Windows 7 Pro to Windows 8 Pro Upgrade questions

I'm copying from a thread at Lenovo forums hoping I'll get an answer somewhere.

I was then referred to RWEverything, which gave me a Product Key for *something*.

And

And that's where I am atm. I've bolded my main questions.

 

Win7 key would be visible with a keyfinder, it should be a generic OEM key that comes in Win7 OEM discs if you got them too. Same key is used in all installs (just google first 5-10 letters and you'll see).

Key that you see with RW Everything is your unique Win8 key embedded in motherboard. When you install Win8, it should automatically detect the key and activate when you have internet connectivity. There is no more Win7 style generic key system.

However I've had trouble clean installing Win8.1 on a Win8 computer, it didn't accept the key not automatically or manually (commandline). Instead I had to first install 8 and then later update to 8.1. Since it wasn't my own computer, I didn't have time to figure out what went wrong.

You could use tools like Imgburn and Rufus on another computer to make .iso image of your Win8 recovery discs and make usb sticks out of them.

 

I don't have the Windows 7 recovery disks, but I plan to make them on USB before I start the upgrade.

So, basically, as the Windows 8 Pro I have is the OEM version (as I understand it) the only option for install is to create iso images and use those?

I am planning on first installing Windows 8 Pro and then use the store for an auto upgrade to 8.1 Pro.

Next question. Can I put all the ISO images (5 of them) on a clean external HDD and use that to boot or do they have to be on five seperate USB sticks.

What I can't understand here anyway is why they're not selling an ultrabook without an optical drive with a usb recovery/upgrade option in the box instead of the disks.

Seems a whole lot of work when I actually ordered a Windows 8 machine. :/

 

I did recently order recovery media for my client's Lenovo tablet and it came as USB drive. That cost around 15 euros but it certainly was the easy way.

Have you looked at what those recovery discs actually are? There could be separate 32bit and 64bit discs, some "additional software" discs and whatever. I'm thinking that you should be able to manage with only one disc to usb conversion (actual OS disc), then apply network drivers (download from Lenovo's website) and run System Update (download also) to install latest versions of the drivers. That would be pretty clean and fast install too.

Then there is always the plan b... external dvd/bluray drive

 

Yup. That's what I ended up doing. Came in handy to create a Windows 7 recovery disk before the upgrade as well.

I ended up needing all five disks that came in the recovery set, took about three hours alltogehter, but the install went flawlessly. Of course, compared to that constant inserting and changing disks, the Windows 8.1 upgrade via Store was a whole new nevel of pleasant experience.

I'm on my second day of 8.1 now, and have to say from all the bad press this OS was getting... I find it very functional and fast for everything I need. Took only a few hours to memorise the keyboard shortcuts and have it play excatly like I want.

 

Have the same experience with Lenovo and I feel exactly the same.

Bought Lenovo S540 last week with Windows 8 Pro downgraded to Win7. It has stick witn Windows 8 PRO also. And I was using Win 8 before and didn't want to come back to past, to Win7...

Inside the box I found a flyer, where was written if I want to get my Recover Media, I have to go: lenovo.com/lenovorecovery and enter my lenovo's S/N. I tried to do it multiple times but got the same error, that my S/N is found but machine is not eligible to get recovery media. So, I contacted Lenovo support with my S/N and issue. After few days, got reply:

So I should sit and wait. No matter that I paid for expensive new computer model with Win 8 PRO... I decided to try to enter my S/N again and I got lucky. It has been working! But seems support still doesn't know about this.

Ordered my DVDs! No information about shipping, dates, costs, nothing.. just filled my address and got THANK YOU... no information about DVD and shipping. No info how they will send me my recovery media.

And I have no idea what I will do with that DVD, as really the most funny thing is that S540 doesn't have any DVD-ROM installed. And it takes weeks to get recovery media, so I installed all software I use, toolbars, ms office, copied my files from old computer. It tooks full day to setup everything and after I get DVD I will have to do Recovery??? Or I had to wait for 2-3 weeks and do not use new computer?

Lenovo you havent thought about CLIENTS this time. Sorry, but it's so simple to give a Download link for recovery media, or something like that.. Lenovo knows configuration about each laptop by S/N and sends you DVD for laptop they have sold without DVDROM.