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Install Server 2012 on Dell Inspiron 660 (Windows 8 Preinstalled w/ key in BIOS)

Answered Install Server 2012 on Dell Inspiron 660 (Windows 8 Preinstalled w/ key in BIOS)

  • Monday, March 18, 2013 4:29 PM
     
     
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    After an 11 year hiatus, I am trying to set up a box to get familar with things again.  I want to set up Windows Server 2012 on this machine from Dell that came preconfigured with Windows 8 Pro.  The copy of Windows Server 2012 was downloaded from my Technet subscription and I did retrieve a product key for it.  I have spent several hours going through posts trying to find an answer, but nothing so far.

    Setup starts fine and then I get the following message, The product key entered does not match any of the Windows images available for installation. Enter a different product key."  Of course, due to the product key for Windows 8 being burnt into the motherboard somewhere, I do not have the option to even enter the key.

    I have tried to create the EI.cfg file and the PID.txt file, placing them in the "sources" directory.  Below is what I have in them, minus my actual key #.  I did find a reference that stated if PID.txt, was not provided, I would be prompted so I have tried with and without.  My guess is the problem might be with the EI.cfg file.

    EI.cfg

    [EditionID]
    SERVERSTANDARD
    [Channel]
    VAR
    [VL]
    0

    Was not sure what value to use for Channel, so I took a guess, probably wrong!

    PID.txt

    [PID]
    Value=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

    Because this is a "non-supported" OS configuration, I can't get help from Dell and I understand their position on this.  Don't like it, but I understand.

    Any suggestions that the members of the community can provide will be greatly appreciated. I've got a lot to catch up on as I haven't touched a server version since 2000. TIA.

    Jeffrey Pursley

     

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  • Monday, March 18, 2013 5:36 PM
     
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    Try using the evaluation version of the operating system instead of the TechNet version.  It does not ask for a product key.  If you want to activate it with a product key afterwards, I think (I haven't tried this because my lab installs don't stay around that long) you can use the slmgr utility to enter your key.

    .:|:.:|:. tim

     
  • Monday, March 18, 2013 6:06 PM
     
     
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    Tim,

    Thank you for the reply and suggestion.  I will give that a try and post back.

    Jeffrey Pursley

     
  • Tuesday, March 19, 2013 7:45 PM
     
     
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    Tim,

    I was able to get the evaluation version installed and is up and running very nicely, thank for that suggestion.  I did try slmgr to enter the key and that didn't work.  Will do some research on that, hopefully can figure it out.

    Jeffrey Pursley