Can't go back to Windows 8.1 with Bing, using 8.1 Media Creation tool

Not a problem for me, but thought I'd post results of an experiment.

I had a conversation with @NavyLCDR over on another thread about whether users who had computers pre-installed with Windows 8.1 with Bing could use the Windows 8.1 Media Creation tool to re-install Windows 8.1. (See quoted posts below.)

Microsoft says on the Media Creation tool website that users of Windows 8.1 with Bing should contact their OEMs, but PC Steps Magazine seemed to suggest that you could download the Single Language version with the Media Creation tool and it would work.

I said I'd give it a go and finally had an opportunity today to try it...

... and it doesn't work.

I tried reinstalling Windows 8.1 Single Language (32-bit) ISO created by the Media Creation tool for me as a UK user, on my tablet which came with Windows 8.1 with Bing.

However when I tried it, it asked for a Product Key (my understanding is that it should just read the key from the motherboard without asking). I tried typing in the Product Key, but it says 'The product key entered does not match any of the Windows images available for installation. Enter a different product key'. (It clearly recognises it as a real key, if I type in random letters as a key, it just says the product key didn't work.)

So, unless there's a way round this, I think PC Steps are wrong.

It does mean that if you want to upgrade from Windows 8.1 with Bing, make sure you have a backup image before trying an upgrade to Windows 10, because if that goes wrong, there may be no way back.

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Original conversation from the other thread...

DavidY said:

Assuming this means the laptop came with 'Windows 8.1 with Bing' then the approach suggested here won't work:

.. because (unless they've changed it recently), you can't download Windows 8.1 with Bing, and the embedded key in the laptop motherboard won't work with regular Windows 8.1.

NavyLCDR said:

According to this:
Download Windows 8.1 ISOs, Legally Free from Microsoft | PCsteps.com

Windows 8.1 with Bing is just the single language addition.

I can't verify this because I don't have a Windows with Bing 'puter. If someone were to send me a "destroyed" Windows with Bing netbook, I could try it out .

DavidY said:

According to the Microsoft webpage referenced in that article:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-refresh-media

It's not clear why they'd say that if it was a straightforward as downloading the Single Language edition. I might give it a go at some point, but I don't hold out too much hope.

NavyLCDR said:

Do you still have access to the Windows with Bing product key? Try running showkey and see what it says about your product keys. It should read the Windows with Bing product key from the bios. If it was on a printed label, you can type it into showkey and see what version it attributes it to.

DavidY said:

Yeah I'd saved it with showkey at some point in the past.

It says the Edition is: Win 8.1 RTM CoreConnected OEM:DM

NavyLCDR said:

A google search for CoreConnected shows a lot of connections to Single Language. So I think PCSteps was correct.

Thanks for the update, and sorry it didn't work....

It's not a problem (for me at least, although it is a potential issue for those without a good backup).

I just thought it would be interesting to try it and post back. :)

DavidY said:

It's not a problem (for me at least, although it is a potential issue for those without a good backup).

I just thought it would be interesting to try it and post back. :)

I would never buy a computer with Windows with Bing or Windows 8 RT. Just my opinion.... Too bad sometimes computers are advertised with full versions of Windows when they don't actually have a full, unrestricted version though.

NavyLCDR said:

I would never buy a computer with Windows with Bing or Windows 8 RT. Just my opinion.... Too bad sometimes computers are advertised with full versions of Windows when they don't actually have a full, unrestricted version though.

Windows 8.1 with Bing isn't restricted in any way that I'm aware of, and it's easy enough to switch from Bing to Google (or whatever is your favourite search engine). This issue with not being able to download the ISO is pretty much the only issue I'm aware of, and it's possible to work around by taking a backup of the computer when it's new. It's not that long ago that the Media Creation tool for 8.1 came out, so there is still a possibility they may extend it to 'with Bing'.

And of course at the moment a device with 8.1 with Bing is a cheap way into Windows 10 Home.

Windows RT, however, is a whole different ball-game...

DavidY said:

Windows 8.1 with Bing isn't restricted in any way that I'm aware of, and it's easy enough to switch from Bing to Google (or whatever is your favourite search engine). This issue with not being able to download the ISO is pretty much the only issue I'm aware of, and it's possible to work around by taking a backup of the computer when it's new.

I suppose....but knowing the difficulty in obtaining an alternate way of obtaining and re-installing the OS in the event something goes wrong would still be a non-starter for me. Of course I just got lucky, because I had no idea about that until this topic came up here on this forum.

I am facing the same issue with my Asus tablet which was preloaded with windows 8.1 with bing. I updated it to windows 10. Now no option to go back to 8.1. Tried windows 8.1 with single language but not working. Since last one month trying to find a torrent or download link for 8.1 with bing - 32 bit but not getting it. Today got one link for the torrent. If successful, I will share the information with all.

Best practice is.. before starting to use your new device, create a restore disk and than do anything with it. So that you can restore it. And don't delete the old windows folder until you are not satisfied with the new OS.

funfeast said:

I am facing the same issue with my Asus tablet which was preloaded with windows 8.1 with bing. I updated it to windows 10. Now no option to go back to 8.1. Tried windows 8.1 with single language but not working. Since last one month trying to find a torrent or download link for 8.1 with bing - 32 bit but not getting it. Today got one link for the torrent. If successful, I will share the information with all.

I don't think you're allowed to post the actual link to a torrent on here.

It's a shame that Microsoft don't provide a way to create 8.1 with Bing media, when they happily let folks download media for the other 'consumer' versions of 8.1.

Their official advice is to contact the OEM - did you try asking Asus? (I imagine they would charge you for it though.)

funfeast said:

Best practice is.. before starting to use your new device, create a restore disk and than do anything with it. So that you can restore it. And don't delete the old windows folder until you are not satisfied with the new OS.

Yes I took a backup of my 8.1 tablet when I got it - doing this has saved me from problems before now.

I'd also recommend that 8.1 users take a backup image of their running system just before attempting to upgrade to 10, in case they need to roll back.

I purchased this tablet from US, and now the tablet location is India. Not getting the free service. I asked many time to Asus support regarding the version of windows, through the ticket system, they just keep on repeating, go to service center. they will keep my device for a week or so. I have no other option but to submit my device to service center.