Windows 8.1 64 bit issues

[btg0002]

Just wondering if anyone else has had this same issue as below:

I purchased Windows 8.1 Pro (the retail version and not the upgrade) to install on my new build. I don't have an optical media drive in this new build, so I downloaded 8.1 on my 32 bit laptop to create a bootable USB. Well when I did so apparently Microsoft has changed their programming to assume that even if you buy the full retail version of Windows, which I did, they still assume that you are going to install it on the PC that you download it on, and only allow you to download the compatible version, which in my case was 32 bit because the laptop I was using was 32 bit. I want 64 bit for my new PC and to do so, Microsoft first told me I would have to repurchase another copy of 8.1 (are you serious? what drugs do they give these people?!?) and then after I rejected that idea, they told me that I would have to download 8.1 and make the bootable USB on a 64 bit system so that I would get the 64 bit version. When I brought up that this is stupid and how they expected someone to get the 64 bit for another computer while creating said USB on a 32 bit machine, they didn't have an answer for that.

Is it just me or is this incredibly stupid and clumsy for such a large OS company to do? Or am I just an idiot and should have know it would do this? (NOTE: in windows 7, I was always given the option to download each version as I saw fit)

[Willson94]

That sounds so dumb its hard to believe

[btg0002]

That sounds so dumb its hard to believe

Me or the issue?  Agreed, as when it was described to me by the 4th level up (I talked to a lot of Microsoft people yesterday) that this was how the disk creation utility worked and there wan't a workaround for it

[SJBijzitter]

I think you accidentally bought the 32-bits version then, I myself have got all OSes for free (thanks DreamSpark for Students) in all bitvariaties

[btg0002]

I think you accidentally bought the 32-bits version then, I myself have got all OSes for free (thanks DreamSpark for Students) in all bitvariaties

this issue was that the option was never given, and on previous purchases of windows 7, I was given the option once purchase was completed for 32 or 64 bit variants, but not this time

[btg0002]

and I'm not arguing with you, I jsut find it odd had that actually happened why 32 bit was not expressly stated in the name of the product purchased, i.e. on the Microsoft online store it only reads as "Windows 8.1 Pro" with not bit variants designated. that and they conceded how I could get the 64 bit variant so I believe it's their fault....I think  :blink:

[SJBijzitter]

and I'm not arguing with you, I jsut find it odd had that actually happened why 32 bit was not expressly stated in the name of the product purchased, i.e. on the Microsoft online store it only reads as "Windows 8.1 Pro" with not bit variants designated. that and they conceded how I could get the 64 bit variant so I believe it's their fault....I think  :blink:

Just call them in that case and explain what's going on

[Willson94]

Me or the issue?  Agreed, as when it was described to me by the 4th level up (I talked to a lot of Microsoft people yesterday) that this was how the disk creation utility worked and there wan't a workaround for it

The issue lol. Can you really not get a refund? and might want to find out whether windows keys can be used on different bit versions of windows then you just need to get an ISO

[btg0002]

I have gotten in touch with them and the only workaround is to download windows again on a 64 bit PC, which I am doing at my work today and that per Microsoft will fix it, I just found it ridiculous

[penance]

I have had this issue in the past, if I recall correctly there is a boot.ini file required for this to work. You can do some digging on the net and possibly find the file and add it to your bootable usb drive and make it work. I have done this before with Windows 7 but it was awhile back. The reason you cannot do this natively from a 32bit machine is that file is not present to create it.

[TheProfosist]

So what you have the key and just need the 64bit win 8.1 iso?

[btg0002]

Kind of but its not that easy anymore as I got a 64 bit I so and unless its associated to the activation key you have it doesn't download anymore the entire process is locked down quite severely

[btg0002]

oh and if anyone ever has an issue, apparently Microsoft is very quick with the delete button on social media posts about issues with their product....took them all of 30 seconds to remove my question about this from their facebook page, which is quite impressive

[btg0002]

well, I just got done creating the bootable USB via windows on a 64 bit machine at my workplace (it took 4 hours to download the file  :blink: ) and once it was done and had successfully created the bootable USB I looked around in the files on the thumbdrive and notcied there is now a bootx64.efi file that I do not remember seeing when I did this same thing on my 32 bit laptop computer, so I will try this tonight and if it doesn't work I will try to get microsoft to send me the 64 bit OS on a disc and grab a dvd drive to install it (only if I absolutely have to)

[btg0002]

ok it is up and running and I have now verified that the product key is embedded in the usb tool now so that if they don't match, it won't install...but all is good now

[TheProfosist]

@btg0002 and I was all ready to post this http://goo.gl/tPGRMT

[btg0002]

@btg0002 and I was all ready to post this http://goo.gl/tPGRMT

thanks man, but luckily I got it figured out pretty quickly, but I still think it's ridiculous that Microsoft thinks us either 1) too stupid or 2) all thieves and won't trust us with the ISO for both variants anymore

[TheProfosist]

thanks man, but luckily I got it figured out pretty quickly, but I still think it's ridiculous that Microsoft thinks us either 1) too stupid or 2) all thieves and won't trust us with the ISO for both variants anymore

If you have MSDN, Dreamspark, or umm one other one you can just get them. I they just assume other dont need them.