Solved Legality Issue: Windows 8 and WMC key (12/23/2012)

I'm asking here with a high anonymity username, just so that I won't attract too much unwanted attention. (It's bound to get attention, so...)

On December 23rd, 2012, during the period when Microsoft is still doing the free WMC giveaway activity, I have successfully signed up for a free WMC key. Upon receiving the key, I used it to activate Windows 8 that was installed onto an old 80GB IDE drive.

Windows 8 is still activated as of now. (4/22/2013)

I just want to make clear of this little gray area. Am I breaking any laws?

If the computer is still activated, I don't see how - I think MS would reach in and de-activate the key if it were illegal in some way. I read something about this in these forums, I think you can activate using that WMC key, or, keep using the original key - I think the free WMC key becomes attached to your original key, I forget exactly how this worked but I'm pretty sure you are safe and legal.

As long as someone accepts that I'm in the green, I don't care. I'm just giddy inside. Thanks for your confirmation.

See this: Microsoft has slammed the door on the Windows 8 Media Center activation flaw - Neowin

I think if his copy was legit to start with, that does not apply. Anyway, I think MS did this to prevent new machines from being activated in this way. If it were a legit machine to start with, the WMC should be legitimately activated.

you are breaking the law. but they're not going to go after you. enjoy the free copy of Windows you got.

He never said if it was activated before hand, I take it it wasn't? Heh, ok, what durtyvu said, I wouldn't worry about it. I would not try to use the same key to activate another machine though, even if you are able to do it, the conflict will be registered with MS and both machines will lose activation, especially if you use the same Skydrive account on both of them. I'm half guessing here, it's happened to me with XP and I had to buy a new key.

It was already activated. The activation was done on 12/23/2012.

That's what I thought, well then both keys are yours and both valid then, but probably only on your machine.

This means, if I were to do a Windows 8 clean install on the same computer, I have to re-enter both keys and won't have any troubles whatsoever?

If you were to reinstall you would enter the Windows 8 key during the installationa susual, and after installation when adding features you would then enter the Media Center Pack key.

There should be no issues in this.

Kari

Kari said:

See this: Microsoft has slammed the door on the Windows 8 Media Center activation flaw - Neowin

Click to expand...

Damn, and I missed all of this...and how can this be. Well you snooze you loose I reckon.

I think you would probably use the key you got for WMC, that is if you want to re-install that, but you would have to do a clean install with a disk WITH Media Center on it. Or, use your original disk, use your original key, then just re-add WMC, by "adding feature" - Use your WMC key for that, it should let you add it again.

I believe you download Media Center through widows store and reuse the free key you got for it in December.