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I want to upgrade the 500GB HDD that came with my Dell Laptop to a 120GB SSD. Windows 8 came pre-loaded (OEM, no sticker).

Here's what I've tried so far:

Attempt #1:

Create a restore disk using the supplied Microsoft and Dell utilities.

FAILED: The installer will not allow me to restore to a smaller disk.

Attempt #2:

Create a bootable USB installer using an existing install of Windows 7 on another machine using the installer from: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/upgrade-product-key-only.

FAILED:

On the target computer: The installer fails saying there's no available image and to change the product key, however, I'm not given the option to do so, and the computer didn't come with a product key sticker.

On the computer creating the USB stick: The downloader never prompts me for a product key and instead applies the product key for a copy of Windows 8 Pro that I also downloaded on that computer (for another computer, NON-OEM).

How do you do a fresh install? This should not involve virtual machines or cloning disks. This computer shipped with Window 8 and there should be a way to legally install it.

Jeff
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    Why not create an image of the whole disk (using Norton ghost, Acronis or similar tools) and extract that image to the SSD. Then swap to the new disk. (Note: The HDD should be less then 120GiB full when you do this, else it will not fit on the SSD). – Hennes Dec 24 '13 at 16:05
  • possible duplicate of [Clone hard drive to another, smaller hard drive](http://superuser.com/questions/285457/clone-hard-drive-to-another-smaller-hard-drive), [Free way to clone HDD to SSD?](http://superuser.com/questions/99211/free-way-to-clone-hdd-to-ssd?rq=1) – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 Dec 24 '13 at 16:31
  • Use partedmagic or gparted or other partitioning tool to shrink the partition down to 118gb. Then either package will let you copy the partition to the SSD. You will have to activate the boot flag on the partition as the software does not do it automatically. – cybernard Dec 24 '13 at 17:02
  • @MichaelHampton, this is untrue, product key stickers are a thing of the past, OEMs now embed the product key in the BIOS. It's weird that they have Windows 8 on their how to tell page, my badge looks nothing like that and is legit. http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33642_7-57554240-292/windows-8-moves-to-bios-based-product-keys/ – Jeff Dec 24 '13 at 18:16
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    I also don't want to clone all the bloatware that Dell included, I don't see why I shouldn't be able to do a fresh install of Windows as a consumer with a legal copy of Windows. I would even use one of my Windows 8 Pro licenses that is not currently in use if the installer would let me. – Jeff Dec 24 '13 at 18:17
  • Don't listen to Hampton, this is typical with Win8 installs these days, there is no key on the outside of the system anymore, Don't bother with "cloning" its a waste of time, just go for the fresh install, see if you can do that. – MDT Guy Dec 24 '13 at 18:33
  • @MDTGuy, I can't, it says the product key doesn't match even though I'm never given the opportunity to enter a product key. It doesn't make any sense. Is it possible that the OEM's and Microsoft gave us literally zero way to install a fresh copy of the O/S? – Jeff Dec 24 '13 at 20:20
  • you can't download Win8 from Microsoft using OEM keys. You need to contact the OEM for a new disc. – MDT Guy Dec 24 '13 at 21:37
  • @MDTGuy, I have non-OEM keys and no optical drive. I have 2 Windows 8 Pro licenses (non OEM) and one embedded in my BIOS. Collectively, there is no way to install with any of them. Microsoft support didn't even have an answer for me and sent me to the warranty department where I got "disconnected." The disks I make using my non-OEM keys are Pro, and they should allow me to install over a non-pro version of Windows 8. Instead the installer says OEM_KEY_IN_BIOS != KEY_BURNED_WITH_WIN8_SETUP_EXE and croaks. – Jeff Dec 24 '13 at 22:11
  • You can convert the ISO file into a bootable USB stick, and that fixes at least not having an optical drive. http://images2.store.microsoft.com/prod/clustera/framework/w7udt/1.0/en-us/Windows7-USB-DVD-tool.exe – cybernard Dec 25 '13 at 04:40
  • Which edition do you have? Core/Pro or Single Language? – magicandre1981 Dec 25 '13 at 07:09

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