Reinstalling Windows 8 from 8.1

[ChoTai]

So I updated to 8.1 on release (didn't use the release preview) and ever since I've been having problems with it. It seems to act weird with my graphic and audio drivers, explorer.exe crashes every few hours, and the whole experience for he has just been more stuttery and inconsistent than before. And this is coming from a machine that had absolutely no problems with Windows 8. Anyway it's getting really annoying now and I'm planning on going back to 8. I know there isn't any way to do this without a clean install but I was curious about how the licence key situation would work. If I were to do nothing but wipe my drive and just install Windows 8 using the same key I used to first install it, would it work? Or is there some sort of process to un-register this computer from the licence key before the reinstall?

 

Thanks you!

[mgsstar]

You would have to wipe the drive and install Windows 8 to downgrade. You would probably need to use phone activation in order to do this because I had used my windows 8 key on my laptop and when I switched it to my computer I had to use phone activation in order for it to activate:http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/24636-activate-windows-8-phone.html

or

do this: http://www.howtogeek.com/124286/how-to-uninstall-your-windows-product-key-before-you-sell-your-pc/

[ChoTai]

Oh that How to Geek guide looks perfect. I don't have time to try it out right now but I'll definitely post back once I reinstall. Thanks!

[ChoTai]

Yup that How to Geek guide worked perfectly. Thanks!

You would have to wipe the drive and install Windows 8 to downgrade. You would probably need to use phone activation in order to do this because I had used my windows 8 key on my laptop and when I switched it to my computer I had to use phone activation in order for it to activate:http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/24636-activate-windows-8-phone.html

or

do this: http://www.howtogeek.com/124286/how-to-uninstall-your-windows-product-key-before-you-sell-your-pc/