How to: Recover Stock Windows 8 on an Acer Iconia W700 Tablet

Hey guys, after messing around with the recovery disks for ages for my tablet and getting nowhere (getting bounced back and forth between the UEFI and Legacy bioses), I decided to pursue another solution for installing Windows on the tablet. You cannot install a stock Windows 8 Pro disk or USB drive, because the CD Key for Win8 is hardcoded into the tablet. You can however install an OEM version, and I was able to get it working. Here's what you need to do:

Download the OEM version of Windows 8, I doubt I can link it for you but here's the information you need:

Windows 8 RTM English, 64-bit (x64)
Size: 3.33 GB SHA-1: 1CE53AD5F60419CF04A715CF3233F247E48BEEC4
Download: en_windows_8_x64_dvd_915440.iso

(make sure, whichever source you get windows from, you verify the SHA-1, you can find programs to do that via Google just look for an MD5 SHA utility).

Once you have your file, create a bootable USB drive (thousands of tutorials online) and copy the contents of the ISO onto the drive.

Now, boot your Tablet into BIOS (hold power+windows key for about 4 seconds when booting). Go down to the 'boot' option and switch to Legacy BIOS mode. Make sure your USB drive is before your HDD in the boot order. Save and Exit the bios.

It should reboot and install Windows 8 as expected, HOWEVER, you may have a serious issue with graphics once it finishes installing the files (I could only use about half the screen). This is remedied by simply installing the VGA drivers from Acer's support site, but it might be a bit tricky to do if you do not have an external monitor and some type of input device (it is doable though, I did it with just the tablet, but I had to switch from portrait to landscape a few times to get different parts of the screen to show). Don't bother changing the resolution, that won't fix it.

Install all the other drivers from support (Wifi for instance won't work, so you need to have another computer to get the drivers on, but presumably you did for the USB drive anyway). Other than that, system runs great, and there is absolutely 0 bloatware!

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atomickarma

This is really useful! I've screengrabbed for posterity Smiley Happy

mic

op thanks alot for the guide. i have it plain vanilla win 8 stock running. the process of installing was fast from beginning to start screen only took 15 min. acer process recovery took almost 2hrs. so if you are type of people like to do clean install frequently or don't like preinstalled apps, or have lost your recovery dvd, or don't have external dvd drive and like stock win 8, this process is for you. on the side note, i have my boot as uefi option, secure boot disable. put the iso mount files on 4gb bootable usb, along with wifi driver, bluetooth and what ever your backup apps and you good to go. remember to backup important files first

paja

Hi

Downloaded iso with sha-1 as you describe but got message "the product key entered does not match any of ....."

Is there any way to avoid this.

tnx.

p.s.

hope not disturb some rules of the forum

padgett

You cannot open the System window (one with "Vew Basic Information"- right click on "computer" and select properties). At the bottom under "Windows Activation" should be "change product key".

farkingdom

im experiencing product key error as well, can you guys help me?

paja

@padgett

Tnx for the answer.

Maybe I didn't explain well, it's happened at the beginnig of the windows setup, there is no other option.

According your advice I look at, and in present(acer) windows 8 there is no "change product key", or I didn't

understand you well.

Regards

mic

it never asked me to enter keys during setup. however you could use belarc advisor to extract the keys from w700. if you have not back up info regarding sn and the like, product keys, now is the time to back up if have not register the tab. write down info or better yet make a text doc and email them to your self for safe keeping. try that keys you extract from w700 see if it works. it should have no problem at all for the keys are burn within bios.

farkingdom

I'm sorry but I don't quite get you there. After plugging in the USB, I set up the boot order and reboot into the Setup. At the Setup of Windows 8, it suddenly popped out an error saying 'The product key does not match any windows image available'. I cannot proceed with the Setup and force to reboot. It is weird since it never prompted me to key in any product key at all.

mic

i would double check the iso again. my guess is the image either is corrupted or different image like enterprise edition is on there. i download mine over mydigitallife forum. under windows 8 section, they have a sticky post name the officicial windows 8 repository . you would look for windows 8 rtm english 64 bit. its a 3.3gb. need a **** client like utorrent to download btw.

any edition keys may not match.

this iso should have no problem with the keys.

iso can have many images in there, depending on the install.wim file that mount from it under sourses

use command dism to find out.

anyway i would try download that iso and boot again. it should be fine

this iso contains both win8 and win8 pro . install.wim index 1 is pro , index 2 is win 8

farkingdom

I have looked up mydigitalforum and apparently the problem lies on the operating system itself. I'm currently running Windows 8 Single Language, my guess is that yours is the core Windows 8 instead? Because currently there is no official available ISO from MSDN for Core Single Language. The one op posted is for both Core and Pro only, and not Core SingleLanguage.

What is the base operating system for your w700?

mic

my apology. i think they took down the **** link

farkingdom

Yes, they took it down recently due to violation of DMCA copyright law. I obtained mine from another source and checked the SHA-1 which matches the one from Op. I'm still wondering whether you are running Windows 8 Core or Windows 8 Core Single Language?

mic

yeah mine is win8 core. thats the iso i downloaded from the forum.

the win8 core iso is that 3.3gb. its just depend what index is used. win8 pro is just an win8 core with addon in that iso.

where did u download yours? how big is file?

farkingdom

I downloaded mine from eh-hem piratebay since it's the only way I can think of. Yes it is 3.3GB.

I think the problem is with my operating system which runs the Core Single Language instead. Therefore the Setup does not accept the product key which was embedded into the BIOS. I do wonder why did Acer separate so many models and put different operating system into each W700.

mic

yeah thats about right size. win 8 core should be in there. can u try from beginning again..using step 1-8 from this link

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-create-windows.html

don't need step 11

i can't think of any other reason why keys not accepting. can you set bios to boot uefi, secure boot disable very important thanks. can turn it back to enable later once installed

paja

Hi

my version is Windows 8 single language

mic

yeah, its very unfortunate win8 sl keys won't play nice with the iso. that iso is problaly a multi lang and microsoft lisence on sl has something to do with it, preventing from setup and activate. in anycase win8 sl is bad restriction on a new device, really locking it up and not upgradeable. even when bought win 7, its upgradeable but not win 8 sl.

when you bought the tab, is the advertise on it claim win 8 or win8 sl. if it claimed win 8 and you received win8 sl then something is wrong, buying something and receiving something else. you might contact acer for details. they probaly reason depend on markets and destination continents.

in the mean time you could try this link to see if it can bypass keys. this is strictly for edcucation and testing purpose only

http://www.windowsvalley.com/install-windows-8-without-product-key/

i hope you have a external dvd drive to do clean install from acer dvd just in case something wrong or after installed keys don't activate. if you don't then don't try, i really don't want mess up your current operating system

paja

Hi mic

I checked invoce, it was win 8 sl.

I tried to subscribe but without success( I have windows live account)

I bought external usb dvd drive to be on safe side.

Is there any possibilities to have clean install(w/o Acer bloatware) with Acer recovery disks?

Regards

guitarmang

Hi mic,

when you do a fresh install from a Windows 8 disc, do you delete all the partitions?

Thanks

mic

hi guitarmang

when i did clean install from iso, i did go to option advance and format the selected drive to install. otherwise the setup won't let windows install. after format next button becomes visible and go from there. have to pay attention because setup run quite fast like around 10 min mark to finish. you have 10 secs to unplug the usb otherwise windows will repeat the boot process again

by 15 min you will reach start screeen. quite fast for clean install but a little behind clean installed android os

anyways, i had many partitions by using easeus partition. i install main os on larger partition, smaller one i save backup files like wifi drivers, and large downloaded files so i don't need to download again, or you just could put them on bootable usb. so i would back up first.

hi paja

unfortunately when do clean install from acer recovery, all preintall apps will be there, more like a custome rom in term of android. the iso is like the clean google stock rom

however, you could uninstall using app revo uninstaller. it will delete preinstall apps including files lelf over in registrey, by selecting advance method. you could save additional space probaly 1-2gb, no hog on memory or cpu. but backup important files like serial number (sn)in identity card or somthing like that for future use.

i have been searching for win8 sl iso system builder but couldn't find any.

you could try a reset on charm bar, general. it probably ask for a missing file which is install.wim. then can you plug in the usb with the iso to see if it go through. if not well we have to find another method like using dism or imagex command to mount install.wim index 2 which is win 8. the only thing i am afriad of is when somehow we could install win 8, windows could not activate, that is why external dvd come in

or you could do reset by this guide

http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-reset-or-refresh-windows-8-without-dvd/

on step 4, put index 2 instead of 1. one is for win8 pro

back a while i did try 1 and running win8 pro but not activated. however eventually activated by kms method but thats another thing. it was just for testing purpose i did not need pro

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