Purchased Windows8-setup.exe from Microsoft

Hi there,

I recently purchased Parallels and now have it on my MacBook Air. I have also purchased Windows 8 from the Microsoft website. When I purchased it, I had 3 options:
- download
- download & back-up
- the physical version

Since I do not have a CD drive on my MacBook Air, I selected the 'download' version. I now have the Windows8-setup.exe file and a serial code.

How do I use this to get Windows onto Parallels?

Parallels requests either a .iso file or a CD. I have neither.

Alternatively, I also own a PC. If I load and license Windows 8 on there, will I be able to migrate it to my MacBook Air?

Any advice for my situation would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

 

That windows8-setup.exe you downloaded... you can run it on your PC and select an installation type of "install by creating media."

The software will download to your PC and prompt you to save it on your PC as an .iso file. Copy that over to your Mac running Parallels, and I assume you know what to do from there.

Windows 8 will not be installed on your PC and no licenses will be used.

 

Hi,

I had the same scenario as StephanieW- downloaded a the .exe file and had a license. I was able to convert it to .iso file via imageburn(downloaded free online) and via Disk utility from Mac ( applications/utilities/disk utilities). When i tried to run install it, it fails. It says:" No boot device is available. Enter to continue". Note that I selected the correct .iso file when i installed it. Anything that i could have overlooked?
Thanks!

 

That won't help you because the exe file itself isn't bootable install media. There's nothing to extract or convert.

What is it? -- A very small program that downloads all of the Windows setup files (or the ISO if you follow instructions above) over an Internet connection.

I did not have a computer running Windows laying around so I ended up installing Windows XP in one image, just to run that file and get my ISO downloaded, then I was able to cleanly install in another image.

(I had setup media/license for XP, as the version I purchased is an upgrade.)

If you think THIS is annoying -- and it sure is -- wait until you actually see the operating system.

 

Forgive me for being a PC numpty: I followed your instruction and when I try to run the Windows8-Setup.exe on my WindowXP parallel its I get "This Platform is not Supported" message, any suggestions?

Been struggling with this for months, gave up hope until I saw your post

Ta

 

Hi. I'm not sure about the "This Platform is not Supported" issue, but I was in this situation just yesterday (bought Windows 8 online, don't have a PC), so here's what I did.

1. Download Windows 8 trial version ISO from http://www.soft-zilla.com/2013/01/windows-8-iso-download.html
2. Install the trial version in VirtualBox (Parallels should probably work too(?), but I didn't have it at the time).
3. Use the trial version of Windows 8 to run Windows8-Setup.exe, downloaded the real Windows 8 and created an ISO file of it
4. Used the newly created ISO file to install my Windows 8 in Parallels (which at this point I had).

Activating Windows required some registry trickery, instructions here: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...snt-work/a08e8a9f-db56-480a-8ee6-1310f9907bbd

 

Clever you! I'll give it a go - thanks

 

But it's not possible activate the Windows 8 ISO with my licence that I buy on microsoft web store?

 

This link from Microsoft will give you the ability to create a boot disc with a USB drive: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media