Preferred Windows 8 activation method - WMC Key or KMC?

Discussion in 'Windows 8' started by Malak101, Aug 3, 2014.

  1. Carlos Detweiller

    Carlos Detweiller Emperor of Ice-Cream

    Dec 21, 2012
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    KMS activation is non-perpetual by design. You can reset the counter at any time, even when it has expired. Needs no connection to MS, contrary to the phone method.
     
  2. Y314K

    Y314K MDL Junior Member

    May 25, 2014
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    Does this mean that the AutoKMS Tool from Windows Toolkit won't auto reset the 45 day "KMS Emulation activation" at reboot??? Or did you just mean that the true "KMS server" won't auto renew?

    Wonder if one can buy multiple WMC keys from a Retail activated Windows 8.1 Pro... And if said Retail activated Windows 8.1 Pro will always be tied to the WMC key(s) ?
     
  3. Carlos Detweiller

    Carlos Detweiller Emperor of Ice-Cream

    Dec 21, 2012
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    KMS activation usually includes regular intervals where the activation is renewed and the KMS counter reset. In normal operation, the OS does that itself, but only on SKUs that truly support KMS (Pro, Enterprise, Servers). The AutoKMS tool (and all derivative works) uses its own tasks and is not affected. In other words, with AutoKMS you can basically ignore the set intervals since it forces reactivation through the task.
    But that information is still important for people using a KMS Server service (like me).
     
  4. Y314K

    Y314K MDL Junior Member

    May 25, 2014
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    Has helped me understand things a lot better. Real KMS vs Emu KMS, Got one more ?

    How tied/entangle would a purchase $10 WMC key from MS be to the Retail activated key that was used to purchase. Was thinking of using a Retail key gotten from a different forum to be able to purchase a WMC key directly from MS. Then after that just using the WMC key for a new install.