How do I reinstall Windows 8 on my laptop? Reinstalling or replacing Windows 8: step-by-step instructions

The software from Microsoft Corporation is most widely distributed in our country. So it's hard to find someone who has not heard about Microsoft and the Windows operating system. Many people know that Microsoft recently officially stopped operating system support (OS) for Windows XP, so now for PC users there are two main versions of a high-quality OS from Microsoft: Windows 7 and Windows 8 (8.1) . There is also Vista OS, but it is considered less successful, although with accurate work it copes well with the tasks set.

What is the article about?

This article is intended to help users figure out how to reinstall Windows 8 on a laptop, since this version of the OS is the latest development from Microsoft and many people want to test it.To start, we will briefly familiarize ourselves with both versions of Windows and the variants Installation of systems on a laptop.These systems work well both on desktop PCs and laptops, but it's about the intricacies of reinstalling on laptops, as they are gaining popularity and distribution. qb Windows 8 reasons you do not like, and you want to replace it, the article also describes how to reset the "windose 8" to "windose 7" on a laptop.

About Windows 7

Windows 7 was released in 2009 and at the moment is the most used system. According to the research, 55% of all operating systems installed on PCs and laptops is the seventh "Windos". Each new version of the operating system from "Microsoft" is distinguished by small innovations and improvements, but in general the design of the interface remains recognizable. Compared with Visto, compatibility issues and application support were fixed. It should be noted that this version of the OS has six editions for different specific applications:

1. Starter or Starter, which is usually pre-installed on netbooks.
2. Home Basic or Home Basic.
3. Home Premium or Home Premium.
4. Professional or Professional.
5. Corporate or Enterprise, which is purchased by large corporate clients.
6. Maximum or Ultimate.

All editions, except for Starter, are developed in 32-bit and 64-bit versions. For the 32-bit version, the RAM limit is limited to 4 Gigabytes, and 64-bit versions support up to 192 GB of RAM. This system is equally suitable for all computers and laptops.

About Windows 8

"Windows 8" and its update "Windows 8.1" - a relatively young version of the operating system from Microsoft. It was released in 2012 and by distribution is about 12% of all used OS. The main innovation of the system is the Metro interface: it appears right after the system starts and looks like a set of various tiles with applications, folders or files. Metro can act as a desktop, but there is also an icon that leads to the classic desktop. This OS is designed for touch control, so it's better to put Windows 8 on a laptop or computer with a touch screen, but it does not exclude the usual use of the OS.

Among the new products also attract attention:

• The Microsoft account and the ability to synchronize settings.
• Store Store Windows Store.
• The ability to roll back the system: restore and reset.
• Many other updates and new features.

The "Windows 8" also has editorial offices, there are four of them:

• Windows 8 (Core).
• Professional or Windows 8 Pro.
• Enterprise or Windows 8 Enterprise.
• Windows 8 RT.

Windows 8 ran into criticism of the new management method, but many quickly got used to the changed interface. It is very convenient due to the expanded range of possibilities, but not everyone can easily be retrained. Therefore, the system has both fans and opponents. But it is necessary to form an opinion on it personally. Therefore, it's time to figure out how to reinstall Windows 8 on a laptop.

How to put "Windows 8" on a clean computer?

The easiest way to install the system is to put it on a computer with a clean memory. In this case, you just need to purchase a license disk with a key. And if the laptop does not have a floppy drive, you will need to create an additional boot floppy with the system image. There are many programs for this, for example, WinSetupFromUSB and others. When you have a media with the system on your hands, you need to attach it to your laptop and start your car. Downloading "Windows 8" on the laptop will start automatically. During the installation process, you will need to select the required settings, enter the license key and specify the partition of the drive on which the system will be loaded. The hard disk during the installation will need to be formatted and divided into several sections - the future Drive C and Disk D. For drive C, it is enough to allocate 80 GB and OS to place there. The remaining amount of memory you can optionally leave as one section or split into several. This can be useful if you want to put another system on the same laptop. After selecting a disc, the system is immediately installed. Immediately after that, the computer suggests personalizing, logging into the Microsoft account, if any, or creating and configuring it. When you see the start screen for Metro, everything is ready - Windows 8 is installed. If you do not know how to create a bootable flash drive, below will provide general information on this issue.

How can I replace another system with Windows 8?

Let's figure out how to reinstall Windows 8 on a laptop, if there is another system. First you need to go to the official Microsoft website and register or - to your account. There you should check if the current system is up to Windows 8 on the laptop of your model. Then you can buy it directly on the site and run the downloaded file. If such an update is not available, then you will have to use a different method. Before performing all operations, it is important to keep all the necessary data, as there is a possibility that the hard disk will have to be completely cleaned. When you transfer all the necessary information to an external storage device (for example, an external hard drive or flash drive), you can turn off the laptop and connect the media with the system to it. Reinstalling Windows 8 on a laptop will not be more difficult than a clean installation. During the download process, after choosing the language and indicating your country of residence, you will again find yourself in the hard disk partition setup window (hereinafter also hard). If you do not need the old system, you can safely select drive C and format it, and then load the new system there. If you want to keep your old system, you will have to work with the remaining place on the hard. All information not related to the system is usually found on drive D, and it takes up all the hard disk memory, except for the partition with the system.

What to do with partitions on the hard disk?

To install the second system, you need to format drive D. To do this, all the necessary data was saved. And also split it into another 80 GB disk for the system and the remaining space for an empty disk. We select the disk allocated for the system, and the reinstallation of "Windows 8" continues. The following actions will be similar to the usual installation of "Winds" and will not take much time. If you put "Windows 8" as the second system, then when you start the laptop will be allocated a small amount of time to use the arrows to select the desired system, otherwise the version that will be first in the list will load.

How can I reinstall Windows 8 on a laptop if the system was preinstalled?

It happens that you bought a laptop with a preinstalled Windows 8 system, but for some reason deleted it, or it was damaged, or the hard drive itself suffered. In any case, if the restoration of the system is no longer possible, and buy a new license, when the old one is paid, do not want to, there is a way out. The specificity is that new laptops are now being sold without a license key from the system, before it was glued to the back of the computer, now there is only a sticker with the name Windows 8. The key is sewn into the BIOS and activates the system automatically. Put any downloaded image of "Windows 8" from the Internet - not an option. The system is not activated. To solve this problem, you need to know exactly which version of "Windows" was preinstalled. Most often it's Windows 8 Core Single Language. There is also Core Country Specific, but we have it less common.

How to reinstall Windows 8 on a laptop, if you do not know exactly which system was originally installed? Download both original images, create a bootable flash drive with them and in turn try to install on your laptop. The "correct" version will interact with the key, it will be installed and activated. After all the settings and startup the system will offer you to download the free upgrade to Windows 8.1 in the "Store". If you want to immediately put on the laptop "Winds 8.1", then the following information is for you.

How do I reinstall Windows 8 so I do not have to download an update to 8.1?

The apparent complexity of this task is that the key voluntarily activates only the preinstalled version. If you put any other version of "Windows 8" or 8.1 on the laptop - the key will not work. Finding and installing the first version, and then updating it to version 8.1, take a long time. Then how do I reinstall Windows 8 on my laptop and save time? You need to find version 8.1, but the same edition as your preinstalled system. Again, we probably have Windows 8.1 Single Language. When this version is installed, the key does not automatically connect, so you will have to enter it yourself.

Where to get the key for installation and activation?

You do not need to know the license key at once. You can find the installation key on the Internet, which will skip the boot of the system further, but the system does not activate. Then it will be possible to get the key from the BIOS, for example, using the utility PKeyUI. To do this, you need to download, install and run it by ticking the MSDM field. If after the launch of the utility this field does not appear, then the key in the firmware is either missing or unreadable. Then you will have to turn to a professional. When the key appears in the box below, you must copy or overwrite it, and then go to the system settings in the control panel and enter the key instead of the one used for the installation. If the system is activated, then reinstalling Windows 8 was successful.

How to create a bootable flash drive?

There are many programs designed to record the images of operating systems on external media. Most often for such purposes use flash drives and disks. It can also be an external hard drive, but it is mainly used by professionals, since not one or two systems are loaded onto such a large medium, but also other useful programs.

So, to create a flash drive with an operating system, you will need:

• Download and install one of the programs that burn the OS image onto the media.
• A clean, formatted USB flash drive.
• Required system image with .iso extension.

Usually, all the parameters of the recording are set by default, and you only need to specify the flash drive and the location of the image in the corresponding fields. If this will cause problems, usually on the site from which you download the program, there is a short guide.

Replacement of "Windows 8" with "Windows 7" on a laptop

If the system "Windows 8" you still did not like, or use of "Windows 7" was just more convenient, you can replace Windows 8 with Windows 7. If you installed the system yourself, then it will be easy to replace it. It is enough to repeat the same actions as when installing "Windows 8": buy a license disk or create a bootable flash drive with the "Windows 7" system, save all the necessary data to a separate medium and start the download. In this case, the reinstallation of "Windows 8" on the laptop will pass without problems. If the system was preinstalled, then before Windows 7 starts it will be necessary to separately delete the Windows 8 system. Otherwise, during the replacement process, an error and a failure may occur.

A few words at a time

Regardless of which system you choose to use constantly, it makes sense to get acquainted with both the seventh and the eighth "Winds". Especially since now you know how to reinstall Windows 8 on a laptop in various situations, and are warned about possible difficulties. The better you learn your computer, the easier and more pleasant it will be to work with it. And, of course, do not forget about the pleasure of successfully executed work and pride in having coped on your own.