These updates when installed disable the windows activation in 8.1 using the phone method, and it would appear that the keys originally leaked are now blocked. I have even tried copying over the activation backups but windows is still not activated as the sku is now different.
Sorry but this is Bulls**t. Phone Activation works fine with These Updates an the System stays activated.
It is the price you pay to play. @sparehead Welcome to MDL Take a day and just read through some of the posts around MDL, front to back like a book. So much information here to take in, if you are interested in the how's and why's, you will find it here.
In other news, the legitimate upgrade key I purchased and my OEM Acer key that came with my laptop both work fine on 8.1 with the GA updates.