Media Center - Remove and Go Back to Windows 8 Pro

How to Remove "Windows Media Center" and go Back to Windows 8 Pro
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   Information

For some reason or another you may decide to remove the Windows 8 Media Center Pack from your computer. However, since the Windows 8 Media Center Pack has changed your product key, the normal means of removing it is to do a full reinstall of Windows 8 Pro.

This tutorial will show you how to remove the added Windows 8 Media Center Pack to go back to just Windows 8 Pro without Media Center while not losing your settings, files, or apps.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

   Note

You will need to have the Windows 8 Pro installation media (either a DVD or the .ISO) along with your old Windows 8 Pro product key to be able to do this tutorial.

The tutorial below can help show you how to download the Windows 8 .ISO file.

Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 ISO - Download or Create

   Warning

This tutorial only works to remove the Windows 8 Media Center Pack from an install that has a valid Windows 8 Pro key.

This tutorial will not work if you upgraded from Windows 8 by purchasing a Windows 8 Pro Pack.

Here's How:

1. On the start screen, type "regedit" and hit enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.

3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion. It should look somewhat like this:




4. Double click/tap on EditionID and ProductName, change the values to the ones in the red boxes in the screenshot above, and click/tap OK.

5. Close Registry Editor, restart the computer, and sign in to Windows 8.

6. Insert your Windows 8 installation DVD/USB, and run Setup.exe. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.

7. Select (dot) Go online to install updates now, and click/tap on Next.



8. Input your Windows 8 Pro product key when required. (see screenshot below)




9. Select the Keep Windows settings, personal files, and apps option, then click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)




10. Click/tap on Install. (see screenshot below)




11. Pick up at step 11 in OPTION FOUR of the tutorial below to continue and finish the upgrade process.

Upgrade Install to Windows 8 or Windows 8.1

12. When finished, your Windows 8 Pro should be completely identical to how it was before, except it will no longer have Windows Media Center. Your old installation will have moved to a folder called Windows.old, so follow the tutorial below to remove it if you want to free up that space.

Windows.old Folder - Delete in Windows 8

Related Tutorials

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• How to Add "Windows Media Center" to Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Turn Windows Features On or Off in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Delete the "Windows.old" Folder in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Create or Download a Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 ISO

 

[Brink]

Great tutorial.

 

[FuturDreamz]

Oh that looks much better. Cleaner, and a bit easier to follow. Thanks for tweaking it.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.

 

[FuturDreamz]

I updated the tutorial to link to the remove windows.old tutorial.

 

[bluezr1]

I upgraded two machines using two different emails (their both linked Hotmail accounts,) Yet MS still sent the same product key for both media center installs. The first machine is fine (one that I actually use media center, it's a htpc.) Although the second machine is looking for a product key, and is on a machine that I could care less if it really had media center or not (using is as a home server.) Therefore instead of dealing with MS I just want to uninstall the media center upgrade.

I found this tutorial (thank you) and would like to use it, although the backup DVD that I ordered hasn't arrived yet. Would you happen to know where I could get a copy of the ISO image?

The problem I have is that I mirrored two drives on the second machine and moved over almost an half a terabyte of data before deciding to grab the media center upgrade. That was a mistake, although if this works you'll save me the headache of starting all over.

Thank you,

 

[Brink]

Hello bluezr1,

The tutorial below can help show you how to download a Windows 8 ISO file.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/18309-windows-8-upgrade-iso-download-create.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[bluezr1]

Thanks bud, you just saved me boat load of time.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.

 

[FuturDreamz]

Hello bluezr1,

The tutorial below can help show you how to download a Windows 8 ISO file.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/18309-windows-8-upgrade-iso-download-create.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

I should add that to the tutorial...

 

[bluezr1]

I just got home from work and the disk was sitting in my mailbox.

Edit: Just got finished up installing windows updates and now I'm back up and running again. Thanks for the tutorial, it worked out great.

 

[Brink]

LOL, perfect timing.

 

[FuturDreamz]

Tell us how it goes!

 

[Hopachi]

Nice tutorial!

It's good to know that this kind of "downgrades" is that easy to make when needed.

 

[tsk]

By checking "keep settings, personal files and apps", will all my other programs (Photoshop, video editors, Office, etc) be kept intact? If so, you have saved me a lot of problems and time.
Thanks a lot

 

[Brink]

Hello tsk, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Yes, checking that option will keep your programs.

 

[tsk]

Thank you for the quick response. I'll take the plunge

 

[Brink]

You're welcome. I hope it goes smoothly for you.

 

[traycerb]

After it's uninstalled, can you use the product key for the Windows Media Center Pack on another computer?

Got it installed on my desktop computer, but would love to transfer to laptop which has become my de facto htpc. (can't get another key from Microsoft "order won't go through", and besides would like to have freedom to move around in future).

 

[FuturDreamz]

You should be able to. but do it quickly, as Microsoft will soon be no longer activating those keys (they'll still work, but if you reinstall you're hosed).