===== Creating an MS Windows 8 bootable ISO =====

http://www.redmondpie.com/download-windows-8-iso-x86-x64-file-directly-from-microsoft

These instructions will give you a bootable MS Windows 8 installation ISO with the following properties (you must do this procedure from a Microsoft OS):

  * OS sub-type ("Professional", etc.): Determined by product key
  * Architecture (32-bit/64-bit): Determined by the OS where you're running the tool

  - Go to [[http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/upgrade-product-key-only|Microsoft's Web-based update tool]]
  - Click "Install Windows 8"
  - Enter your MS Windows 8 product key
  - Wait for the installation files to download (about 3 GB)
  - Choose "Install by creating media"
  - Choose "ISO file"

You can then burn the resulting ISO image to a DVD or USB drive for installation as usual (dd, etc.).

===== Making a bootable USB thumb drive from Microsoft's ISO image =====

So, for some reason you can't just dd the ISO to the thumb drive; it won't create a valid partition table and it won't boot (although Linux will still see the raw UDF filesystem).  So...

==== Create an MBR partition table (aka "msdos") with a partition at least 9GB in size ====

<code>
% sudo parted /dev/sdx       ## Run parted on thumb drive
parted> mklabel msdos        ## Create MBR partition table
parted> mkpart primary NTFS  ## Create a partition marked for NTFS (must be at least 9GB)
parted> set 1 boot on        ## Make partition bootable
</code>

==== Create NTFS filesystem ====

If it's an older thumb drive and you're unsure of its physical condition, etc. then you can omit "--quick" to do a full format with zeroing and a bad block check...takes forever though.

<code>mkfs.ntfs --quick /dev/sdx</code>

==== Mount the ISO and thumb drive and copy files over ====

Make sure to type this exactly; the presence/absence of trailing slashes is significant to rsync!

<code>
mount -o ro,loop file.iso /mnt      ## Mount ISO image at /mnt
mount /dev/sdx /mnt2                ## Mount thumb drive at /mnt2
rsync -rtvP --size-only /mnt/ /mnt2 ## Copy files without trying to preserve UNIX metadata
</code>


===== Reinstalling Win8 on a Lenovo Ideapad and keeping the SSD's caching benefits =====

  * http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/IdeaPad-Y-U-V-Z-and-P-series/The-Guide-on-How-To-Reformat-Repartition-AND-Get-RapidStart-amp/m-p/910731/highlight/true#M68094
  * https://communities.intel.com/thread/34039

===== Update a WinXP product key manually =====

Source: https://www.lifewire.com/changing-the-windows-xp-product-key-2624938

  - Edit the registry key ''HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WPA Events\OOBETimer''
    - Change a couple of characters, keeping the same format (you're just changing the timer so the OS deactivates, thus allowing you to change the product key)
  - Run ''%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a''
  - Choose the telephone activation option
  - Click "Change Product Key" and enter the new product key
  - Click the back button to get back to the Internet activation option
  - You can choose to defer the activation at this point if you need to, but you'll have to activate at some point

===== Reset the WinXP activation loop =====

Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Activate-Windows-XP-Without-a-Genuine-Product-Key

  - Press F8 during boot to get the advanced options menu
  - Safe Mode with Command Prompt
  - Type "explorer.exe" into the Command Prompt
  - You should see a dialogue window pop up; click Yes/OK
  - Open the Run dialog and run ''rundll32.exe syssetup,SetupOobeBnk'' (this command resets the Windows XP trial clock to 30 days)
  - Click OK
  - Restart