Hello,

I bought a new laptop that has Win 8 preinstalled on it.  I can't figure out how to tell what edition, I think it's Home something or other.

I've tried following the directions at:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/feature-packs

When I swipe and search for "add features" it comes up blank.  I have a MSDN subscription and downloaded (and got a key for) a Win 8 Pro ISO, but I tried running it and it didn't seem to do anything.  I was never presented with a  place to enter my key for the upgrade.  I assume I can use this key if I ever get the "add features" to show up?

-Charlie

On 4/6/2013 6:46 PM, Charles Foxtrot wrote:

<snipped>

You have to change the product-key on the "Computer"  to the Windows 8 Pro Key. But you will not be able to give the Win 8 pro product-key at the time during the DVD installation process, at least that's what happened for me doing a Win 8 Pro install over Win 8 Home. This is assuming you booted off the Win 8 Pro DVD and did the install, and it never asked for the product-key.

After the install, you can go to the Desktop tile from the Start page and  go to File Explorer where you will see the "Properties" tab. You can also  type in "computer" from that Start page, and then  you can click the icon that takes you to File Explorer and to the "Properties" tab. It's at the "Properties" tab where you will see the specs for the computer and the O/S type. You will also see a line about "changing the product-key or activate it", and it is there where you will give the Win 8 pro product-key. It will run for a little bit, but after it's all said and done, the O/S should indicate that it's Win 8 pro.

I believe the only time you will see the "change product-key" is when you boot off the Win pro DVD and do the install, and then the change product-key feature is activated so you can change the product-key.
 I went through hell for a couple of hours. I did the install off the Win 8 pro DVD and installed it. It never stopped and asked for the product-key. I looked at the computer specs after the install, and it never showed that it was Win 8 pro. It was still Win 8 Home. :)  What the hell do mean you are not Win 8 Pro? I did the install off of the DVD! :)

• Marked as answer by Charles Foxtrot Sunday, April 07, 2013 2:45 AM

Hey, 

Your steps worked like a charm any idea how I can get to media center.  It doesn't seem to have been installed with Win 8 Pro.

-Charlie

On 4/6/2013 10:46 PM, Charles Foxtrot wrote:

Hey,

Your steps worked like a charm any idea how I can get to media center.  It doesn't seem to have been installed with Win 8 Pro.

It doesn't come with Windows 8. There is no more DVD in Media Center either. I just went back to the computer manufacture's download site and installed their DVD software and other things for Windows 8. That's if you did the format of the HD. I never upgrade over the existing O/S as that usually winds up being trouble as things start failing when I have done it in the past.

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/download-windows-8-media-center-pack-free

You can checkout the Windows-Key/X-key combination, which can be used at the Windows Desktop or at the Start Page.

If you are at the desktop, then you can use the ALT-Ky/F4-Key combination to logoff at the desktop, shutdown or restart etc etc.

Navigate to your desktop then press Windows-C then settings then Pc info then "Get more features with a new edition of windows". The instructions in the link you provided are incorrect. Add features does not return a result when you search for it.