[ikk157]

I have a few questions for our experienced users.  I'm planning to install Windows 8.1 Professional and am doing my research first.

Question 1. Which installation disk is best - disk I already have but purchased in 2014 together with the OEM Product Key - or current ISO download from Microsoft Download Center burnt to DVD - without Product Key and Product Key still to be added?

I discovered that I'd purchased a copy of Windows 8.1 Professional many years ago - around 2014.  It is on a Microsoft disk with the Microsoft authentic label with the product key on it.

My question is, should I use the more up to date download from the Microsoft site instead?  I did download it and burnt the ISO file to DVD.  Logic being that it would be more up to date than the install disk version I purchased many years ago.  However, I was wondering after whether there may be an effect on the Product Key if I used the version from the Microsoft site instead of the disk that came with the Product Key?

Question 2. Clean install - set up of partitions

I'm planning to do a clean install which means I have to delete the partition on which Windows 7 is.  I currently have a setup with three partitions:

c://(Boot, page file, crash dump Primary Partition) (232.78 GB )
d:// (Primary Partition) (232.88 GB )
System Reserved (100MB )

I checked tutorials and them suggesting to delete all the partitions.  Question here is do I have to delete the partition with my personal files on d://? and the System Reserved partition as well? Or would it be OK to only delete one partition - the boot - partition - and recreate it again? If I have to delete all of the partitions, can I recreate the same partitions before I continue with the installation?  Like c:// and d:// and System Reserved again?  By just clicking on "new"?  

The size of partitions came with the computer.  I'm not a hardware expert.  Is there a more ideal partitioning than the one my computer comes with?  As this may be a chance to fix it.

Question 3. File Manager vs tap

One of the reasons I've stuck with Windows 7 so long (there are many), is I like the File Manager very much.  I've used Windows 8.1 temporarily on another computer, and found myself looking for the File Manager all of the time - clicking through all of the icons to find it.  I don't particularly like the icon layout either.  Is there a way one can set up the File Manager and Windows 7 lookalike from the start?

For Question 1:

Never ever ever install anything from a pre-burnt disk! The chances of it being outdated are insanely huge! And trust me, you would NOT want to install a billion windows updates due to the fact that you installed an old image. Go with the DVD you’ve burnt the latest iso on.

For Question 2:

I’ve noticed that the installation wizard only lets you install windows on a specific partition and won’t let you touch the rest. I also found several different partitions on my laptop, but it would only let me install on one. You can always create new partitions after the installation (it’s somewhere in control panel)

For Question 3:

The file manager on windows 8.1 is exactly the same as that of windows 7, just has a different “theme”. And it’s already pinned on the task bar by default. So I have no clue what you’re talking about here... could be that you’ve used windows 8 and not 8.1.



I have to say, I’m quite impressed by how much research and thought you’ve put into this. I usually go by the “install it without thinking it through, see if you like it. If not, go back.” approach. It works, but not everyone’s a fan of said approach haha.