windows-8-unlocked

It’s a pain to download gigs of different Windows 8 edition ISO files, right? But when you will finish reading this article, you’ll be happy to know that you can unlock all the editions of Windows 8 from one ISO.

Actually Windows 8 ISO image contains all editions and Windows 8 Product Key defines which edition to be installed. Though the selection screen is locked by default but there is a way to unlock it. In this blog post, I will show you step by step process of unlocking all the edition of Windows 8 from a single ISO.

Windows 8 ISO image contains all editions (Core and Pro) but Windows 8 Setup doesn’t prompt or ask for user selection of which edition of the operating system they want to install. Instead Windows 8 ISO DVD installs the product key specific edition automatically.

After doing some R&D, I have figured out ISOs configuration and cracked it to opt for user direction to Windows 8 editions during installation. It is just like I unlocked Windows 7 ISO but the process is slightly different for Windows 8 Setup.

windows-8-unlocked

Note: The following method is legal, and doesn’t require a lot of technical expertise.

Prerequisites:

  • Windows 8 ISO from MSDN / TechNet sites
  • WinRAR / WinZip or other ISO extracting tool
  • Windows ADK (Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit)

How To:

  1. Download Windows 8 ISO from MSDN or TechNet sites (both are serving same ISO images)
  2. Use WinRAR / WinZip to extract the image; For instance I extracted image within C:\DVD_Data
  3. Open Notepad to create a file with following content and save as ei.cfg in Sources folder.
  4. [Channel]
    Retail

    For more information ei.cfg visit: How to bypass product key while installing Windows 8.

  5. Now create the bootable ISO or USB stick and burn your unlocked Windows 8 disc containing both Core and Pro editions.
unlocked-windows-8-iso
Windows 8 Unlocked ISO Image

12 responses to “How to unlock all editions from Windows 8 ISO Image”

  1. Ashish Avatar
    Ashish

    Dear Sir, Can I Unlock Editions Core Pro x64Bit from Windows 8.1 Enterprise x64.iso

  2. Ashish Avatar
    Ashish

    Hello sir, How to remove some Windows 8.1 Editions from Windows 8.1 AIO disk Please Reply.

  3. Ms Avatar
    Ms

    I want to create all ver 8.1 dvd/usb, but simply copy ei.cfg as 8 to 8.1 iso should not work. Any idea? Is only one change after create ei.cfg in 8.1. Installer can’t ask for the serial number at the begining of installation.

  4. Gautham Surendran Avatar
    Gautham Surendran

    i did all that but i only have windows 8 core and release preview! HELP!

  5. migros Avatar
    migros

    What do you need the ADK for?

  6. disqus_qBQaynlXh1 Avatar
    disqus_qBQaynlXh1

    Is it ok to just delete ei.cfg from a AIO image.

  7. Renosa Avatar
    Renosa

    hi if i want to intergrate enterprise and pro/core for both x32 & x64, i must use the above mentined file?
    so the final Disk will have 6 versions?
    and if i want to intergrate and a diferent languge? is the same?

  8. Ryan Avatar
    Ryan

    i have created but its 3.88 gb is there any problem in giving commands in windows aik?

  9. Rob Avatar
    Rob

    Tried several times with Technet Enterprise ISO, but no luck.
    Checked /sources/ei.cfg inside ISO, and it’s right.

    1. Ramesh Kumar Avatar
      Ramesh Kumar

      Enterprise ISO contains a single edition only. therefore you need either Core or Pro ISO to unlock all.

  10. arun Avatar
    arun

    dear author,
    i tried the procedure…….
    but when i tried to install its asking the serial and i cant find the pro.
    note: i downloaded windows from microsoft ie release preview

    1. Ramesh Kumar Avatar
      Ramesh Kumar

      The method applies to Windows 8 RTM only.

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