Windows 8 Upgrade/Clean Install help

[dampchimp]

I am currently planning a new build, absolutely everything will be brand new. I plan to use an old copy of Windows XP media centre edition (the PC I had this installed on died many years ago, but I still have the CD and valid license key) to obtain the £25 upgrade to Windows 8 Pro (please no debate here on if/why Windows 8 is pants).

My question is, if/how I install Windows XP on modern hardware SATA drives, no floppy etc. As I understand it, Windows 8 upgrade will do a full clean install, but only if it detects a (any?) version of Windows on the relevant drive, would I be better obtaining the upgrade from Microsoft using my XP OEM key, installing Windows 7 using the validate later option, immediately exiting and then do the clean install of 8 with the new license key?

Seems a bit of a hassle, but if I can save £80 on the cost of Windows, got to be worth it.

Any advice appreciated.

 

[jamesriley94]

You don't need to install XP at all.

You can just put Windows 8 on a disk or memory stick and boot from that, and it will do a clean install from that.

It never checks if you have a previous version installed. I installed the same £25 copy on my desktop and laptop, both using clean installs on formatted drives. Works absolutely fine on both.

 

[dampchimp]

Awesome, had read it carried out some sort of check for a previous copy of Windows if you used the upgrade option, if that's not the case, great, I can just create the install on a USB drive and not have to worry about anything else.

 

[dampchimp]

I presume the upgrade key isn't necessarily tied to the PC you are running the upgrade from. I.e. I need to run the update tool from my laptop to get the upgrade and license key, I presume this wont invalidate the current Win 7 key on the laptop as long as I don't install it on the laptop. If that makes sense at all.