Reinstall with Media Center pack.

sorethumbs

New Member
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Quick question in preparation for a rebuild of a pc.

I have a Windows 8 serial key from initial purchase plus a Media Center pack key which enabled the media center feature afterwards.

When I reinstall do i use the media center pack key as my activation key
OR do I do the same again, initial W8 licence key + activate media pack afterwards with separate key?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 & 8

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro Prieview x64
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    Laptop
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    MacBook Pro Core2Duo
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    T7600
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    3
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    1440 x 800
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I have finally got round to re-installing Windows 8. I purchased Windows 8 and got the free media center key a long time ago and installed it just to see what it was like. It took my Windows 8 serial key and activated fine, I then added the media center feature which also installed and activated fine. I remember that when the free media center pack was offered it had to be activated within a short period of time, which I did.
At the time I didn't like Windows 8 so I just formatted and installed a copy of Windows 7.

Now I want to give Windows 8 a try again so have reinstalled it on a different computer with my original key which has activated fine. But when I go to add the media center key in 'add features' it says 'This key won't work. Check it again, or try a different key'
There doesn't seem to be an option to activate over the phone like there usually is when installing windows so I'm a bit stumped.

[h=1][/h]
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 & 8
What's strange is your windows 8 key activated...

As suggested windows 8.1 is an upgrade for windows 8 - you can download and create windows 8.1 setup media and still use your windows 8 key to activate.. Create installation media for Windows 8.1 - Windows Help

Disconnect from the internet and then run activation - this will bring up the phone option for activation
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 3.1 > Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8700
    CPU
    I7
    Memory
    24 GB
Yes i believe it will update to 8.1 or I can just install 8.1 direct and then use my old serial key. Its the media center I'm after and that isn't accepting my serial that was used way back when I installed and activated after it was given away free
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 & 8
That is because the WMC Key was previously activated on a different PC.. And requires phone activation to transfer the license..

What is strange is the previously activated windows key - Activated on New second PC without phone activation to transfer the license..
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 3.1 > Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8700
    CPU
    I7
    Memory
    24 GB
Sorry, are you saying I should disconnect from the net and then try to 'add feature' and enter my media center key again?
At the moment like i said it just says 'this key won't work' and says nothing about being previously activated or locked and says nothing about being able to activate by phone
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 & 8
The WMC key is tied to your old PC.. only phone activation will work...

(btw retail keys have a much higher activation count than upgrade keys, thus Win 8 can be transferred online but upgrade keys not)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    PC-DOS v1.0
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    IBM
    CPU
    Intel 8088, 4.77MHz
    Memory
    16K, 640K max
    Graphics Card(s)
    What's that?
    Sound Card
    Not quite
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    80 X 24 text
    Hard Drives
    dual 160KB 5.25-inch disk drives
Type slui 4 in run command.

Select the UK number (it's toll-free even on Skype)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    PC-DOS v1.0
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    IBM
    CPU
    Intel 8088, 4.77MHz
    Memory
    16K, 640K max
    Graphics Card(s)
    What's that?
    Sound Card
    Not quite
    Screen Resolution
    80 X 24 text
    Hard Drives
    dual 160KB 5.25-inch disk drives
Windows 8 Core or Pro? You can only enter a Media Center key if its Pro. If it's Core, just 8.0 or 8.1, the key will be refused. If its only Core, it will only accept a Pro key through add features. Once upgraded to Pro you can enter a MC key and do it all again. The key having been used on another PC will not stop you from entering it. I've done it. What will happen if it was used on another PC is it will not activate. When that happens do the phone activation, and when they ask you if it is only installed on one PC say yes. Been there done that. I had a laptop die and reused my Media center key on the replacement. At that time my MC key was only in use on the one PC, so I was not lying. I got the code to type in and it activated. All automated and I never had to talk to a real person.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
I misread the problem... you can't add features with your key... I just tried mine on Windows 10 (same PC that had WMC installed initially) and it won't accept it either...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    PC-DOS v1.0
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    IBM
    CPU
    Intel 8088, 4.77MHz
    Memory
    16K, 640K max
    Graphics Card(s)
    What's that?
    Sound Card
    Not quite
    Screen Resolution
    80 X 24 text
    Hard Drives
    dual 160KB 5.25-inch disk drives
Well after a bit of trial and error I'm up and running. I actually have 3 copies of Windows 8 at home. One Win8 upgrade version, one Win8 retail version and lastly one Win8.1 retail version
I must have got confused with what version I originally set up media center on. I hadn't actually tried my Win8.1 copy so last night I installed it and it activated fine, then entered my media center serial in 'add features'. When I'd typed the final character it said something about this key is ok (or similar) so it then installed media center and rebooted. I thought that was it until I went into the system page and it said it wasn't activated. I was then prompted to enter a new key or contact the helpline to run through the automated validation. Success!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 & 8
Your Windows 8.1 copy must also be the Pro edition... As WMC only works with the Pro edition
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 3.1 > Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8700
    CPU
    I7
    Memory
    24 GB
Your Windows 8.1 copy must also be the Pro edition... As WMC only works with the Pro edition

That's what I'm thinking too. If it's not Pro it won't let you enter the key.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
No they're all 'Pro' versions I've checked
Win8 Pro upgrade - WMC key 'will not work'
Win8 Pro retail - WMC key 'will not work'
Win8.1 Pro Retail - worked

Oh well its working now so I'm happy

KYHI - I see from your signature that you can download and install 8.1 using an 8 product key. I tried entering my '8' key last night with an 8.1 iso (that I used for eventually getting WMC working on my 8.1 copy) and it wouldn't accept my key as it said its the wrong version or something. Are those links in your sig a different type of iso that will accept an 8 key for 8.1??
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 & 8
If you go here, Create installation media for Windows 8.1 - Windows Help, that media will accept Windows 8.0 and 8.1 keys, even OEM embedded keys. I verified it myself. The only thing is the version you download has to match your key. If you try to install 8.1 with a Pro key it won't work, same thing if you try to install Pro with an 8.0 or 8.1 (Core) key it won't work.
My MSDN ISO's are multi edition, they can install Core or Pro depending on what key you enter. On my laptop it automatically detects my OEM 8.0 key and installs Core (the non pro version) automatically.

My MSDN keys are listed as Retail, these are what I'm installing with these days. I use my 8.1 Pro keys. No issues using my Media Center keys on those installs. I have 4 MC keys, I just keep track of what PC they were used on. I've used the same keys with Windows 8.0 and 8.1 on that same PC. No activation issues.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
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