my windows 8 consumer preview evaluation copy

Was it under trial?

I had this same issue and the only way to stop the 2 hour reboot is to start in safe mode. I spent an hour on the phone with Microsoft after I paid for the upgrade and have not been able to complete a backup before the two hour window expires, so I can't install the completed product. If you choose safe mode with networking you have access to most programs. I could not use the auto back up, I had to manually back it up but at least I stopped the nightmare of the two hour loop. If you are planning on buying the upgrade, it is on sale until the end of the month for $39.99. No matter what you choose you will have to do a clean install unless you are on a dual boot. Hope this helps.

I have exactly the same situation and my evaluation copy expired yesterday and even my wireless dongle ceased operating, although I do have another which still works for the moment. I shall be installing a new version tomorrow to solve the issue. You cannot use a Windows 8 evaluation key to restart the process because the evaluation period is ending, so installing another operating system is theonly available option. A Windows 8 Pro key will not work with the evaluation copy because it qualifies as a different version. You could reformat the drive and install an earlier version of Windows, assuming that you have one that you were using prior to the Windows 8 evaluation.

Haha! why do you have a lot of space after your post! anyway, that is just normal for new OS versions released by Windows. They provide free or trial versions for users for marketing purposes. But of course, these versions has expiration to make sure the legitimate version which needs to be purchased will be installed. I won't upgrade to Windows 8 at this time if I were you. It might slow your computer and might need a lot of patches just like what happened with Windows 7.

I think you should buy a pro key not preview copy again because if buy preview copy then you will face that again. your windows will restart every one hour or two hour after your preview key expaired. Or change to windows 7 instead. Because windows 8 just out so don't yet sell a pro key. or anything like windows 8 home edition

The only way to stop it is to reboot in safe mode. This page walks you through it redmondpie.com/how-to-boot-into-windows-8-safe-mode. I was on the phone with Microsoft for an hour trying to fix this. I paid the upgrade for $39.99 but when I run my back up for the install the computer reboots before the back up is completed, leaving me in the loop from h3ll! Nothing else works and even in safe mode you have limits. I would choose safe mode with networking. You can't use the built in back up feature but you can at least manually back up without the two hour limit. I am so mad, I really did not want to have to re-install all the programs. Some I don't even know if I have anymore. The key does not solve the issue either, I tried adding my key and it is not recognized because it is the consumer preview, only the pro recognizes the key. You will have to do a clean install no matter if you choose to downgrade or upgrade. At least the price to upgrade is really low until the end of January. Hope this helps.

May be you had installed a trial version of windows 8. May be the the version may be expired this might be the reason why you got such a message. I would ask you to purchase a new key and you need to pay for it.

Erm.. why is there a huge amount of space in your post? Anyways, it appears that you passed the amount of time you could use Windows 8, seeing that it will restart every other hour in the message. I recommend waiting until the pro key instead of the other one because if you purchase the preview key again, you'll have to face this problem again later.