GUIDE: How to backup and restore Windows 8 activation

Discussion in 'Windows 8' started by JaguarXJ12, Aug 8, 2012.

  1. germanhess

    germanhess MDL Member

    May 26, 2012
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    Good night I have to change my HDD :(

    Do you know if I change a new hdd could use activation backup or not ?

    thanks
     
  2. lucjean

    lucjean MDL Novice

    Feb 6, 2014
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    Sorry for digging up 2 years old post, but I'm totally newbie in every kind of windows that is newer than XP and I don't quite understand changes to hardware, related to activation. It kinda freaks me out, because I'm buying new "incomplete" PC: mobo + cpu + hdd + memory, and after few months I wanna add graphics and sound card.

    So what will exactly happen when I add these components?
    Is windows immediately deactivates itself?
    Or after 180 days, problems with activation will occur?

    I would be grateful for any help.

    Greetings!

    (sorry for my bad english)
     
  3. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
    Staff Member

    Nov 30, 2009
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    Have you brought bought a copy of Windows??
     
  4. lucjean

    lucjean MDL Novice

    Feb 6, 2014
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    I didn't brought or bought anything yet, I'm just curious. I read about it here and there. I'm interested in Windows 8.1 Enterprise x64 KMS-Activated. And I would like to know, what will happen, if I change or add hardware which I mentioned before. :confused:
     
  5. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
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    Nov 30, 2009
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  6. lucjean

    lucjean MDL Novice

    Feb 6, 2014
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    Thanks for the explanation :)

    This is the situation I want to avoid: (whoops, I cannot post links yet, not enough posts on my account, but there is a post #8509 on page 851 in Microsoft Toolkit Official KMS Solution for Microsoft Products thread, where user Qurajber has changed graphic card and lost activation o_O).

    But as it turned out, I will probably buy all the components at once. Anyway, I have read a lot, I am new to this whole activation stuff. I must be ready :D
     
  7. sint

    sint MDL Novice

    Nov 5, 2011
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    Yes, I learned it the hard-way (figure of speak) today.

    I had windows 8 activated last year, then updated to 8.1 online about 2-4 months ago.

    I system-backup, then restore this system to a new hardware: new mobo, CPU (socket 1155), new HDD.

    Now, it's asking for Activation. And it shows (I never saw this before) at the Bottom-Right corner :
    "Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center"

    Could someone point to a post instructing how to re-activate ? (I'm going to read all the threads in the forum as well).

    EDIT: Finally used a key off a retailed pc. activate. crossing fingers.
     
  8. Leslie_Coffelt

    Leslie_Coffelt MDL Member

    Feb 6, 2014
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    I could be wrong here, but I think your Windows 8/8.1 activation (legit or otherwise?) is only for one machine and not transferrable. If it was 8.1 Pro only, MTK 2.5 will activate it. Not sure how to get WMC back.
     
  9. Carlos Detweiller

    Carlos Detweiller Emperor of Ice-Cream

    Dec 21, 2012
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    ProWMC=Retail, thus hardware-dependent

    The thingy in the bottom right is called Watermark and will vanish when activation is successful (although one can keep it).
     
  10. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
    Staff Member

    Nov 30, 2009
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    Sorry to poke you again but it is possible for MDL users to activate ProWMC via KMS.

    :D
     
  11. Carlos Detweiller

    Carlos Detweiller Emperor of Ice-Cream

    Dec 21, 2012
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    I'm referring to official activation. ProWMC/Core KMS activation is based on a glitch/oversight and might go away eventually. Nothing to perpetually rely on. Currently, it works.
     
  12. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
    Staff Member

    Nov 30, 2009
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    Unlike Vista/7, All client SKUs of Windows 8.x is equipped with Volume:GVLK license files & official GVLKs (even if you can use a generated one, because a real/emulated KMS server doesn't check secret part of the GVLK). So I doubt that it is simply a glitch; it should be considered as a licensing requirement imposed with SPPSVC.

    :jockey:
     
  13. s1ave77

    s1ave77 Has left at his own request

    Aug 15, 2012
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    It's interesting that there exist official gVLK for Core and ProfessionalWMC, but a real KMS-Host will refuse to activate those, in opposite to the Emulators :hmm:.
     
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  14. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
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    Nov 30, 2009
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    As I said before, it should be considered as a licensing requirement imposed with SPPSVC on the server side.

    Btw, even CoreCS has its GVLK.
     
  15. s1ave77

    s1ave77 Has left at his own request

    Aug 15, 2012
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    So i highly guess MS won't deaktivate those, when activated by KMS...but future will show. My Win 8.1 ProfessionalWMC is still activated with the 'Free-Offer-Key' :D.
     
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  16. s1ave77

    s1ave77 Has left at his own request

    Aug 15, 2012
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    How was the Win 8 system activated first hand? In case it was with Retail key you will need to reactivate by phone after hardware changes.

    Did this some month ago after changing MB and CPU and it worked without problems, still using the first of my WMC-Keys :cool2:.
     
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  17. sint

    sint MDL Novice

    Nov 5, 2011
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    Thank you ALL for your feedback.
     
  18. MDL After Death

    MDL After Death MDL Novice

    Feb 3, 2014
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  19. s1ave77

    s1ave77 Has left at his own request

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  20. 103

    103 MDL Novice

    Feb 10, 2014
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    Does this method work without Internet access?

    I live in a zone without Internet access, I wrote this at work (corporate firewall and several proxies blocking a lot of traffic), so I wonder if I can activate Windows somewhere else and then use my backed up activation offline?
    I know I can try, but right now I can't go online and activate my OEM Windows 8 (I had to do a fresh install and I don't have recovery media)

    Best regards