In an attempt to rebuild my laptop, I got a new hard drive along with a copy of Windows 8 (works best with our CAD software).

The package states the disc is ‘intended for preinstallation on the hard drive of the fully assembled computer system, using OEM pre-installation tools.’

If I open the packet and shove it in the DVD drive, will it install?

Any ideas?

Did your laptop come with W8?

Also, I don’t know if you meant “bought” but if you did you wasted your money, it’s a free download.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows8

If you already have a license key you could have downloaded it for nowt, created a bootable USB & been away by now.

Plus everyone knows that the past tense for ‘bring’ is ‘brunged’

Where was it brunged from?

Yes, originally came with W8, though the license key is unknown.
Original HDD won’t boot (got dropped), so decided to replace the drive.
As is can’t find the licence key I thought I’d start with Windows from scratch…disc came from that Amazon place.

You don’t need a licence key, W8 doesn’t work like that. It’s tied to a BIOS signature.

The disc will probably work, whether you want to use it depends how much you care about how much it costed I guess.

Sorry, a bit confused…so with a new hard drive, do I just need a recovery disc/usb and go from there?

do I just need a recovery disc/usb and go from there?

Yes. You should be able to create a Win8 recovery disc on another PC and use that to reinstall. As long as you have downloaded the correct version of Windows (i.e. Home, Professional, etc), it should detect your hardware and automatically activate without needing a serial number.

moff – Member 
The package states the disc is ‘intended for preinstallation on the hard drive of the fully assembled computer system, using OEM pre-installation tools.’
…
disc came from that Amazon place.

Technically against the licence terms then. That Amazon sourced disc should only be supplied with a system. I guess this was a marketplace sale. The disc might be specific to certain OEM systems also.

Also, get off Win 8 (I assume it’s not even 8.1?). Upgrade to 10 or downgrade to 7.

Sadly you’ve missed the free upgrade to 10 though. Except maybe not… http://www.zdnet.com/article/heres-how-you-can-still-get-a-free-windows-10-upgrade/

Might even be able to install without the original media so long as it sees the same system signature (based on what hardware you have). That said a change in hard disc might confuse it, though I think a hard disc change is allowed so long as the bios is the same. Will of course need something to download the stuff on though.

You can still clean install Win 10 with a 7 and 8 key.