Windows 8 Release Preview ISO images
An ISO image must be converted into installation media stored on a DVD or a USB flash drive.
Instructions are provided on this page. Developer tools are available for download from
Windows Dev Center.
Instructions are provided on this page. Developer tools are available for download from
Windows Dev Center.
Important: If you decide to go back to your previous operating system, you'll need to reinstall
it from the recovery or installation media that came with your PC, which is typically DVD media.
If you don’t have recovery media, you might be able to create it from a recovery partition on
your PC using software provided by your PC manufacturer. Check the support section of your
PC manufacturer’s website for more information. After you install Windows 8, you won’t be able
to use the recovery partition on your PC to go back to your previous version of Windows.
it from the recovery or installation media that came with your PC, which is typically DVD media.
If you don’t have recovery media, you might be able to create it from a recovery partition on
your PC using software provided by your PC manufacturer. Check the support section of your
PC manufacturer’s website for more information. After you install Windows 8, you won’t be able
to use the recovery partition on your PC to go back to your previous version of Windows.
System Requirements
Windows 8 Release Preview works great on the same hardware that powers Windows 7:
- Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster
- RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)
- Hard disk space: 16 GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
- Graphics card: Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver
Additional requirements to use certain features:
- To use touch, you need a tablet or a monitor that supports multitouch.
- To access the Windows Store and to download and run apps, you need an active Internet connection and
a screen resolution of at least 1024 x 768. - To snap apps, you need a screen resolution of at least 1366 x 768.
- Internet access (ISP fees might apply)
How to install Windows 8 Release Preview from an ISO image
The easiest way to convert an ISO file to a DVD in Windows 7 is to use Windows Disc Image Burner.
On a PC running Windows XP orWindows Vista, a third-party program is required to convert an ISO file
into installable media—and DVD burning software often includes this capability. One option is the USB/
DVD download tool provided by the Microsoft Store. You can also download Windows 8 Release
Preview Setup, which includes tools that allow you to create a DVD or USB flash drive from an ISO file
(Windows Vista or Windows 7 required).
On a PC running Windows XP orWindows Vista, a third-party program is required to convert an ISO file
into installable media—and DVD burning software often includes this capability. One option is the USB/
DVD download tool provided by the Microsoft Store. You can also download Windows 8 Release
Preview Setup, which includes tools that allow you to create a DVD or USB flash drive from an ISO file
(Windows Vista or Windows 7 required).
