I have a brand new Lenovo Thinkpad that comes with a Windows 8 Pro license. According to what I read, the product key for Windows 8 for this machine is integrated into its firmware so I should be able to install a Windows 8 or 8.1 on it without need of a product key.
The machine came preloaded with Windows 7 and a recovery set of DVDs for Windows 8. I want to do a fresh installation of Windows 8.1 directly. This is a pilot device for our new generation of PCs. Therefore I want to use an unattended installation that is automated with a XML response file.
The problem is now with the product key. When I do not specify a product key in the response file, then the installation fails. When I specify some other key in the response file (such as one from our MSDN subscription) then the installation succeeds and Windows 8.1 automatically activates itself - but apparently using that MSDN key and not the one from the machine's firmware.
How can that problem be solved?
