Hey, i was wondering, I got my proWMC key, i upgraded and activated, but say, in a year, I need to re-format my hard drive and re-install windows 8, is my ProWMC key still going to work, especially since i already used it to activate my PC? Or will i have to buy a new one?
I think if you read the keys have to be activated before Feb. 1st 2013 and after that if you need to do a reinstall one that was activated before that time the key should work for reinstall the key is tied to the pc hardware but by all means make a copy of your activation and also do a system image to a hard drive.
After January 31 of 2013, the Microsoft will block activation attempts for the user that are using the promotional key according with the WMC Promo EULA. Even if it's on the same hardware, it can't be activated online again. When you make a upgrade from Pro to Pro-WMC, the O.S. automatically activates the key online.
Should not be. But nothing is impossible for the buggy Microsoft. The Phone activation service also knows exactly what's the installed key from the Offline Confirmation ID, and validate it with the servers. Blocked leaked keys is deny to Online and Phone activations.
It's best to turn on the phone and get the numbers for activation and save them for later use offline, or, make a copy of the folder store. What is the hardware that should not be changed?
Offline Confirmation ID isn't static and is changed every install, it isn't only the Hardware ID, is a 'mix' of Hardware ID and Activation Hashes from the current system that never is the same on fresh installs even if the key is installed or no. You can save these data but the operating system won't will accept on a next install.