Installing Windows 8 Enterprise Edition Product Key

If you’ve installed the Enterprise Edition of Windows 8 and had activation fail because you get an error code that says “DNS name does not exist” and can’t find a way to enter the MAK key that you got from your TechNet/MSDN subscription – what you need to do is run an elevated command prompt and enter the following command:

SLUI.EXE 3

When you do this, the product key dialog box comes up, you can enter your MAK key (yeah I know, it’s like PIN Number) and you can then perform activation. (See also, "Q: Where are the KMS keys for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012?").

Now if I could only find a USB 3.0 stick that supports Windows To Go (I have some insanely fast USB 3.0 SSD USB sticks of the 64 GB variety – but apparently you need a special breed of device that’s only found on an island in the south pacific on a special tree that grows out of the tallest cliff on a Tuesday leap year day in a decade that starts with an odd number). 

Also read about how you can check how many activations you have left on your MAK key.