Preinstalled Windows OS

[FTW_Perverse]

It should. However any copy of Windows 8 will do, even OEM will work. 

OK, well.  I'll have the laptop by Wednesday.  Hopefully I won't have any issues.  Thanks for the input guys!!

[flibberdipper]

No, I didn't think they normally do.  

That's weird. Most of them nowadays have one. You might also have a partition on your hard drive of it too. Go into drive manager (or whatever it's called) and it will be something like a 4GB partition. That's what it was like on my netbook.

[FTW_Perverse]

That's weird. Most of them nowadays have one. You might also have a partition on your hard drive of it too. Go into drive manager (or whatever it's called) and it will be something like a 4GB partition. That's what it was like on my netbook.

Yeah, I think my last Lenovo laptop came with a backup partition.  But no disk.  I just much prefer a recovery disk so I can erase the original HDD from the get go... to make it more upgrade friendly.

[TheProfosist]

You can use a tool to recober the key or is there not a sticker somewhere on the pc of the key?

[FTW_Perverse]

You can use a tool to recober the key or is there not a sticker somewhere on the pc of the key?

I don't actually have the laptop yet, so hopefully the product key is included on the bottom of the laptop or somewhere in the documentation.  If not, I plan to use a keyfinder program...

 

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

 

Then I'll download the Win 8 ISO file and create a bootable USB... install the new OS from there.

[TheProfosist]

I don't actually have the laptop yet, so hopefully the product key is included on the bottom of the laptop or somewhere in the documentation.  If not, I plan to use a keyfinder program...

 

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

 

Then I'll download the Win 8 ISO file and create a bootable USB... install the new OS from there.

Make sure you get a clean file. most found via torrents are either precracked or have other stuff in them. This is how I got mine http://goo.gl/qfQfdZ if that doesnt work I might be able to create a torrent or upload the iso somewhere.

[FTW_Perverse]

Make sure you get a clean file. most found via torrents are either precracked or have other stuff in them. This is how I got mine http://goo.gl/qfQfdZ if that doesnt work I might be able to create a torrent or upload the iso somewhere.

 

Thanks.  Not getting the ISO from Torrents.  I have a reliable source I've used for my Win 7 ISOs and had no problems.

[TheProfosist]

Thanks.  Not getting the ISO from Torrents.  I have a reliable source I've used for my Win 7 ISOs and had no problems.

good and just so you know that link lets you get the ISO direct from microsoft. Also do you have win 8 key or 8.1?

[ElephantCrave]

Don't clone the drive - here's a more well rounded solution (you won't get the bloat from the shitty pre-installed OS) 

1) Install SSD (duh) 

2) Create a boot disc/USB 

3) Install Windows using the said boot drive

4) Use the activation code that came with the laptop (it should be on the either the brick or the back of the laptop)

5) Install what you need

 

And BAM, Windows without the shit from OEMs

 

EDIT: I just realised that this was already suggested.... sad banana 

This