Media Center - Remove and Go Back to Windows 8 Pro

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

   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

 

[tsk]

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

It did. I think I love you.

 

[Brink]

Thank you.

 

[FuturDreamz]

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

It did. I think I love you.

Good to know

 

[alpinekid61]

Typed “regedit” and hit enter.
Got a box that states “User Account Control”. Do you want to allow the following program tomake changes to this computer? Youmight want to put notation about this.
Yes / No clicked onYes

Did step 4 but was unsure how to exit. Took a chance andclicked on file>exit.
Did step 5. Computer came up and had to login.
Did step 6, from DVD. Windows 8 Setup box came up, “Get the latest”, Go online to install updatesNow (recommended) or No thanks.
Did step 7, 8, got blue box that stated “Getting thingsready”.
Did step 9 “Ready to install”, got blue box “InstallingWindows 8”.
Did step 10 and went to “Upgrade Install fromWindows 7 or Vista to Windows 8” tutorial. Took a while to find step 11 because it is in “Option Three”. You might want to put notation about that.

Got Windows Media Center removed. Did not need it anyway.
Thanks for the help.

 

[Brink]

Thank you G.,

Tutorial updated.

 

[Khaniyan]

Wouldn't it be possible to just run the windows upgrade tool after the reg edit? I don't have the installation DVD as this is an upgrade from windows 7 I did only online. But I am wondering if you really need the DVD or can just do it from the update tool, as all that does as I understand it is download the appropriate files and then ask for a serial key? Just wondering as that would save me from quite some hassle.
Great guide btw!

 

[Brink]

Hello Khaniyan, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Sorry, but that wouldn't work since you have Windows 8 installed. The "Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant" will only install Windows 8 if there was a qualifying OS (XP sp3, Vista, or Windows 7) installed instead.

You could use the tutorial below to get a Windows 8 ISO to use to create a DVD or USB with.

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

 

[Karo]

When finished, your Windows 8 Pro should be completely identical to how it was before

Does it mean that all my apps, e.g. Firefox, Audacity, etc., will be kept in the new installation or just apps from the Windows store? In this case I'll have to reinstall Firefox, Audacity, won't I?

 

[Brink]

Hello Karo, and welcome to Eight Forums.

It means you will keep everything except Media Center.

 

[RL70]

Hi,
Im running W8 Pro and Ive done a clean install and relocated my Users and Program Data according to the instructions provided by Kari on another thread. I purchased the Media Center Pack and installed it, but now want to remove it and return to W8 Pro. I followed your instructions in this article to do that, but when I came to the part of choosing what to save, all I was given was the option of "NOTHING." I read in a Microsoft doc that my settings would be saved to a Windows.old folder and I could restore from there, but my question is if I do this will Windows reinstall the OS onto my primary drive along with Users and Program Data or will it keep it on my secondary drive?
I really dont want to do a clean install again and relocate Users and PD all over again if it isnt necessary.

Thanks

 

[Brink]

Hi,
Im running W8 Pro and Ive done a clean install and relocated my Users and Program Data according to the instructions provided by Kari on another thread. I purchased the Media Center Pack and installed it, but now want to remove it and return to W8 Pro. I followed your instructions in this article to do that, but when I came to the part of choosing what to save, all I was given was the option of "NOTHING." I read in a Microsoft doc that my settings would be saved to a Windows.old folder and I could restore from there, but my question is if I do this will Windows reinstall the OS onto my primary drive along with Users and Program Data or will it keep it on my secondary drive?
I really dont want to do a clean install again and relocate Users and PD all over again if it isnt necessary.

Thanks

Hello RL70,

Unfortunately, when you move your user profile, you will no longer have the "Keep Windows settings, personal files, and apps" option available unless you move the profile back to C first.

 

[Karo]

Hi,
So, I made this upgrade and everything was successful, all apps and settings are there.I just needed to install updates again, setup Windows media player, and reinstall 8gadgets pack, they did not work after upgrade, maybe it's because they are installing in Windows folders, and when upgrading Windows removes all that is not included in the original package.
Thank you for your tutorial.

For RL70
My Users files also realocated to another D disk and after upgrade nothing changed, but as for Programs Data I don't know because I did not realocate Programs Data and they are in my C disk from the very beginning.

 

[Jamie]

Hello,

I'm currently in the process of rebuilding my OS on a new hard drive, in parallel to my current one because my hard drive is becoming unstable. As it stands at the moment I have Windows 8 Pro with Media Center installed (with the free release of media centre that Microsoft made available).

To my understanding, Microsoft will not activate any more of these Media Center licences as of the end of last month. However would I be able to remove the Media Center elements of my current operating system (using these instructions) to go back to Windows 8 Pro and then active the Media Center on my other hard drive? If not, is there no way I can keepMmedia Center on a new build of my machine?

Thanks

 

[FuturDreamz]

The only way to keep media center is to clone the first drive, or to pony up $10.

 

[Jamie]

The only way to keep media center is to clone the first drive, or to pony up $10.

That's always good.. For someone who rebuilds their machine every 6-12 months as quite a few people do which I'm aware of, this could potentially cause a number of upsets.

Thanks, will look into cloning programs for W8.

 

[FuturDreamz]

Yeah Media browser was only free for a little while, but I'm very disappointed that the keys become worthless after a while.

I should clarify my previous statement though: I'm pretty sure (99%) that when you pay $10 for Media Pack you get a key that's good forever.

 

[Ermac84]

Hi Guys,

I have a VAIO Duo 11 running windows 8 pro edition. I recently installed WMC add on and I would like to go back to windows 8 pro.

I have two problems:
1) I dont have an optical drive in the laptop but I did a recovery image on 16GB USB flash drive.
2) I cant find the windows pro product key and its not written anywhere on the laptop.

What do I need to do in my situation to downgrade to default OEM windows 8 pro?

Thank you

 

[Brink]

Hello Ermac, and welcome to Eight Forums.

With an OEM computer that came with Windows 8 preinstalled, you would need to do a factory recovery instead. The link below from Sony, can help show you how to for your PC model.

View Document

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[FuturDreamz]

Hi Guys,

I have a VAIO Duo 11 running windows 8 pro edition. I recently installed WMC add on and I would like to go back to windows 8 pro.

I have two problems:
1) I dont have an optical drive in the laptop but I did a recovery image on 16GB USB flash drive.
2) I cant find the windows pro product key and its not written anywhere on the laptop.

What do I need to do in my situation to downgrade to default OEM windows 8 pro?

Thank you

This is the one exception i was waiting to hear about.

2) Windows 8, when preinstalled on a computer, has the key imbedded in the motherboard and not as a sticker. It will automatically find the key when doing a restore.

1) because of 2) I don't know how this would work, unless the installer can recognize the exsistance of a mobo key. The system restore returns the computer to the factory condition and does not allow you to keep your documents or setting.

One thing you may be able to try:

1. Download a clean Windows 8 Pro .iso following these instructions: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/18309-windows-8-upgrade-iso-download-create.html . if it asks for a key then let me know as I think i can help
2. Try to follow my guide. If the installer can recognize the mobo activation key then it won't ask for the key. If it does ask, then it will stop before it can make any changes.

 

[Ermac84]

Hello Ermac, and welcome to Eight Forums.

With an OEM computer that came with Windows 8 preinstalled, you would need to do a factory recovery instead. The link below from Sony, can help show you how to for your PC model.

View Document

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Hi Shawn,

You were correct, a recovrey from the USB did the trick! I am now back on Windows 8 Pro 64 Bit

Thank you