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Create Installation Media for Windows 8.1

Discussion in 'News & Current Events' started by allheart55 (Cindy E), Nov 10, 2014.

  1. allheart55 (Cindy E)

    allheart55 (Cindy E) Administrator Administrator

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    recover-hero.jpg


    For any number of reasons, you may need to create Windows 8.1 installation media. And now, thanks to a new online tool from Microsoft, you can. The Windows Installation Media Creation Tool lets you choose the language, product edition, and architecture, and then can save the resulting install media to a USB flash drive or to an ISO file, which you can later burn to disc if needed.

    I'm not sure when this tool became available, but I know it wasn't around when Windows 8.1 launched. And it won't help you overcome some of the lingering issues with this release (like the inability to use a valid Windows 8.0 product key to install Windows 8.1 directly). But still it's very much appreciated.

    To get started, head on over to the Windows web site. Then, click Create Media to launch the Windows Installation Media Creation Tool.

    a9931e37f5e8041ad39efe328f0d1611.jpg

    In the first screen of this very simple wizard, you need to choose the following:
    Language. English – en-us if you're in the United States.

    Edition. Windows 8.1 (Core), Windows 8.1 N, Windows 8.1 Pro, Windows 8.1 Pro N, or Windows 8.1 Single Language.

    Architecture. 64-bit (x64 ) or 32-bit (x86).

    Then, click Next.

    cf7f40559b5f94f615cc17c6ef8e12fd.jpg

    Here, you can choose between a USB flash drive or an ISO file. If you're doing this kind of thing a lot, my recommendation is download at least a few versions of this to ISOs and store them on a file share or USB drive somewhere so you can use them offline. But pick one or the other and click Next to create the install media.

    A couple of notes.

    You can't use this tool to create Windows RT install media, sorry.

    If you received Windows 8.1 (or an older Windows version, too) with your PC, it probably came with a recovery partition or at least some tools for creating recovery media. You should always make that recovery media, even if you never intend to use it. You never know.

    You should follow my instructions for creating Windows 8 recovery media too. It's the same in Windows 8.1, and you never know when you might need this. Check out Hands-On with Windows 8.1: System Recovery for more info. Oh, and this work for RT too.

    And if you have a Microsoft Surface, Microsoft makes Surface-specific recovery images available for download from the Surface support site.

    http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/create-installation-media-windows-81
     
    allheart55 (Cindy E), Nov 10, 2014
    #1
  3. Plastic Nev

    Plastic Nev SUPER MODERATOR IN MEMORY

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    Very nice, I wonder if they will make this available for both W7 and when released W10?

    Having said that, I have already downloaded full copies of both W7 pro and also the W7 home premium from Digital River, just to have a safety net. (Must get them burned to disk soon)

    Nev.
     
    Plastic Nev, Nov 11, 2014
    #2
    allheart55 (Cindy E) likes this.
  4. allheart55 (Cindy E)

    allheart55 (Cindy E) Administrator Administrator

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2009
    Messages:
    10,620
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Operating System:
    Windows 10
    Computer Brand or Motherboard:
    ASUS M4A77TD AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD
    CPU:
    AMD Phenom II X6 1090T-Thuban 3.2GHz
    Memory:
    Crucial-DDR3 SDRAM 1333-8GB
    Hard Drive:
    WD Caviar Black SE HDD 640 GB - WD Caviar Black SE HDD 500 GB
    Graphics Card:
    Sapphire Radeon HD-7870 2GB
    Power Supply:
    CORSAIR CMPSU-750W
    I agree, Nev. A safety net is a must.
     
    allheart55 (Cindy E), Nov 11, 2014
    #3
  5. Rich M

    Rich M Guest

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    Nev Windows 7 has the same thing. I just made restore disks for a cleitn on a 7 new install pc.
     
    Rich M, Nov 29, 2014
    #4

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