Vivobook x202e Fresh install Win 8

Hello,
I recently purchased a new Vivobook x202e. Overall I am happy with the notebook as it suites my needs. I do want to install a clean install of Windows 8, but the laptop came with no media and I haven't found a way to create a disk or anything like that from the preinstalled applications. My gameplan is to install a SSD and then do a fresh OS install. Is there a guide for this?

 

Yes, as well as several forum posts - you're not alone.

But you will probably need to purchase a retail disc of Windows 8 from Microsoft in order to do a fresh install - that or clone the drive (but disk imaging has it's drawbacks. Just make sure the drives are aligned).

Once you install the OS, you can transfer/copy your user and program data (but not the programs themselves) over to the new drive; either using external back up media - like a USB flash drive or external HDD - or connect the drive you're replacing to a USB port using an adapter after you've installed the SSD.

Guides: Clean Install - Windows 8

Or for UEFI BIOS: UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 8 with

 

that's not what I was hoping to hear.... In the past every other laptop I've purchased has had a way to do a fresh OS install either by the disc provided or by download.

 

You can probably create recovery discs, but that is not the same as a fresh install. You can download the .iso needed to make a legitimate copy of Windows as well to perform a fresh install, but you must pay Microsoft to download it; then you burn it to a disc, and there you have a legit copy of Windows.

If you want to bypass that, then you can image the drive. There is free imaging/cloning software out there, or you can purchase one if you like. Imaging/cloning is essentially just making a duplicate of everything, like taking a snapshot of the hard drive's contents and then pasting that snapshot on the new drive.

 

Ill have to see if I can pull the product code from windows and then download an iso

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

 

Maybe you'll get some use out of one of these, then: 10 best free product key finders | News | TechRadar

It's not difficult to find the key; all these programs do is scan the registry where the license is stored.

 

I have the product key, but I went on the microsoft site to download an .iso and it's telling me that my product key doesn't check out. I'm wondering if they check to see if it's an OEM one or not.

 

Just an update. I ordered a Crucial M4 128Gb SSD and a copy of Win 8 Pro upgrade. I'll install the new drive and do a clean install when it arrives. I think it's crazy how PC manufactures don't include media and Microsoft won't allow you to download if you have a legit OEM key. Guess i'll chalk it up as a lesson learned. This is the first laptop I've purchased in several years... I enjoy having it but for my main rigs I'll always build myself to avoid issues like this.

 

Granted, most manufacturers just provide a serial and no installation media. It's the same for most of our units, albeit the ProStar/Clevo ones - but then they supply the disc in lieu of a recovery partition/software. Did you try calling Microsoft about the OEM key? In the XP days, they would check it out for you if it couldn't be activated, and if it was legit, they would issue a product code in order to get it activated. Not sure if that's as feasible with 8.

 

I called Microsoft tech support rep told me that if I didn't have a sticker with a product key I would have to buy a new license.... He thought Win 8 still required this. I hung up on him as he clearly had no clue.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

 

If you or a buddy has a technet subscription get a copy of the ISO and then you can do a clean install. it must be x64 to suport uefi. If you follow the steps for a usb setup it pulls the key from your bios and just like magic your good to go, it doesn't even ask for the key

 

I actually just did that. My brother in law had an .iso copy that he sent me and I booted from a flash drive. Now, I have a copay of Win 8 Pro and I need to decide what to do with it...

So far so good. I installed a 128GB Samsung 840 Pro today and I was doing other things, but windows 8 installed in like 10 minutes or less. I'm just configuring and installing drivers now.

 

Wait did you not copy the esupport folder from the old c: drive it has all the drivers and installs in the right order with restarts as needed. about 12 times

 

I didn't copy anything from the old drive over. No extra partitions or bloatware. I just have a straight fresh install of Win 8. This little machine is much faster now!

 

No bloat in it Just Drivers

 

the key is built into the bios you do not need a key, just use any windows 8 install media.

I used a MSDNAA windows 8 pro.

It installed windows 8 non pro with the key pre installed.

 

hello, I know this thread is kind of old by now but, i was wondering, if i have a copy of win8 .iso. Can i just go ahead and boot into it and do the fresh install and it won't ask me for a cd key since it is in the BIOS?

 

That is correct. Boot from an external DVD drive or bootable USB and it will install everything for you.

 

super awesome, soloz! you are a life saver. One more question, if i go that route, does that mean i can do it as a fresh install without bloatware and everything and just install the necessary drivers and im good to go? I'm sorry if its a silly question :S

 

That is correct. I always make a backup and then a fresh install when getting a new laptop. Desktops I build myself so they all have clean installs. For my vivobook I pulled the HDD to install my SSD and if I want to sell ever I'll just pop it back in and it will have the stock install ready to sell.

 

You might want to back up the drivers beforehand, witinjou, if you don't have a drivers disc from Asus. It definitely helps to streamline things, as opposed to hunting them down one by one on Asus' site.

 

hi guys! thank you so much. I was really afraid that such an old thread might have been forgotten and no one would reply, but i was wrong, you guys are so prompt in replying.

so a quick update. i reformatted the x202e because out of the box (almost six months now of usage) using everything default, i started to get really weird weird errors, lots of blue screens, not the blue screen of death but errors like encountering an error and needs to be restarted for whatever reason and it would take forever to restart...

@prostar computer, a little too late for the drivers. lol i went to ASUS support site and got all the downloads from there. but really, they have so many, and sometimes under one category they so many that i dont know which one to install and dont know which one is NEEDED and which one is optional. Tho, one thing i know that a lot of the junk under "Utilities" is...JUNK.

in which order would you suggest installing the drivers? I always thought i could do it in any order...:S

 

Chipset first, always. From there, it's kinda nebulous, but I'd say install your Intel drivers, followed by your video and sound. If you already have internet access, I'm guessing you already have at least the LAN driver, so you can install your WiFi card driver whenever.