Upgrading Windows 8 Enterprise to 8.1

Upgrading to Windows 8.1 for Enterprise version users are not as simple as other versions. You cannot upgrade from the Windows Store and it will not be available as a old time "Windows Update" option.

It is intendent that this is a task for the IT Department, that will do this using tools like "System Center Configuration Manager" or "MDT". If you have access to the Windows 8.1 Enterprise ISO file you can do this directly from the CD of course. But beware that you need an Windows 8.1 Enterprise key or update on your KMS

If you are running KMS you find a guide here on how to fix it and the update that you need (update 2885698)

Check out this page here for upgrade paths to Windows 8.1 and how it might affect you

Going from Windows 8 to 8.1 you have 2 selection (well 3 if you scratch everything and do a clean install). You can do a refresh or a update, and be aware that update is not the same as "old school" version of an update/upgrade. The process are as following

Steps during a refresh:
- Capture data and setting
- Remove exiting OS
- Install new OS image
- Install apps, restore data and settings

Step during a update:
- Capture data, settings and apps
- Remove extings OS
- Install new OS image
- Restore data, settings and apps

So you can see that it's a "clean" OS installation on the update too, but it includes a capture of your apps in the process.

To trigger a update you use the command:

"setup.exe /auto:upgrade"

This can be run directly on the client with the source file or in a task from MDT or SCCM