How to install all Windows OS from Network

Talk about a complex thing to do: installing Windows over the network. Even installing it via a USB drive is simpler. However, this doesn’t mean it cannot be done. Using a free tool named Serva and a bit of time and attention, anyone can set up his/her network environment so that Windows installations are performed with ease, from one network computer. Here’s how the whole process works!

VERY IMPORTANT Prerequisites

There are many things you need to prepare beforehand, so that everything works smoothly. Please don’t skip any of these elements or the likelihood of failure will be high:

1. You need to download and extract a little tool named Serva. Download the appropriate version for your operating system (32-bit or 64-bit). You will notice that there are a "Non-Supporter" version and a "Supporter" version. The free one is the "Non-Supporter" version. It includes a small annoyance when you start it, plus a few limitations that won’t impact you unless you are a network admin or IT professional who needs to install lots of operating systems on many network computers. If you are such a professional, go ahead and purchase the "Supporter" version which costs a fair $29.99.
2. This software is a bit finicky. It doesn’t like long folder structures and installation folders, spaces and special characters. Therefore, extract it in a folder with a short name, directly on the root of one of your computer’s partitions. For example, I extracted it at "D:\SERVA". Choose a similar path on your computer.
   
3. You need the original installation files for the operating system(s) you want to install over the network. Have them at hand as you will need to copy them to a special folder, as they are, without modifications.
4. For the computers where you are about to install Windows over the network, identify their exact network card model(s). Then, download the appropriate drivers for the Windows version you are about to install on them. By default, Windows setup programs support a limited number of network cards. If your system is rather new, then it is very likely that it won’t support its network card and the installation procedure will fail.
5. Every time you run Serva, run it as administrator. This way it has the required permissions to create files, save the settings you make, etc.
6. When you run Serva, make sure that it is not blocked by your firewall. The application must be set as allowed on the computer where it runs, otherwise it won’t be able to transfer anything over the network.
7. The computer where the installation files are stored and the one where you want to install Windows must be part of the same network. This means that you have a router on your home network, managing network IP addresses and network traffic. If not, then you should directly connect the two computers with a crossover cable.

Step 1 - Run Serva & Make Its Initial Configuration

Run Serva as administrator. The free version will ask you to wait for 7 seconds before you can use it. Once the wait is over, click "Thanks, not today".

Its window is now open. Click Settings.

First, go to the DHCP tab. If your computers are part of the same network and the management of IP Addresses is taken care of by your router, enable these settings: proxyDHCP and BINL.

BINL is a special add-on that acts as a DHCP protocol extension and it is used by Serva during its preparation and maintenance procedures. proxyDHCP is a special setting that tells Serva that it doesn’t need to act as a DCHP server in order to provide IP addresses to the computers connecting to it.

Even though Serva’s developers don’t recommending enabling this setting, we have learned in our testing that it helps eliminate some issues. Therefore, also enable the box which says "Bind DHCP to this address" and leave the default IP address that is provided.

There is no need to modify other settings in this tab. Next, go to the TFTP tab.

TFTP comes from Trivial File Transfer Protocol and it is the protocol used by Serva to transfer files over the network. This protocol needs a bit of configuration as well.

First, check the box near TFTP Server. Then, you need to specify the so called "root" directory. This is the directory where you plan to store the Windows installation files. This folder can be the same folder where you extracted Serva or a new one. Keep in mind that you should use short paths and avoid using spaces and special characters (*, &, ", etc) in the directory name or its path.

To help eliminate problems in some networking environments, you might want to also check the box near "Bind TFTP to this address" and leave the default IP address unchanged.

Press OK to save your settings. Then close Serva and start it again (as administrator). During the restart, it will create a special folder structure in the root folder you specified.

Amongst those folders, you must find one named WIA_WDS and another named WIA_RIS. If they are not found inside the root folder you specified, something went wrong with Serva’s configuration. If all is well, go ahead and read the next section in this article.

Step 2 - Copy the Windows Installation Files

Go to the root folder you specified. Here, you need to copy the Windows installation files, as they are, without any modifications from your side.

If you want to install older versions of Windows like Windows XP or Windows 2000, you need to copy those files in the WIA_RIS folder. Since these operating systems are very old and we don’t recommend using them, we won’t provide specific instructions for them.

If you plan to install Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8, then open the WIA_WDS folder. There, create a new folder named according to the Windows version you want to copy. Use simple folder names, with no spaces or special characters. For example, I used Windows_7.

Create separate folders, with different names for all the Windows versions you plan to install over the network, using Serva.

Inside that folder, copy and paste all the installation files for the Windows version you want to install over the network. Simply go to the root of the installation disc, and copy its entire file and folder structure.

Step 3 - Start Serva

Start Serva again, as administrator and wait for it to detect the installation files you added. It will create its special folder structure, required to distribute the installation files over the network.

Then, close Serva and go to the next step.

Step 4 - Copy the Network Card Driver(s)

Next, you need to copy the network card drivers for the computer(s) on which you want to install Windows.

Go the folder where you copied the installation files. In my case it was "D:\serva" (both the root and Serva installation folder), followed by "WIA_WDS\Windows_7".

There, go to "$OEM$\$1\Drivers\NIC". If you can’t find these folders, create them yourself.

Then, extract the network card drivers and place them inside. If your drivers come as a setup.exe or as a self-extractable archive, extract it first. Make sure the driver’s ".inf" and ".cat" files are stored directly in the NIC folder.

Step 5 - Share WIA_WDS Folder with the Network

In order for Serva to distribute the Windows installation files over the network, they need to be shared with the network, so that other computers can access them. Unfortunately, Serva requires you to share the WIA_WDS folder (and not its subfolders or other folders) using a very specific share name: WIA_WDS_SHARE. Using any other share name means that the installation procedure is likely to fail.

To share this folder with the name we mentioned, you first need to enable advanced sharing in Windows and then share it. Here’s how advanced sharing works in Windows: Share Libraries or Folders Using Advanced Sharing.

You must give the user Everyone read-only permissions. You can also share this folder with specific user accounts, whose login details you will use later on, during the network installation process. Again, read-only permissions are enough.

Step 6 - Start Serva

Start Serva again, using administrator permissions. It will detect the network drivers you added and make a few changes, so that the drivers are distributed correctly when you launch the installation process on other computers. You can now leave it open and waiting for network connections.

Next, go to the computer(s) where you want to install Windows.

Step 7 - On the Target PC - Enable Lan Booting & Boot from the Network

Go to the computer where you want to install Windows and enter its BIOS. Make sure networking booting is enabled. This setting can be named "Boot from the network" or "Boot from PXE".

Then, start the computer and press the required key to bring up the Boot Menu. On most computers, you need to press F12 or F8, depending on the BIOS version. Select Network or PXE(again, this depends on your computer’s BIOS), to boot from the network, using Serva.

If all is well, you should see a screen similar to the one below, where the computer’s MAC is displayed and the network card requests an IP address via DHCP.

When the computer is connected to the network, Serva loads and displays a screen with the operating systems available for installation. Pick the one you want and press ENTER.

The installation files are loaded and a small window named ServaPENet is shown. At this step, Serva installs the network driver you added earlier, loads network resources and connects to the Windows installation folder. Depending on how you shared the WIA_WDS folder, it will ask you to provide a username and password to access it. Type the details of the user account you shared it with and connect.

If all went well, the Windows installation process is now started.

Step 8 - Install Windows Over the Network

Next, continue with the Windows installation, as usual. If you plan to install Windows 8, check this installation guide: How to Install Windows 8 RTM on Your Computer.

If you plan to instal Windows 7, check this article: How to Install Windows 7 - Complete Round of Installation Guides.

Troubleshooting Problems with Serva

If you don’t pay attention to all the steps in this procedure, some things are likely to fail. Here are some things we learned while experimenting with this tool:

• If ServaPENet returns this error: "Failed No NIC/Driver, Aborting!", it means that you forgot to copy the network card drivers as instructed at Step 4. If you copied them and you still get the error, double check that you have the correct driver for the network card of the computer where you want to install Windows, for the Windows version you are about to install. Also, double check that you copied it to the correct folder. Then, restart Serva to make sure it detects the driver before the network installation procedure starts.
• If, on the target computer, Serva is not able to load at all over the network, consider enabling the "Bind DHCP to this address" and "Bind TFTP to this address" settings in the DHCP and TFTP tabs.
• If you connected two computers directly, with a crossover cable, you need to set Serva as DHCP server, in order for everything to work. This means setting the 1st address available in the IP pool, the pool size, and the subnet mask to be used when Serva assigns IP addresses.
  
• One last piece of advice is to check the Serva logs. The messages shown there can help you troubleshoot different problems.

Another good tip is to restart Serva every time you change any of its settings and every time you add something to its root folder.

Since we are not the developers of this software, we cannot provide support for it and help you with all the issues you might encounter. If our guide does not help you, then double check Serva’s documentation - Serva PXE/BINL - AN01: Windows Install and advanced configuration guide - Advanced Topics on TFTP.

Conclusion

As you can see from this guide, setting things up with Serva requires quite a bit of time and attention. However, it is the simplest way of installing any modern version of Windows over the network. It works great both for home networks and small or medium sized business networks.

If you know other useful tools for installing Windows over the network, don’t hesitate to share them using the comments form below.

Retrive Windows 8 and Windows 7 license key from your installation

If you have lost your Windows 7 or Windows 8 license key, you can still recover it from the computer or device where it is installed. Many programs were developed for recovering Windows 7 product keys but not that many work on Windows 8. That’s why I decided to test a couple of programs, identify those that work also with Windows 8 and share them with you. You never know when you need to recover your lost license key.

NOTE: Some of the programs that were tested in this roundup promise to also recover the license key for other products except Windows (e.g. Microsoft Office). I have a legal Microsoft Office 2013 installation and no program was able to read my product key. All of them seem to support only Microsoft Office 2010 and earlier versions. From this perspective, all of them need an upgrade.

Recovering Your Windows Product Key with Belarc Advisor 8.3b

Belarc Advisor 8.3b is a free program that you download and install on your computer. It doesn’t just show your Windows license key but also builds a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware, network inventory, missing Microsoft hotfixes, anti-virus status and security benchmarks.

When you run it, it spends quite a while analyzing the local network of your computer or device.

When done, the results are shown in a local web page. There is lots of information being shown and you might be lost at first.

If you look carefully, you’ll find a Software Licenses link on the right, which takes you to the section with the same name. There you will find several software licenses, including the one for your Windows installation.

This program works well but it spends more time to load the data you require because it looks for much more data than other programs. If you just want to learn your Windows product key, other programs are faster and better.

Recovering Your Windows Product Key with Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder 2.0

Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder 2.0 has a very weird name but it is a free program that works. When installing it, pay attention though, as it also tries to install a free game you might not want.

Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder 2.0 has a very simple interface and shows the information you are interested in quite fast.

Browse through the available sections, find the data you need and use it. This program is fast and it works quite well. Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder 2.0 is also able to display the product key for Microsoft Office, up to version 2010.

Recovering Your Windows Product Key with ProduKey v1.56

ProduKey v1.56 is a small utility that displays the ProductID and the CD-Key of Microsoft Office (only up to version 2007), Windows, Exchange Server, and SQL Server installed on your computer.

You download its archive, extract it and run ProduKey.exe. The program launches instantly and displays the appropriate product key information.

It is small, free, fast and easy to use. Highly recommended!

Recovering Your Windows Product Key with LicenseCrawler 1.28

LicenseCrawler 1.28 is a program free for personal use. Download its archive, extract it and runLicenseCrawler.exe.

When you run the program for the first time, you need to select the language you want to use and go through several prompts until you get to use it, including some annoying commercials.

LicenseCrawler is quite technical and, in order to find your Windows product key, you need to select your computer and press Start Search. Then, it takes a couple of minutes to scan your entire registry and display all the product key information it finds.

With LicenseCrawler you can find your Windows product key as well as the keys for other products installed on your computer, if such information is stored in the Windows registry.

Even though this product works well, novices and casual users will find it too technical and hard to use.

Install Windows 8 on a Mac running OS X Mountain Lion

Although I'd known for a while that one can install Windows on an Intel-powered Mac, I didn't think I had much reason to try it. But then I sat down and actually read the directions for using the Mac utility named Boot Camp, and quickly realized that installing Windows 8 would not only be easy, it would also be an answer to my problems with my underpowered, small-screened netbook. My Mac Mini has plenty of power, and it's attached to a nice widescreen monitor that should show off Windows 8 perfectly. Oh, and I'd finally be able to get apps from the Windows Store! So I decided to give it a try. Here's how I did it. And learned several new things along the way.

What You Need in Order to Install Windows 8 on a Mac

There are several ways one can install Windows 8 on a Mac. It can be done using commercial software called Parallels, for example. But you don't need to buy any third-party software to do it. Boot Camp is built right into OS X, and it will allow you to set up your Mac to dual boot OS X with any other operating system you want.

You will need the 64-bit full version of Windows 8 for this endeavor. The 32-bit version and upgrade versions of Windows 8 won't work. You'll also need at least 30 GB of free space on the hard drive, and an 8GB USB drive to store the Mac/Windows drivers on.

As with any other project of this nature, the very first thing you want to do before you do anything else is make sure that OS X and all your apps are up to date. Click on the Apple menu in the upper left corner and choose Software Update.

The Mac will search to see if any of your installed software needs to be updated. In my case, nothing needed to be dealt with.

Once everything is up to date, be sure to make a full backup of your Mac. OS X's built-in Time Machine can do this, and here are Apple's official instructions for that: Mac Basics: Time Machine. I use commercial software called SuperDuper! to add more options to my automaticTime Machine backups. As you may have noticed in previous articles, I am a nut about backups. :)

SuperDuper! is very easy to configure, and I usually have it set to back up only the files that have changed since the last backup. While Time Machine runs at regular intervals all day long,SuperDuper! can be set to run on your own schedule.

Once you've backed everything up, you're ready to begin.

How to Use Boot Camp

Either from the Dock or the Finder, open the Applications folder and then choose the Utilitiesfolder. From "Applications -> Utilities", launch Boot Camp Assistant.

The screenshot above shows it being launched from the Dock.

Boot Camp Assistant begins by explaining what it's going to do. Click Continue to start it.

Once you're running the Boot Camp Assistant, you are presented with some choices.

What you do next depends on the form of your Windows 8. If you have an installation disc, you do not need to check the first selection - "Create a Windows 7 or later version install disk". That's to be used if your Windows installation disc came to you in the form of a disk image (ISO). Since I had Windows 8 on a DVD, I un-checked that. The second and third choices are necessary for all Boot Camp Windows installations. As you might guess, Macs don't come with Windows drivers installed, so you will need to download those to make your hardware work properly with Windows 8 (the second choice) and then, of course, you will want to install Windows (the third choice).

At the next screen you'll choose where to store the necessary Windows drivers that you chose to download on the previous screen. I've chosen my USB stick. Once the driver download starts, you can sit back and relax for a while. :)

Once you've downloaded and saved the necessary drivers, you'll be asked to partition your hard drive. While 30GB is the minimum recommended, you can assign more space if you prefer. Make sure you leave enough space for your Mac to operate properly and store its files. Just drag and drop the divider to choose your drive size. I set up my Boot Camp partition (which is labeled as Windows) to be 40GB. As you can see, there is even a button to click if you want to assign equal space to OS X and Windows.

Once the partition is created, you'll be asked to reboot your Mac. Make sure that your Windows 8 installation disk is inserted properly in your optical drive (or a USB slot if your software is on a USB stick).

Sometimes, Macs don't "Just work." My USB connections cause problems!

When I began the Windows 8 installation I quickly found that the Mac has an annoying quirk that complicated this otherwise simple procedure for me. When it reboots, if you are using a USB device (either an external DVD drive or a USB stick) to install Windows from, you may get a black screen.

If this happens, the official instructions say to hold down the power key until your Mac shuts off, and then disconnect all USB devices except your installation device, mouse, and keyboard. Then press the power key again, and hold down the Option key (which is the Alt key if you're using a PC keyboard) until you see a screen from which you can choose which device to boot from. Choose your Windows installation device and you're good to go.

Or that's how it works on paper. In practice, if you have a portable DVD drive that gets all its power from the computer by plugging into two USB ports, the Mac will see it as two devices and balk.

So I took my Windows 8 installation disk and used the OEM version of Nero that came with my DVD drive to create a disc image from it. (Sorry no screenshot of this; I was somewhat frazzled at the time.)

Then I made a bootable USB stick using a small free utility called Rufus. I'd suggest using a 16GB USB stick for this, just to be sure you've got enough space.

Once THAT was all done, I was finally ready to start the installation process. Fortunately, there were no more hiccups! I rebooted the Mac, and with only one extra USB device detected, everything went as it was supposed to.

How to Install Windows 8 on a Mac

After your Mac reboots, you'll be asked where you want to install Windows. Choose the disk partition called BOOTCAMP. This partition needs to be in NTFS format, so choose "Drive Options (advanced)" and from there choose Format. The Windows 8 installer will take care of formatting it properly for installation. From here you'll have to put up with photos from my phone... yes, I know I need to buy a real camera. :)

When the installation begins, you will be asked what kind of installation you want. Choose"Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)".

Once you've made your choice, you can just sit back and let Windows 8 do its thing. :)

As with an installation on a PC, your computer will reboot several times during the process. Don't worry about this and don't touch anything. Go get a cup of coffee or a snack or find something else to do, because the installation does take a while.

If you'd like a full description of what a new Windows 8 installation looks like, check here: How to Upgrade to Windows 8 from Windows 7, Windows Vista or Earlier.

Finally, you will be rewarded. Ta-daaa!

Mandatory Post Installation Steps

The first thing you should do after Windows 8 installs is to insert the USB drive you created at the beginning (the one that contains all the Apple specific drivers). If the setup doesn't start automatically, use File Explorer to view the files on the USB stick and run Setup. From there, the process is automatic. You will need to restart your computer when it's finished.

Once you've restarted, go to Windows Update, and install all the necessary updates. Here's our tutorial for that: How to Check for & Install Windows Updates.

Once you're finished with the updates, you've got a fully functional Windows 8 on your Mac!

How to Switch Between Windows 8 or Mac OS X

Your Mac can now boot into either OS X or Windows 8. To switch from one to the other, if you're starting from OS X, go to the Apple menu and choose Restart.

From Windows 8, either swipe in from the right or move your mouse to the upper right-hand corner, tap or click the Settings icon, choose Power and then Restart.

Hold down the Option or Alt key till you get the screen from which you can choose your operating system.

Click the drive labeled Windows, and you're good to go.

Conclusions

Although installing Windows 8 on my Mac Mini running OS X Mountain Lion wasn't quite as quick and easy as the official instructions made it appear it would be, it was still not difficult to do. And I suspect most people will not run into the stumbling blocks that I did, because statistics say that the vast majority of Mac owners have portable computers, where the USB port issue won't be a problem.

One really great thing about this dual-boot setup is that the files from each operating system are fully available to the other one, either from the Finder in OS X or File Explorer in Windows 8. No more schlepping files across the network or via sneakernet!

I now have a Windows 8 computer that is fast, has a reasonable sized screen and that can open up anything in the Windows Store I might desire. I'm definitely going to spend time browsing all the apps, now that I can get them, and checking our great tutorials to find out how to personalize Windows 8. They are listed just beneath this article.

Windows 8.1 preview installation

Are you curious to learn more about Windows 8.1 Public Preview, give it a test run and see what Microsoft has in store for its users? Before you download it and use it on your computer, we recommend that you read our guide. It shares some important facts you need to know before going ahead with the installation, plus it guides you through all the steps you need to follow.

What to Expect from Windows 8.1

There are many new things in Windows 8.1 Public Preview. This promotional video summarizes some of them in a visual manner.

If you want something more detailed, we have a very good overview, here: What's New in Windows 8.1 Public Preview (codename "Blue")?.

Things to Keep in Mind

If you install Windows 8.1 Public Preview, you cannot simply uninstall it nor can you directly upgrade to the final Windows 8.1 version, when it is released later this year.

If you want to install it on your computer, it is best to have it alongside your current operating system, in a multi-boot configuration. Installing it in a virtual machine is also a good option as you can easily remove it once you are done testing the Windows 8.1 Public Preview. At this moment, the latest version of VirtualBox doesn't work with Windows 8.1 Public Preview. The only virtual machine software that works without issues is VMware Player.

Before you start the installation, you need to have a product key available. Here's the one shared by Microsoft: NTTX3-RV7VB-T7X7F-WQYYY-9Y92F.

It is best to have a working internet connection available, so that Windows 8.1 Public Preview can double check your Microsoft account details and download the latest updates available. A Microsoft account is requested by Windows 8.1 Public Preview. Unlike during the Windows 8 setup process, you are not given the option to create and use a local user account. The only exception to this rule is when you don't have a network connection available or something went wrong with the validation your Microsoft account. Only then are you given the option to create a local user account.

Windows 8.1 Public Preview uses approximately 12 GB of space without any special extras installed. If you want to install other applications, you should make a larger partition for it. My recommendation is to go for a minimum of at least 20 - 25 GB.

Windows 8.1 Public Preview - The Installation Procedure

First, you need to boot your computer using the Windows 8.1 Public Preview installation disc. If you are using a virtual machine, boot from the .iso disc installation image.

Windows 8.1 Public Preview takes a while to load the setup files, during which you will see the Betta fish shown below.

Once the necessary files are copied, the setup starts by asking what language, time, currency and keyboard input settings you want to use. Make the selections you prefer and click Next.

Click the Install now button to start the installation.

You are asked to enter the product key required to activate your Windows 8.1 Public Preview installation. Type NTTX3-RV7VB-T7X7F-WQYYY-9Y92F and click Next.

You are asked to read the license agreement. Check the "I accept the license terms" box and click Next.

You are asked to choose between making an upgrade or a custom installation. Choose"Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)". As mentioned before, it is best that you do not upgrade from Windows 8 or any other version of Windows, to Windows 8.1 Public Preview. It is a test version that is bound to have bugs and issues.

Now you are asked to select where you want to install Windows. Select the partition you want to use for Windows 8.1 and click Next.

NOTE: If you are installing Windows 8.1 Public Preview in a virtual machine or on a new computer, you first need to create the partition where you want to install it. Therefore click onDrive Options. Then, create the partition using the New button. Specify the size of the partition and click Apply. At this step, you may be asked to confirm if you are OK with Windows 8.1 creating an additional partition for its system files, that will be used for boot and recovery. If you are asked, click OK.

The installation starts. The setup will take a few minutes to copy all the required files and install the operating system.

Once the installation is done, the Windows 8.1 setup will automatically reboot your system. Then, you will see the progress of the preparations made for your first login. In order for this process to finish, you might need to go through another reboot, depending on your computer's hardware configuration.

How to Personalize the Windows 8.1 Installation

After the restart, Windows 8.1 Public Preview starts the customization process.

Start by giving a name for your computer. If you type some "unauthorized" characters like $, %, &, you will be notified appropriately. Also, choose the background color you prefer. When done, click Next.

If you are installing Windows 8.1 on a laptop or device with a wireless network card, you are asked to select the wireless network to connect to and type the appropriate password for connecting to it. On a computer or device connected via cable to the network, you won't go through this step.

Next, you need to choose if you want to use the express settings Windows 8.1 comes bundled with, or you want to customize your installation. Let's get our hands dirty and see what happens if you click Customize.

First, you are asked if you want to turn on file sharing or not. Select the option you prefer.

Then, you are asked about the default behavior of Windows Update and that of security features like Windows SmartScreen. Change the things you are interested in and click Next.

Then, you are asked about troubleshooting options and what you want to turn on. You can set whether you want to send different types of information to Microsoft. Set things according to your preference and click Next.

Next, you are asked if you want to send different types of information to Microsoft and whether apps can use your name, account picture and if they are allowed to access your location. Set things according to your preference and click Next.

Finally, you get to connect your PC to your Microsoft account. Type your Microsoft account details and click Next.

If you have not used your Microsoft account to install Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 until now, you may be asked to provide an alternate e-mail and phone number to recover your account password, in case you forget it or it is changed by unwanted guests. Provide the requested details and click Next.

If you have used your Microsoft account before, to install Windows 8 or Windows 8.1, you will be asked to use a security code to verify your account. Select how you would like to receive that code: via a text message on your phone, via a phone call or via email. Then, click Next.

Now you are asked to enter the security code you just received, using the method you selected. Type it and click Next.

Now you are asked to select whether you would like to use SkyDrive in Windows 8.1. For the best computing experience, it is best to select Use SkyDrive.

Windows 8.1 takes a while to prepare your computer, your apps and all the settings. The process may also involve a restart. When done, you are logged into Windows 8.1 and you can view the Start screen.

Welcome to Windows 8.1 Public Preview!

Exceptions to the Above Installation Procedure

The procedure shared above is not always exactly the same on every computer. There are some exceptions to it.

For example, if the Windows 8.1 setup doesn't detect a working internet connection, you won't be asked to login using a Microsoft account. You are given the option to create a local user account. Then, the personalization process ends without entering any security code and without setting up whether to use SkyDrive or not.

Another exception is when you are using your Microsoft account to perform a second or third installation of Windows 8.1. Instead of being asked whether to use SkyDrive or not, you are asked whether you want to set up this PC using the settings synchronized from other installations you have made.

Make your choice and follow the setup wizard.

Conclusion

I noticed that the Windows 8.1 Public Preview installation process is slightly simpler and faster than that of Windows 8. The changes are not major but they do streamline the process. If you noticed other changes and novelties don't hesitate to leave a comment.

I hope you found this guide useful and, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask using the comments form below.