Windows 8 free Media Center key activation required by 31st January

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Gilco2

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#113732 26-Jan-2013 08:03

I bought 3 copies of Win 8 and also got the media centre key. I have used 1 of them. Today I just received an email from Microsoft that the remaining ones need to be activated by January 31. So looks like I will have to install windows 8 and then Media centre add on to another 2 computers or lose the media center key.

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freitasm

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#751074 26-Jan-2013 08:13

Remember these keys are one activation only (if I remember correctly)... Installing just for installation sake won't be any good unless you plan to use it anyway.

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Gilco2

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#751078 26-Jan-2013 08:44

been thinking I might let it lapse. Have been disappointed with Windows 8 and prefer Windows 7. So later down the road if no choice for Windows 8 I could look at Mediaportal or MythTV on Linux as I use the tV tuner as well.

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rvangelder

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#751087 26-Jan-2013 09:28

I'm going to let mine lapse. Windows 8 MC just doesn't sound like an upgrade at all!

freitasm

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#751091 26-Jan-2013 09:52

I am letting mine lapse. There isn't a good enough reason to upgrade my existing Windows 7 Media Center box with HDhomerun. It works, nothing is broken, it boots into Media Center (which Windows 8 doesn't) so, that's it...

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mattwnz

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#751136 26-Jan-2013 12:43

I setup windows 8 64bit last night on a win 7 32 bit computer so I could validate the media key. Just feels such a downgrade. On windows 7 with all the nice windows features like transparency removed. But at least now I can take full advantage of the memory I have installed. The other thing is there is on xp mode on it which could be a problem for businesses. One annoying thing since installing the media key is the desktop now displays the windows build number like the beta used to which looks fugly.

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#751138 26-Jan-2013 12:48

Didn't you have Windows 7 64 bit before? That would allow you to use all the memory in your system as well (even Windows Vista 64 did it).

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mattwnz

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#751372 27-Jan-2013 00:37

freitasm: Didn't you have Windows 7 64 bit before? That would allow you to use all the memory in your system as well (even Windows Vista 64 did it).

No I only had the 32bit version of windows 7 because I needed to run adobe cs3 on it, which doesn't play well with 64 bit version of windows 7

billgates

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#751582 27-Jan-2013 18:48

Ed Bott has stated today that the keys will not expire after 31st January. They will still continue to work even if you re-install windows.

Does that warning mean your Media Center Pack key will no longer work beginning February 1?

I checked with a Microsoft spokesperson and was told that the keys will continue to work after the deadline passes, and that they will work later if you need to reinstall Windows. The e-mail messages are mostly a reminder to upgrade, I was told.

My guess is that this legal requirement had to do with Microsoft?s payments to Dolby Corporation and others for licensing rights to the codecs that are included with the Media Center Pack. Each Media Center Pack key that is activated triggers a payment to those rights holders (my guess is the amount is somewhere between $7 and $10), and for accounting reasons Microsoft would really like to clear as many of them off its books as possible before the deadline passes.

http://www.edbott.com/weblog/2013/01/deadlines-loom-for-cheap-windows-8-upgrades-and-media-center-pack-keys/

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#751585 27-Jan-2013 18:56

Well, guess what? This is what the email with the MCE key says in the fine print at the bottom (bold mine):

"Windows 8 Media Center Pack is available at no charge for a limited time only through the promotional page on Windows.com. If you obtain Windows 8 Media Center Pack through any other location, fees might apply. Offer valid from October 26, 2012, until January 31, 2013, and is limited to one product key per email address. In addition, each product key can only be used with one computer. You qualify for this promotion if your PC is running Windows 8 Pro. Additional hardware may be required to watch and record live TV. You must provide a valid email address to receive your Windows 8 Media Center Pack product key. This promotion ends on January 31, 2013; your product key must be activated no later than February 1, 2013. Microsoft will only contact you at the email address you provide to send you your product key and to remind you when the activation period for your product key is ending. Catalysis Corporation is a third-party company we use to collect subscription information and process the delivery of these emails. If you purchase a new PC with Windows 8 preinstalled and you later upgrade that PC with Windows 8 Pro Pack, Windows 8 Media Center Pack, a volume license edition, or a retail edition, you will no longer be able to install apps that are provided exclusively from your PC manufacturer through the Windows Store."

So someone is not telling the whole story. I guess we will find out on 1st February if the keys don't work anymore.

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John2010

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#751843 28-Jan-2013 10:49

I don't know the answer to the product key thing; perhaps there is confusion as to a first activation having to be done before 1 Feb, but once that is done it can be reactivated if need be for replaced machine, rebuild, etc? I guess we will soon know.

Off track -

mattwnz: ...The other thing is there is on xp mode on it which could be a problem for businesses....

This was one of the nice things that turned up for me in Windows 8 in that XP Mode was always very clunky and I found that it was far better to use another party's virtual machine application with XP installed in it. That said, I found them to be pretty clunky too on Windows 7 machines, especially for real time XP applications and took forever to start.

However, I have found that VMware runs faultlessly and seamlessly on both 32 and 64 bit Windows 8 machines (not claiming VMware is the best, I just use it out of habit and familiarity, and Player is free) and I suspect that on average a cold start to XP (Off>Windows 8>Virtual Machine>XP) is faster than the dedicated XP machine I used to have to keep. Of course, this means one has to have a copy of XP (XP Mode was, of course, free for professional versions of 7) but that not likely to be a problem.

nzkiwiman

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#762368 14-Feb-2013 14:52

I let mine lapse, I decided after using Windows 8 for a week while house sitting that I preferred Windows 7 and so spending the $50 to upgrade was $50 I could better spend somewhere else (or save).

TwoSeven

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#762424 14-Feb-2013 16:05

I am pretty sure I had activated my key as I installed the media pack trying to get my DVD rom to work. Have since gone back to Windows 7 as I found 8 to be unusable. Still got the email though - just decided to ignore it.

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mattwnz

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#762460 14-Feb-2013 16:29

nzkiwiman: I let mine lapse, I decided after using Windows 8 for a week while house sitting that I preferred Windows 7 and so spending the $50 to upgrade was $50 I could better spend somewhere else (or save).

You can always use it later on, or to upgrade an old XP computer when MS support runs out next year. XP though is a better desktop OS in my opinion than 8.