Is there no way to preserve the FREE WMC Keys?

Discussion in 'Windows 8' started by byghtn3, Jan 26, 2013.

  1. Learner

    Learner MDL Novice

    Apr 15, 2008
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    Thanks for the reply.

    So what about when you activate multiple Media Center keys with a single Windows 8 Pro key? Don't all those MC keys get tied up on MS servers with the Windows 8 Pro key that was used with the activation of MC keys? Or can you later activate them in any installation of Windows 8 Pro once the free period expires?
     
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  2. Daz

    Daz MDL Developer / Admin
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    #22 Daz, Jan 31, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2013
    Even if you use multiple Media Centre keys you can, and likely will, get your key blocked or at least one or all of the systems deactivated. It may not happen today, tomorrow or even a few weeks from now, but it'll probably happen. The reason is that Windows 8 has WAT built into it and it's talking to MS and performing genuine checks on a daily basis, so as long as your systems are connected to the Internet you risk becoming deactivated. It doesn't matter if you do or don't apply Windows updates either.

    If you're going to attempt to share keys between your systems it's best to not apply Media Centre. The reason for that is that if MS deactivate you while you're using Windows 8 with Media Centre then you can't easily switch your original key so may need to format or fiddle about with downgrade paths. So personally I'd recommend that you use a KMS solution on standard Windows 8 for one of your PC's.
     
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  3. Learner

    Learner MDL Novice

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    #23 Learner, Jan 31, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2013
    I think I didn't make my point clear.

    Let's say I bought 5 Windows 8 Pro keys. All legit.
    And for each 5 copies of Windows, I got 5 Media Center keys that were given during the free period.
    The condition for these keys is that you must activate them now otherwise they will not work after 31st Jan 2013.

    But here's the problem... let's say I only install one copy of Windows 8 Pro right now and cannot do the rest before 31st Jan 2013 due to lack of time .
    Can I activate all those 5 Media Center keys using the single installation of Windows 8 that I was able to install?

    Or will all 5 Media Center keys get tied up with the key on this installation of Window?
     
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  4. hbhb

    hbhb MDL Expert

    Dec 15, 2010
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    The WMC keys shall die if not used within the deadline.


     
  5. Learner

    Learner MDL Novice

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    #25 Learner, Jan 31, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2013
    That's why I raised the question. What's the quickest way to activate multiple Media Center keys without installing Windows 8 Pro multiple times for each key?

    Daz is saying keys can get blocked later. I'm not sure if he's referring to legit users too in the given scenario
     
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  6. Daz

    Daz MDL Developer / Admin
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    #26 Daz, Jan 31, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2013
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  7. Learner

    Learner MDL Novice

    Apr 15, 2008
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    Darnn! So the guy who posted his solution in post #13 of this thread is wrong too?

    Now i'm worried as I don't have enough time to activate 4 Media Center Keys before midnight. 1.5 hours left.

    I'll try to follow that guide for creating a VHD.
     
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  8. Daz

    Daz MDL Developer / Admin
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    He didn't actually say he's doing it from a single system though. How I read it is that he's said he's using a single legit Windows 8 Pro key on each of his systems, then he's applied an MCE key to each. This isn't a safe solution, because like I said, the data.dat file will show that his Windows 8 Pro key has been used prior to applying the MCE key onto more than one system. He should expect the key to get blocked or all systems to become deactivated in the future.

    What you're wanting to do is apply keys onto a single system, backup and then transfer the information to the other systems. That won't work because the activation information is tied to hardware ID's.
     
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  9. Learner

    Learner MDL Novice

    Apr 15, 2008
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    That's not how I read it. He is saying "I activated all of my WMC keys by slmgr/ ipk then slmgr /ato in the same legit Win8pro already upgraded to WMC."

    That's what I did too. Activated all media center keys from same legit win 8 pro using slmgr commands.

    Also, I didn't say I wanted to transfer the information to other systems.

    All I want to do right now is activate the Media Center Pack keys before they expire, which is tonight.

    I will be using each media center key on a separate computer once I get round to installing a separate windows 8 on each computer with a different legit key on each PC.
     
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  10. Wongway

    Wongway MDL Novice

    Jan 18, 2013
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    I'm sorry, but this is sort of a derail.

    I didn't know until after I read about it later, however, in purchasing two legit licenses of Windows 8 Pro, I went for the Media Center Keys afterwards and didn't realize that they only send one per email and so with both legit purchases under one email address, I got sent one Windows Media Center key twice.

    Anyways, one of my machines was activated via phone in, so I'm just wondering if the one Media Center Key will be subject to future deactivations or did the phone in activator take care of the issue for me?
     
  11. Daz

    Daz MDL Developer / Admin
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    @ Learner
    I'm pretty sure that's the used by date, so even if you "activate" them it doesn't mean they won't expire. So if you try to apply them to a system a week or 2 from now and do online activation they may fail. No doubt the free keys MS generate are in a specific range so that they're easy to block past a specific date. Maybe I'm wrong, but I guess we'll find out in a few days.

    @ Wongway
    It might be deactivated, but they may not bother since the key was free.
     
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  12. yyzyyz

    yyzyyz MDL Novice

    Apr 11, 2008
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    I'm able to upgrade Windows Pro edition (KMS activated with GVLK key) to Media Centre (Microsoft provided key is accepted for the upgrade) but it's showing up as unlicensed after the upgrade. Any attempts to activate fail with 0XC004C4AA error... Has Microsoft blocked this already? Today was supposed to be the last day to activate...
     
  13. psychok9

    psychok9 MDL Novice

    Jan 26, 2009
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    Also without Windows updates?
     
  14. s1ave77

    s1ave77 Has left at his own request

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    #34 s1ave77, Feb 1, 2013
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2013
    Is not related to Windows Updates.

    As Daz atready stated:
     
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  15. Learner

    Learner MDL Novice

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  16. todo

    todo MDL Junior Member

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    #36 todo, Feb 1, 2013
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2013
    Today have a new WMC key in other email. Final promo: 31 de enero de 2013; date maximal activate product : 1 de febrero de 2013
     
  17. randyored

    randyored MDL Junior Member

    May 8, 2007
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    I f you re-read my post. All of the WMC keys were activated before 2/1/13. Technically, as far as M$ in concerned, they are in use.
     
  18. randyored

    randyored MDL Junior Member

    May 8, 2007
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    Was that the WMC key or the promo code? The promo code is for a full blown Windows 8 pro upgrade key. They will sell you as many upgrades (promo key or not) as you want to a single email address.

    The Free WMC keys are one per email. But the $9.99 WMC will be as many as you want to a single email address if you chose.
     
  19. Learner

    Learner MDL Novice

    Apr 15, 2008
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    If you got multiple keys using same email address, would the activation servers know this is the case? Or once you got the key, then there is no reference to how you got them or with what email?
     
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  20. Wongway

    Wongway MDL Novice

    Jan 18, 2013
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    2 Legit Windows 8 licenses
    This is the part I wasn't aware of until after the fact. Since I used one email for both the Windows 8 licenses, I obviously got only one WMC key (sent twice)

    The second computer was activated via phone in (probably because I was using the same WMC key twice)
    I am concerned with wondering
    1)Will I end up getting a deactivated notice down the line because of this or did the phone in activation on the second computer take care of it?
    2) Reinstallation (if I had to do that down the road too) might cause me problems?