Any way to buy the Media Center pack today?

[Viper GTS]

So I screwed up I guess. I've been running Windows 8 on my desktop for a few months now. I did the Pro upgrade from 7, and got my free Media Center pack. No issues.

Yesterday I got one of the Samsung Series 9 ultrabooks. I did the Pro upgrade on it, and then went and requested the Media Center upgrade. I misread the fine print on the upgrade page and thought I'd be OK since this was only my second out of five upgrades allowed (vs just one free media center key). They emailed me a key which I successfully applied to the laptop.

Unfortunately they just re-sent me the same key as they sent for the desktop. Of course I didn't notice since I just did a copy/paste of it, & now the laptop is saying the key is already in use on another machine. I've tried re-applying the Pro upgrade key that I bought for the laptop but since Media Center is installed it will only take a Media Center enabled key.

Short of a full reinstall from scratch is there any way out of this? I can't find anywhere on Microsoft's website to buy a Media Center key. I know I'll be able to after Jan 31st but if they're only allowing one free upgrade surely there is some way to buy it today. I'm happy to spend the $10 to avoid the annoyance of an unactivated Windows installation or the several hours to get back to a fully functional machine, I just can't find a place to give them my money.

Viper GTS

 

[uallas5]

I had something similar happen. I ended up registering for the offer again using another email address and I received a different key.

 

[Viper GTS]

I had something similar happen. I ended up registering for the offer again using another email address and I received a different key.

I thought I might be able to do that but the offer registration only asks for your email address - It seems to know that the alternate emails I tried have never purchased a copy of 8 as it won't accept it.

Viper GTS

 

[uallas5]

I thought I might be able to do that but the offer registration only asks for your email address - It seems to know that the alternate emails I tried have never purchased a copy of 8 as it won't accept it.

Viper GTS

Never thought of that but that's probably true. My first was with a hotmail address that my technet account is linked to, the second was gmail that I used to grab a $15 upgrade for my wife's laptop.

 

[SilentRunning]

Have you tried disabling media center in

Control Panel>Programs>Programs and Features>Turn Windows Features On or Off>Media Features>(uncheck) Windows Media Center

and then applying the pro key? Don't know if it will work.

 

[Sleepingforest]

If you used the same email to do the Pro upgrade twice, you should be able to get Media Center twice. I would call Microsoft up or send them an email.

 

[Viper GTS]

Well this has been an adventure so far.

First I tried disabling Media Center and then re-applying my old non MC key - No dice.

Then I tried the web chat MS support. They issued me a new MC key but my system won't take that. They referred me to phone support.

I called phone support and they had me run a diagnostic tool on (msdt.exe) that claimed to fix the issue. They got really confused when it told me I needed to restart, put me on hold for a while, then told me I would need to talk to their higher level support. They said 10 minute queue... Then the queue said 20.

An hour later I finally ditched the call and called back. Now back in what is likely the same queue.

Update:

Still not fixed. On hold for two hours, spent 35 minutes with their 2nd level phone support, then he tried to transfer me to 3rd and... dropped. Now in queue hell again.

Fun times.

So moral of the story is don't do what I did because it sucks.

Viper GTS

 

[kn51]

Good luck.

Odd thing about WMC is it is one of their best products in a HTPC environment. Cablecard certified and all that. And from the looks of things they are looking the other way in regards to that product.

Guess I don't have much advice to give except my condolences. I have several thousands of licenses to deal with during my day job and know the pain. Especially the move to VLSC a few years ago. Took months to sort out the issues, and even then I was screwed out of valid licenses that were available to me.

 

[Steltek]

Well this has been an adventure so far.

First I tried disabling Media Center and then re-applying my old non MC key - No dice.

Then I tried the web chat MS support. They issued me a new MC key but my system won't take that. They referred me to phone support.

I called phone support and they had me run a diagnostic tool on (msdt.exe) that claimed to fix the issue. They got really confused when it told me I needed to restart, put me on hold for a while, then told me I would need to talk to their higher level support. They said 10 minute queue... Then the queue said 20.

An hour later I finally ditched the call and called back. Now back in what is likely the same queue.

Update:

Still not fixed. On hold for two hours, spent 35 minutes with their 2nd level phone support, then he tried to transfer me to 3rd and... dropped. Now in queue hell again.

Fun times.

So moral of the story is don't do what I did because it sucks.

Viper GTS

You've got PM.

 

[Viper GTS]

And finally resolved. Thanks to the two people who volunteered MC keys, unfortunately my system was so hosed it deemed only full version keys are appropriate and not upgrade keys.

The eventual resolution was to remove all keys via command line and they generated a new, full install 8 + MC key. All is well now after about 6-7 hours on the phone.

All is well that ends well I suppose but compared to my flawless desktop experience this was a bit of a nightmare.

Viper GTS