MSR partition - the main C partition and the recovery partition - not the OEM install recovery partition but the one from which the advanced boot options etc are accessed

3. I suspect but I have to admit that I am not 100% certain that the problem has been caused by the drive still having partitions on it when the install of the 8 pro was made


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## niko381 (Jan 31, 2007)

*Re: Accidentally Installed Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation...*

Thank you so much for the quick reply, just the fact that the license key could not have been overwritten really set me at ease. I'm still getting used to how exactly Windows 8 works with these sorts of things, but at least now I know.

And you'd be correct, the drive still had the other partitions on it... I'll go ahead and revert the entire hard drive to one big partition of unallocated space, install from there, and I'll post back with the results.


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## Macboatmaster (Dec 17, 2014)

*Re: Accidentally Installed Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation...*

Will wait to hear from you, but I am signing off now and will not be back until 1700 UK time


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## niko381 (Jan 31, 2007)

Hey, I finally just tried it and unfortunately I'm still stuck with the Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation, and I'm not sure why. Maybe you have another idea I could try?


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## Macboatmaster (Dec 17, 2014)

*Re: Accidentally Installed Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation...*

Well I have never heard of this - that said perhaps I am wrong and it is peculiar to the enterprise evaluation edition.

What does System report as the OS that is installed - see screenshot

Is the Windows 8 disk the same version as was installed eg. Windows 8 pro and the same bit

Have both installs been made UEFI - by that I mean not in Legacy Mode

When you say you are stuck with the Enterpise Evaluation - I still am at a loss to see how a clean install of an OS - can apparently install and irrespective of it recognising the key embedded in the firmware - can leave an activation notification for a previous system.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

*Re: Accidentally Installed Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation...*

It should be a clean install of the copy of win 8 there should be no issue doing that.

Q: What happens after the evaluation period expires?

A: If you wish to continue to use Windows 8.1 Enterprise after the evaluation period, you will be required to purchase and perform a clean installation of Windows 8.1, including drivers and applications. Please keep this in mind as Windows 8.1 Enterprise is not available through retail channels until October 26, 2012.

As per here Windows 8.1 Enterprise Evaluation FAQ


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## niko381 (Jan 31, 2007)

The good news is, I figured it out!

Unfortunately I'm still at a loss as to why it wasn't working before... But after attempting to use the tool from Microsoft to create bootable media, I realized I couldn't with the OEM key I pulled from the hard drive. I then found another set of instructions online, about creating an ie.cfg file and adding it to the Windows 8 iso, to make it not ask for a key during installation, and tried that. After it installed, I clicked to activate with a different product key, typed in the key I had pulled from it earlier, and it worked!

Here are the directions I followed: 
http://www.techmesto.com/install-windows-8-1-without-product-key/


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## Macboatmaster (Dec 17, 2014)

*Re: Accidentally Installed Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation...*

If the install was of the *same *Windows 8 or 8.1 as was originally on the laptop the key would NOT have been required. As indeed it would NOT had you have installed 8.1 of the same version as the 8 that was on it from here
Creating installation media for Windows 8.1 - Windows Help



As the link you have provided says


> This is because Windows setup finds out *which version to install* from the Product Key


that was the reason I asked if the version was the same


> Is the Windows 8 disk the same version as was installed eg. Windows 8 pro and the same bit


However pleased that you got it sorted out - or appear to have done so.


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## Macboatmaster (Dec 17, 2014)

*Re: Accidentally Installed Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation...*

Mainly for information
This is my understanding of the situation regarding the key embedded in the firmware


Microsoft issue to the OEM lets say Dell a block of licence keys for Windows 8
Dell install windows 8 on a quantity of hard discs for a given model of a computer
They then when the hard disk is installed in the computer - authorise the licence with a product key - dedicated to that computer - that is the key embedded into the firmware.


That key is NOT the key that any of the commonly advertised key finder programs will find.
Those products to the best of my knowledge will only find the key from the registry.

*That key is the one that was created when the OS was installed - BUT it is NOT the key that will recognise an installation of Windows 8 as being the one to which the firmware key is tied.*


If you upgrade Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 on the Microsoft update then a separate key is installed in that process in registry and if that is the case - then the software will find that key.


If of course your computer came with Windows 8 pre-installed and with a recovery partition, then as we all know the recovery is going back to 8 - not 8.1


ANY Windows 8 installation disc of exactly the same version as was installed originally by the OEM will USUALLY install and activate automatically when it detects the key in the firmware


The process is known as OEM activation procedure 3.0 or OA3 for short 


*OEM Activation 3.0* (OA3) takes place at the factory. A digital product key (DPK) is installed on the motherboard firmware during the manufacturing process. Windows 8 will activate automatically the first time the computer is connected to the Internet. With OA3-activated systems, most of the computer's hardware can be replaced without needing to reactivate the software through Microsoft.


It is tied closely to the UEFI and GPT system


manufacturers will be required to write a unique Windows product key -- which is associated with the hardware hash -- into the system's firmware and they digitally order a block of keys from Microsoft
"The new program enables OEMs to digitally order and receive product keys from, and report computer information to, Microsoft as well as enable activation of software on specific hardware.


When the production run is ended for a given specification, they digitally return the unused keys from the block and are credited by Microsoft.


However as I have mentioned - to complicate the issue further the UNIQUE key that is generated by the install and written to the firmware chip is NOT the key that any of the usual key finder products will find - AS FAR AS I AM AWARE.


There is existing a Microsoft tool for finding that key, but it is NOT of any benefit to the home user - as I have stated before the key is NOT required EXCEPT with a change of motherboard or possibly processor and then the key will not work anyway - as a new installation on such changed hardware is not within the terms of the licence.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

*Re: Accidentally Installed Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation...*

This may interest you How to find your Windows 8/8.1 OEM product key. - Sysnative Forums


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## JJFROA (May 20, 2008)

*Re: Accidentally Installed Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation...*

I believe that you can call Microsoft support and they can generate a new product key. Possible you old one.


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