Bypassing an Embedded Windows 8 Key

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Problem:

NR tried installing a fresh version of Windows 8 but it, unfortunately, would pull up the old OEM key.

Solution (Taken from here):

  1. Set your machine to boot in legacy BIOS mode, configure boot order with USB first
  2. Copy your install media to a USB thumbdrive (you’ll need at least 4GB)
  3. On the thumbdrive go into \sources
  4. Create a file called PID.txt which contains the following (substitute the X’s with your product key):
    1. [PID]
    2. Value=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
  5. Create a file called EI.cfg (that’s ei not e1 or el). It contains the following:
    1. [EditionID]
    2. [Channel]
    3. Retail
    4. [VL]
    5. 0
  6. You’re good to go, install from the USB thumbdrive and you *should* be OK.