Install Windows 8.1 Pro on Acer Aspire V Nitro VN7-591

Question

Hi forum, I recently bought the Acer Aspire V Nitro VN7-591 and I noticed that it only comes with the Core Edition of Windows 8.1. As I need some of the features of the Windows 8.1 Pro Edition (joining domains, remote display etc.) I would like to upgrade the System to Windows 8.1 Pro. I still have an unused Pro retail key (no OEM, no Upgrade Pack) here so at the moment I'm downloading the ISO for Windows 8.1 Pro. But prior to installation I would like to make sure that everything works out fine and I don't run intro problems. First of all: is there anything I need to save from the old OS (except from the recovery partition- I already saved that to a USB drive using the recovery program provided by Acer)? Do I have to know my Product Key (using for example a key viewer software) just in case? Do I have to disable secure boot in BIOS? Second: can I just install Windows 8.1 Pro using my ISO and installing the drivers from the Acer support website? Drivers should still work, right? Third: if I ever want to switch back to Windows 8.1 Core (the OEM edition) do I just use the USB pen drive created with the acer recovery tool? Will my retail Windows 8.1 Pro Key be usable again if I switch back to the original OS? Sorry for asking that many questions but I just have to make sure that it runs trough right in the first place because I need the Laptop to function. What would be your standard procedure to this kind of "problem"? Thanks in advance and with regards,The_DJ  Edit:I might have forgotten to mention that I want to do a clean reinstall without all the bloatware from Acer. That's why I'm using the Windows 8.1 Pro "Vanilla" ISO and if I ever want to switch back to core use the Windows 8.1 Core "Vanilla" ISO. Is that possible or would I have to use the recovery partition saved to my USB drive?

Answer 1

 Changing the Operating System may cause driver conflicts. The compatible drivers for Windows 8.1 will not be available in the website for this laptop. Hence, some of the features on the laptop might not work after changing the OS.  1: Since you have already created the USB recovery media from the laptop, you do not have to copy anything else other than this.  Make sure you you backup all files before installing the OS, as it will remove all data from the laptop. I see that, you have the unused Pro retail key for the OS, hence, you do not have to have the OEM product key. You need to use the product key for Windows 8.1 Pro to activate it, not the Acer OEM product key.  In the BIOS, select BOOT tab.  Select BOOT MODE as Legacy Mode instead of UEFI.Disable Secure Boot. Under Boot Priority Order, you need to select 1 as CD/DVD (if you are using disc), or USB FDD or USB HDD (if you are using USB drive) to install Windows 8.1 Pro.  Then press the F10 key and select "Yes" to save the changes in BIOS.  ->You an install Windows 8.1 Pro using my ISO and installing the drivers from the Acer support website. As said before, there may driver conflicts.  -> If you want to switch back to Windows 8.1, you may use the USB reovery drive (which created you have created from the recovery partition). When you do this, the Windows 8.1 Pro and it's product key will be removed from the laptop and the factory shipped OS, drivers, apps (and the OEM product key) will be installed automatically. You do not have to use the Windows 8.1 Pro key with Acer OEM USB reovery media.  -> You need to do a clean install using the USB recovery drive to install factory shipped Windows on the laptop.