Clean install of Windows 8 with Technet/MSDN key

Sometime you want to do a clean install of your computer with your Technet/MSDN key, but you might get the following error due to the fact that the computer might already have the OEM key stored:

The product key entered does not match any of the Windows images available for installation. Enter a different product key.

Solution:

The solution is mentioned in Microsoft's website (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2790964), but i have expanded the instruction in detail for those that might have trouble following the original.

1. install windows 8 to usb using the microsoft usb download tool

2. create a PID.txt in /sources with your product key as follow: (ex: E:\sources\PID.txt)

[PID]

Value=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

3. create a EI.cfg file in /sources as follow: (ex: E:\sources\EI.cfg)

[EditionID]

{Edition ID}

[Channel]

{Channel Type}

[VL]

{Volume License}

The edition configuration file (EI.cfg) determines which edition of Windows to install and which license to use during Windows Setup. Where {Edition ID} must be a valid Windows Edition ID such as Core, Professional and Enterprise. Or (ProfessionalN, EnterpriseN). {Channel Type} can be OEM or Retail. {Volume License} can be 1 (True) or 0 (False).

For example:

[EditionID]

Professional

[Channel]

Retail

[VL]

1

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To find the edition id, use the following id:

1. open command prompt as administrator:

2. create C:\test folder

3. run this command (replace E with whatever drive letter of your usb drive):

dism /mount-wim /wimfile:E:\sources\install.wim /index:1 /mountdir:c:\test /readonly

4. run this command (replace E with whatever drive letter of your usb drive):

dism /image:c:\test /get-currentedition

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