Upgrading your Windows 8 system to Windows
8.1 is simple enough through the Microsoft
Store, but if you need to reinstall it or run the
update on more than one PC, it can be
inconvenient and time-consuming since
Microsoft doesn't give you the option to save
the update files.
There's a trick, however, that allows you to
download the official Windows 8.1 ISO from
Microsoft's servers with your Windows 8
product key. With the Windows 8.1 ISO, you can
create DVD or USB media to update a Windows
8 PC to Windows 8.1. Unfortunately, as Paul
Thurrott over at WinSupersite mentions, you
can't use the ISO to perform a clean install of
Windows 8.1 with a Windows 8 product key.
The ISO is still worth having, though, just to be
able to bypass the Microsoft Store when
upgrading to Windows 8.1 from Windows 8.
Here's how to download the official Windows
8.1 ISO:
Step 1: Go to Microsoft's page for upgrading to
Windows 8 with a product key , then click on the
light blue "Install Windows 8" button.
Step 2: Launch the setup file (Windows8-
Setup.exe) and enter your Windows 8 product
key when prompted. Continue the setup
process until it begins downloading Windows 8.
Step 3: Close the Windows 8 setup window and
confirm that you want to quit the setup.
Step 4: Back at the Microsoft upgrading to
Windows 8 with a product key page, click on the
light blue "Install Windows 8.1 " button this time.
Step 5: Launch the setup file
(WindowsSetupBox.exe), which will begin
downloading the Windows 8.1 ISO.
Step 6: Once the ISO finishes downloading, the
installer will take several minutes to check the
download and uncompress the install files.
When you're prompted to choose an installation
option, pick "Install by creating media."
Step 7: Decide whether you want the installer to
create USB flash drive media, or save the ISO
file.
If you choose ISO, the ISO file (Windows.iso)
will be saved to your PC and you'll be given the
option to burn it to DVD. Once completed, you
can actually go back and create the USB flash
drive media as well. Just click on the "Install
Windows" link on your Windows desktop. You'll
be prompted to choose your installation option
again. Pick "Install by creating media" again,
insert a 4GB or larger USB flash drive, then
choose the USB flash drive option. If you have
any problems creating the USB flash media, you
can still use the Windows 7 USB/DVD download
tool to create USB media with the Windows 8.1
ISO.
This post was last modified: 18-11-2013, 05:36 PM by hovatek.
