I have genuine Windows 8 Pro +Wmc on my laptop, took advantage of M$ offer last year to upgrade to windows 8 & Wmc Key Once windows 8.1 is released can i upgrade via the store upadtes &activate with my existing keys for my windows 8 & Wmc Keys or will i need to download the win 8.1 iso I have not so far try the preview version as i feel this would maybe mess up my system So prefer to wait till final version is released Any information on this could be helpful things like will upgrading to windows 8.1 be free & via the windows update or need to be purchased will existing keys work & also activate & expected release date for final windows 8.1 Also which is best to update existing windows 8 pro or clean install windows 8.1 Thank you in advance
As an Upgrade possibly frankenbuilds the system, i always prefer a clean install. For the keys, my test to install from a handmade Win 8.1 9471 ProWMC ISO and activate with one of the old WMC keys via phone went flawlessly.
thanks for the info, But will my genuine windows 8 pro key +Wmc work on the final version as this is the version I would consider installing when that is release.
What i did was upgrade to 8.1 then i made a custom ProWMC ISO using the Windows 8.1 ISO and the files on that activated 8.1 install. When i installed Windows 8.1 again on that same PC it activated with no problems. But if i use the same PROWMC 8.1 install media i made on another machine with a different key (one that does activate on that machine with 8.0 WMC) It fails to activate on first login but a simple phone call using skype solves this and activates fine. So if you have a WMC key that has been activated before the cut off date it will still work on that machine using a ProWMC DVD. Your options when 8.1 goes RTM are: 1) Upgrade from activated 8.0 to 8.1 2) Download a ProWMC 8.1 ISO and install then activate via Skype/Phone with the WMC key that was valid on that machine for 8.0. 3) Create your own ProWMC 8.1 ISO for each machine you have. 4) Wait for a KMS 6 activaton to be released. 5) Use a MAK key and activate via Skype/Phone Hope that helps. The best option for most would be wait for someone to make a ProWMC that takes upgrade WMC keys and then activate via skype/phone (will only work though if you have a valid WMC free upgrade key that you had working/in use on that machine) Or wait for someone to crack KMS 6.
Correct me if I'm wrong: just as additional info, KMS wouldn't work if you want Media Center. Go with s1ave77's advice which is the same as mine. Never perform upgrade installs, always a clean install is best.
Partially correct.... Although there exist official gVLK for Core and ProfessionalWMC, a real KMS Host will refuse to activate them. But the Emulators in opposite definitly activate it. Seems to be a little loophole in the protocol. For that reason they activate both for 30 days, in 8.1 (at least 9431 Preview) for 45 days.