So...like most Windows 8 users, I decided to download/install the free 8.1 upgrade. Simple matter, right?
WRONG!!! OMFG...how wrong was I to even THINK that it would be easy to do...
Real descriptive, ent?
After many, MANY tries...I was confronted with the above. Oh, and each attempt? About 2 hours to get to that same point.
Leave it to Microkia to turn something as simple as a 'service pack' upgrade into a clusterf@#k of nightmarish proportions.
The ONLY way for retail Windows 8 users to download this upgrade is through...you guessed it the 'Metro' UI Windows Store.
gone are the days of downloading the file...and updating all your PCs as necessary. Oh no...you have to put EACH Windows 8 PC
you have on the internet to download and install this upgrade.....
Unbe-f@#king-lievable.
Of course I then realised after 2 days, and no progress, another solution was needed.
At this point I really have to give it up for internets, because bet MONEY...SOMEONE else SOMEWHERE has/had the same problem,
and sure enough, I found quite a few instances of this issue with people clamouring for help.
Oh your laptops and run-of-the-mill PCs would install the upgrade fine...but any 'enthusiast' PC with exotic combinations of hardware...? Not a chance.
The solution? Read carefully because it gets really exotic...
The first step involved getting the Windows 8.1 ISO. "How do you get the Windows 8.1 retail ISO?"...you may ask.
A fair question.
The answer is detailed here.
Next step...create a USB-bootable Windows 8.1 install 'disk' to upgrade the current Windows 8 installation. Easy enough.
Start the Windows 8.1 upgrade process from within Windows 8...so far so good.
Now we hit a REALLY nasty snag... The upgrade process asks for your Windows 8.1 key to proceed.
Waitaminute...I don't HAVE a Windows 8.1 key...and my LEGIT Windows key is not being accepted. Yes...your LEGIT Windows 8 key
that you PAID FOR will NOT work when upgrading.
Of course...there's almost ALWAYS a workaround, and it involved creating a text file with the following...
[EditionID]
Professional
[Channel]
Retail
[VL]
0
You then have to save that text file as 'ei.cfg' in the 'Sources' folder on the USB drive where you would have created your Windows 8.1 installer.
This file allows the Windows 8 upgrade/install to proceed without asking for a key. When the install is finished, then it asks for the key.
It is only at THIS point can you then insert your proper Windows 8 key (that you PAID FOR) and interestingly enough...Windows 8.1 accepts it at this point,
and that's it. You're done. You now have a properly upgraded Windows 8.1, that is fully activated...
Dunno why Windows 8.1 disrespecting my CPU speed, but meemselfcare.
Arcmanov 1 - Microkia 0
*sigh*
Oh Microkia...why doth thou test me so? I want to like you...I really do,
sometimes your decision-making just BOGGLES the mind. The level of stupidity involved in designing this
particular upgrade process borders on the infinite. I get that its a way to try and block the pirates, but again...OMFG dan.