How to get the WIndows 8 installation disk/recovery disk from dell?

Hi Nitin,

The Windows product key is pre-installed in Dell systems. However may I know the reason why you are looking out for a disc?

If the computer is not booting up and if you want to request for a disc then you may use the below link:

http://dell.to/19q87KN  (For U.S only)

If the system is working normally, you may create a system restore disc by following the below steps in Windows 8:

(1) Move to mouse pointer to the top right corner and click on the search button.

(2) Select applications, type Dell backup and recovery and select search.

(3) On the left side you may click on the application.

(4) Once the application opens select recovery disc and create rescue disc.

OEM discs (Win8) can be installed on any Dell computers (if Windows 8 is pre-installed in that computer from factory).

It is suggested to use OEM image for re-installation purpose.

Hi,

I have ALWAYS bought Dell as the hardware is of quality and stable. In the good old days i would recieve my new Dell and paid for an actual windows CD/DVD (about an additional £10) then rebuild the system without all of the Dell software i dont need, usually only requiring drivers. Now it would seem i cannot buy the O/S disk seperately and can only rebuild from a recovery partition/DVD/USB flash which has the full suite of proprietary software i dont need.

Can i obtain just a windows O/S disk from Dell?

Jimbol337

Since you quoted in £ I assume you are from the UK. You need to phone Dell Technical Support to request one. You will likely be informed that you should use DataSafe and factory settings but demand one if you are persuaded against requesting one. In the US Dell have an online request form.

The situation with Reinstallation DVDs in my opinion is unacceptable so I have made an IdeaStorm Idea requesting improvements:

http://www.ideastorm.com/idea2ReadIdea?Id=087700000008mnRAAQ&v=1369477976516

Please add your vote to it.

thanks.

I have tried many a times and many options, nothing works.

When try to reset there is error.

When try to refresh there is error.

I am now kind of annoyed now.

Please let me know the nearest dell service center in Pune(Pimpri/near by Area)(India), from where I can get the system serviced(OS reinstalled in a way I want).

If above request can be entertained - What would be the charges for the same?

If above request cant be entertained - Will an WIndows 8 iso from Microsoft be used to reinstall the OS and the OS key be picked up by the installer from the bios?

If above request cant be entertained - Will an WIndows 8 iso from Microsoft be used to reinstall the OS and the OS key be picked up by the installer from the bios?

The answer is yes it would work however you cannot download a .iso from Microsoft without purchasing another product key using a working earlier version of Windows. There is some setup which then download files and these can finally be used to create a .iso. It is one of the many most backwards thing Microsoft has done with Windows 8 their online distribution for Windows 8 is awful.

Given that it is so difficult to procure a reinstallation DVD from Dell outside of the United States and Microsoft are not providing a freely downloadable .iso you are just left stumped. You can phone Dell Technical Support for your region although there is no great documentation stating what number to call in each region and depending on the person, location and Dell/Microsoft policy for that location you may get differing results. I have been informed that different countries have different policies and I have found no satisfactory solution for procuring media.

Dell & Microsoft have made "green" policies which make it extremely awkward for customers to clean install Windows. This was called the OEM Media Reduction policy and I for one am strongly against this policy.

Many customers feel just as cheated as you are and unhappy to have such a restricted set of recovery options. For those who reside outside the United States it is even worse. You can see here:

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/f/4677/t/19476992.aspx

and here:

http://www.ideastorm.com/idea2ReadIdea?Id=087700000008mnRAAQ&v=1369477976516

I would appreciate you add your vote to both. The more votes something has on IdeaStorm the more weight it should push on Dell unfortunately IdeaStorm is not fully integrated with the Dell Community and requires a separate login. I am doing all I can to get Dell to speak to Microsoft about this to make Windows 8 downloadable either directly from Microsoft or via Dell.

I have been bringing up this point with Dell about this before Windows 8 was released.

Hopefully they will be available for Windows 8.1 which is in the beta and has .isos available for the beta. However the beta .isos will expire and it is not recommended to use them unless you have created recovery media (catch 22 I know). If Microsoft don't allow users to download .isos freely for clean installation the following 8 problems will likely result:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1_pr-windows_install/windows-81-media/069ed56e-8014-4682-8a55-f2e7cd1b977f

For Windows Vista and Windows 7 we have complete solutions which involve using Windows media from Digital River. These solutions are greatly frowned upon by a handful of "Microsoft - Most Valued Professionals" however we have proved and tested them on many Dell systems and thousands of users have followed my Windows Reinstallation Guide without incident.

We have chosen to ignore the unwelcome and unhelpful advice offered by that subset of MVPs as they offer no viable alternative solution and suggest users to purchase an additional Windows license or contact Dell which are not providing you the media.

Note it is only a handful of MVPs causing such hassle, several MVPs on other forums are recommending solutions modelled on those we suggest on the Dell Community. However I did get kicked off WindowsSeven and WindowsEight forums by those MVPs for recommending my Windows Reinstallation Guide despite their guide initially linking to mine for media and then directly to heidoc.net which I suggested they do.

Should you overcome the hurdle to obtain installation media. Follow my Windows Reinstallation Guide/A Clean install of Windows 8: http://philipyip.wordpress.com/dell-community-forums/

• Step 1 should be instructions how to get media but as stated above this is unclear for Windows 8.
• Step 2 tells you to make a Belarc Reader readout which can be useful to have.
• Step 3a instructs you on backing up date.
• Step 3b instructs you on making an Acronis Backup (optional, pointless in your case if your installation is corrupt)
• Step 4 is unnecessary at this moment in time.
• Step 5 tells you how to obtain the drivers either from the Dell FTP Website or the Dell Support Site. In general the Dell FTP Website is recommended.
• Step 6 tells you how to prepare SATA Drivers.
• Step 7a tells you how to completely format your system with DBAN.
• Step 8 the Windows Install.
• Step 9 Service Pack installation, unnecessary at this time.
• Step 10 Driver Installation. - Watch out for drivers which extract and don't install.
• Step 11 Product Activation.
• Step 12 Device Manager Check
• Step 13 Security and Microsoft Office.
• Step 14 Dell Preinstalled Software - Mainly from My Dell Downloads.
• Step 15 Obtain Files from Windows.old if not formatted or wiped with DBAN and deletion of unwanted Windows.old.
• Step 16. Windows Update.
• Step 17. Updating the BIOS.
• Step 18. Installation of other Software.
• Step 19. Additional Desktop Enhancements.
• Step 20. Creating a Backup (of your clean installation).
• Step 21. Configuring your mSATA Cache Drive (if you have one).

when I try to use Dell Backup and Recovery it does not start at all. While trying to start the application from installation folder I get the error that C:\Program Files (x86)\Dell Backup and Recovery\Dbr.exe not a valid path. this keeps occurring even after reinstallation of the Dell Backup and Recovery software.

Please help

I used the online order form to order the installation disks. They fed-exed....the drivers and utilities disks again! I don't know if this was a mistake, or if they really really won't give you the installation disks they used to supply. Annoying.

Same happened to me.  I want to install a fresh copy of Windows 8... this appears to be impossible.  Very frustrated with Dell.

First of all download Belarc Advisor from the link below to find ur  win8 product key.

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Then get the windows 8/8.1 ISO downloader from microsoft from the link below.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/upgrade-product-key-only

Then follow the following steps to download it:

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/18309-windows-8-windows-8-1-iso-download-create.html

then just burn the ISO to a disc or 7-zip the ISO and open the setup and install the windows 8 upgrade.

dont forget to backup ur files first.

thank you..

Dhruv

This is an absolutely unacceptable situation. I have not used my "newly purchased" Dell XPS 8500 for almost a year now because it does not boot and I do not have the product key and cannot create the boot up USB. I have wasted far too many hours of my life on Microsoft products. This is absolutely my last such purchase.

You are in the US so fill out this form here to get a Windows 8.0 Reinstallation DVD:

http://www.dell.com/recoverymedia

Then follow my Windows Reinstallation Guide/A Clean Install of Windows 8.1:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/

Unfortunately the way things are setup you need to clean install Windows 8.0 and then update to Windows 8.1 (which is inefficient and basically requires 2 installations). Dell will not send you a Windows 8.1 Reinstallation DVD because Microsoft frustratingly made Windows 8.1 media reject Windows 8.0 keys.

The alternative is to find a retail Windows 8.1 .iso e.g. if you have an additional retail license and clean install with it using a generic Windows 8.1 product key:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/a-clean-install-of-windows-8-1/microsoft-product-activation/installation-of-windows-8-1-with-a-windows-8-0-retail-product-key-notes/

Then obtain your OEM product key using RW-Everything:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/a-clean-install-of-windows-8-1/microsoft-product-activation/obtaining-your-oem-bios-embedded-slp-product-key-using-rw-everything-oem-only/

Finally activate Windows 8.1 using your Windows 8.0 product key via the change key:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/a-clean-install-of-windows-8-1/microsoft-product-activation/product-activation-using-a-windows-8-1-product-key/

I have no idea why things are set up to be so awkward regarding media for this update.

I know that what you're saying is true, that a Windows * standard OEM disk will install Windows 8 on a Dell that came preinstalled with it because the product key is in the motherboard's bios chip. My question is will this work for Dell machines that came preinstalled with 8.1? Will I still be able to use an OEM 8.0 disk to install Win 8 on that machine and then upgrade to 8.1, or will I need an 8.1 OEM disk to begin? Or does this even still work (8.1 OEM disk installs 8.1 activated on Dell machine that came with 8.1)?

Am not entirely sure.

Since mine came preinstalled with 8.1, they provided me with an 8.1 installation disk. You need to clarify this with the dell customer care.

Regards,

Gaurang Prabhudesai.

I know that what you're saying is true, that a Windows * standard OEM disk will install Windows 8 on a Dell that came preinstalled with it because the product key is in the motherboard's bios chip. My question is will this work for Dell machines that came preinstalled with 8.1? Will I still be able to use an OEM 8.0 disk to install Win 8 on that machine and then upgrade to 8.1, or will I need an 8.1 OEM disk to begin? Or does this even still work (8.1 OEM disk installs 8.1 activated on Dell machine that came with 8.1)?

Have a look here, I decided to write a tutorial video on the issue.

My video focuses on installation of a Windows 8.0 OEM/Retail key with a Windows 8.1 .iso.

In your case the situation will be similar. You will need to input the keys that got rejected with the Windows 8.1 media as they are the generic Windows 8.0 keys.

In your case you will need to go to the Store and then update to Windows 8.1 before attempting product activation. See my notes here for upgrading via the Microsoft Store:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/download-microsoft-windows-and-office/download-microsoft-windows/upgrading-to-windows-8-1-from-windows-8-0-via-the-microsoft-store/

Why you would go through the hassle of essentially 2 Windows installs opposed to a direct installation with a Windows 8.1 .iso I don't know but I presume its because of the difficulty Microsoft made in obtaining the Windows 8.1 .iso.