Can't install Windows 8.1 on slow connection


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Hello all,

 

I am over in Lebanon trying to update my brother-in-law's Lenovo and just cannot get it to update from the store.  The internet is not so great here and with the power switching from city to generator and vice-versa a couple times a day, that causes the download to restart.  I have been at this for a week with no luck.

 

His IdeaPad S400 has an arabic/english keyboard and the system says "Windows 8 Single Language"  Strangely it does not have a product key so I can't do that create an ISO method.  Lastly, my technet subscription expired so I can't download anything from there!

 

Does anyone have any suggestions how I can get Windows 8.1 on here.  I leave in a few days on Sep. 2nd and wanted to do this for him before I leave.  Can the store installer be packaged up and sent as a file to me?

 

Thank you for reading!

 

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Sorry, I forgot to subscribe to this thread so I didn't see your reply.  I tried a generic key finder program but it didn't find it.  I usually use SIW which I downloaded the other day so I will have him bring the laptop and try that.  In my experience though, it doesn't normally pull an accurate key from OEM installs.  I leave tomorrow so I don't know if I will have the time,  but if I can get a Lenovo OEM I may try a clean install.

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I can tell you that Store apps and some updates will fail without a valid activation, are you saying it's activated but you can't retrieve the key? Or that it's not activated?

 

It may even look like it's updating, but will fail I guess.

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might i ask you for what exactly you need windows? if you are doing more basic stuff, you might as well grab a linux distro, where you don't need an internet connection, opensuse for example is great.

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might i ask you for what exactly you need windows? if you are doing more basic stuff, you might as well grab a linux distro, where you don't need an internet connection, opensuse for example is great.

I don't think wiping the whole device and installing a different OS is the answer to an update issue.

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Hello,

if you can try to get an Lenovo OEM 8.1 ISO as it will read the key from the UEFI and activate it with any issues.

 

Since you have the Single Language version, then some changes must be done if you don't have the OEM ISO:

- you may use the following powershell command in order to retrieve the key from the UEFI:

powershell "(Get-WmiObject -query ?select * from SoftwareLicensingService?).OA3xOriginalProductKey"

Or you can use ProduKey or RWEverthing, same effect. Anyways you must get the key from the UEFI.

- you must download the Single Language ESD in order to pack it into your ISO. See this site for more info: http://www.mydigitalonline.com/forums/threads/53855-Windows-8-1-with-Update-ESDs-Repository/page43?s=a0248f441db8875ac31f72fa9df7680a and then run a ESD-TO-ISO tool so will convert that ESD into a friendlier ISO file.

- burn the ISO (DVD) or create a bootable USB, using Rufus (for example).

- install Windows 8.1.

- use a Windows 8.1 generic key so you can install the OS (Y9NXP-XT8MV-PT9TG-97CT3-9D6TC); after it is installed then activated it with the key you just got from the UEFI, by using the PC Settings (in the Charms bar) > Activate Windows and choose Enter a new product key.

- profit!

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