Installing windows 8 onto 30gb HDD - Tablet PC

[Andeh13]

Hi guys,

I am trying to install Windows 8 on my Zoostorm SL 8 tablet. It has a 30gb HDD, but 15gb of this is taken up by the windows 7 install I have on it. Windows 8 requires a 20GB hdd free space to install properly...hence me being in a bit of a catch 22.

Is there a 'done' thing when it comes to installing an OS like this? Usually I just install a new OS from the desktop .iso file and let the PC do the rest, or run it from a DVD...both not an option here.

I am currently looking into doing it off a USB but it still tells me I need 20gb free space...

Can anyone offer any suggestions?

Cheers guys

[Andeh13]

Anyone have any suggestions?

[GoNz0]

obvious one is formatting and just having windows 8 on there.

[Jonj1611]

Is there anyway to replace the drive mate? In time with all the patches, updates and everything else it will probably become larger than your drive in time.

[DDY]

I reckon you should connect an external HDD to your tablet and use Windows backup to make an image of your current Windows 7 installation, this gives you the option of rolling back to Windows 7 as it was if Windows 8 doesn't work out for you.

Then as Gonzo suggests, format the disk during the Windows 8 install and start fresh.

[UseItNow]

I reckon you should connect an external HDD to your tablet and use Windows backup to make an image of your current Windows 7 installation, this give you the option of rolling back to Windows 7 as it was if Windows 8 doesn't work out for you.

Then as Gonzo suggests, format the disk during the Windows 8 install and start fresh.

I'd do this personally too.

[scaryjim]

Another vote for creating an image of your existing install then wiping the disk before installing Win 8. Although an Jonj says 30GB isn't going to last you very long on Win 8 if it needs 20GB just for the OS...

(that said, I've just checked my VM image for Win 8 and it's only up to 12GB, so you might not be too badly off...)

[Andeh13]

There is nothing on the current HDD to keep! So literally, run the Windows 8 install off the USB stick and format it during installation should do the trick?

How do I boot to the USb stick though?

[DDY]

There is nothing on the current HDD to keep! So literally, run the Windows 8 install off the USB stick and format it during installation should do the trick?

How do I boot to the USb stick though?

Hexus wrote a guide on How to install Windows 8 from a USB drive. Quite simple really, once your system boots off the USB and you get to the screen where you choose which drive/partition to install Win 8 on, choose the (advanced) option to format the drive first.

[Andeh13]

I am in a fairly unique situation I think...

The tablet I am doing this on is a wetab os // zoostorm sl8. The tablet doesn't boot to USB, and I can't find out how to get into the BIOS. Apparently, I need to hold in the power button, light sensor and tap f11 on a keyboard plugged in to access BIOS...for some reason this isnt working.

This is why I have been trying to do it via the desktop.

All I can think of doing is using windows 7 slimming software to create a gutted version of windows 7 to give me the extra few GB I need to give me the 16gb I need for windows 8.

Now I worry about simply putting in a bigger mini data SSD for two reasons, the cost and the fact I can't enter the BIOS to set it to use a USB to boot off. From memory this tablet is very very picky over installing from a USB stick. It needs a series of ''magic bytes'' to detect and run from the USB.

I'll do some more digging tomorrow but has anyone ever heard of this before? I found this information off the we tab is forums below;

http://www.wetab-community.com/index.php?/topic/16668-how-to-boot-from-a-usb-drive/

http://www.wetab-wiki.com/index.php?title=Bootmedium_erstellen

...but this is really pushing the limits of my software knowledge/firmware workings of a tablet.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Andeh13]

All seems to be working now... You need to use a 'magicbytes' tool to create a USB stick the Wetab can recognise. Once the magicbytes tool has run and has installed these elusive few bytes then the Wetab recognises it as a bootable medium and by holding down the power & light button (top left) it will boot to the USB device.

From there I delete the original Windows 7 partitions, created a fresh one and Windows 8 seems to be slowly installing itself on it!

Fingers crossed

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I have an evaluation copy of Windows 8,and you don't really need more than 15GB. The Windows folder is under 9GB.