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The free Windows 8 MCE keys

M

M0RPH

Diamond Member
You guys remember the free Windows 8 MCE keys given out last year, right? Has anyone reinstalled Windows lately and been able to use that key? I cannot get mine to work... seems Microsoft is being aholes about this.

I put a new hard drive in my laptop, reinstalled Windows 8, entered my product key and successfully activated. Then I did the add features thing to add MCE, entered my free MCE key, Windows said it was a valid key and it installed MCE. However, after that my Windows 8 Pro w/ MCE became deactivated. It tells me that my free MCE key is not accepted. Many people online having this same issue, but the only solution seems to be calling MS and hoping they allow your key. I called and the guy would not allow it. He told me to uninstall MCE. Is that even possible? What bullshit.
 
I do remember MCE key being given away if you signed up using some sort of email address. If I remember correctly you also had to activate the MCE within couple of months. If that's the give away you're talking about, you missed the boat, you did not activate it in time.
 
I did activate MCE with this key last year, and have been using it since. I just needed to do a clean install. Was anyone else under the impression that this key would continue to work in the future with a clean install, just like a Windows 8 key does?
 
I re-used mine when I did a clean install of 8.1 when it came out, but that was a while ago.

I've since gone back to 7 for WMC use, less buggy.

I wonder if mine will deactivate if I reinstall my image of 8.1. Hope not.
 
The ones that were activated worked for me. The ones I let expire (never activated) don't work.

I had to do an automated telephone activation for it to take however.
 
I assume you mean the free WMC key? OK - I had it in 8.0. Then 8.1 blew it away. I then reinstalled it and used the 8.0 key. Worked perfectly, and I use it frequently when I run my 8.1 system.

I don't do videos TV, or movies - I find it to be an excellent player of all my hundreds of jazz albums, and at the same time, uses my vast collection of digital images in hundreds of folders for a randomized background slide show. That is very cool!

I did not know WMC was available to Win7. Interesting.
 
corkyg said:
I assume you mean the free WMC key? OK - I had it in 8.0. Then 8.1 blew it away. I then reinstalled it and used the 8.0 key. Worked perfectly, and I use it frequently when I run my 8.1 system.

I don't do videos TV, or movies - I find it to be an excellent player of all my hundreds of jazz albums, and at the same time, uses my vast collection of digital images in hundreds of folders for a randomized background slide show. That is very cool!

I did not know WMC was available to Win7. Interesting.
Click to expand...

WMC started with XP. It was originally a different SKU, then it became a feature of a higher SKU with Vista and stayed that way with 7. Looks like they're trying to kill it with 8.
 
It worked for me when I clean-installed 8.1. But I had to do it over the telephone. It was all automated. I entered the numbers on the screen, it took a few seconds to validate, and gave me an activation code to punch back in. No need to speak to anyone, no need to explain the situation. It just worked.

Would've preferred that it could've worked online, but the phone was surprisingly painless, so whatever.
 
Can't beat WMC if you roll-your-own home DVR systems with a CableCARD-capable tuner. I use the Silicondust HDHomeRun Prime tuner because it connects to the network and the tuner pool is available to any PC on my home network.

Mine works. I had to jump through some hoops recently to do a clean 8.1 install and get MCE too, but it's working and fully-activated without any hacks.
 
Ichinisan said:
Can't beat WMC if you roll-your-own home DVR systems with a CableCARD-capable tuner. I use the Silicondust HDHomeRun Prime tuner because it connects to the network and the tuner pool is available to any PC on my home network.

Mine works. I had to jump through some hoops recently to do a clean 8.1 install and get MCE too, but it's working and fully-activated without any hacks.
Click to expand...

Not true.
NPVR is better than WMC in almost every aspect, except DRM, since WMC is the only thing that lets you record/view copy-once DRM BS.

For what it is worth, I also had to call in to get it to activate.
 
Elixer said:
Not true.
NPVR is better than WMC in almost every aspect, except DRM, since WMC is the only thing that lets you record/view copy-once DRM BS.

For what it is worth, I also had to call in to get it to activate.
Click to expand...

Huh? Did you miss my caveat?

Ichinisan said:
Can't beat WMC if you roll-your-own home DVR systems with a CableCARD-capable tuner.
Click to expand...

I think I want to be able to record Game of Thrones, thankyouverymuch.

Why use a CableCARD tuner if you don't subscribe to encrypted / copy-protected channels? Just stick with clearQAM if you don't subscribe to any encrypted channels.
 
Ichinisan said:
I think I want to be able to record Game of Thrones, thankyouverymuch.

Why use a CableCARD tuner if you don't subscribe to encrypted / copy-protected channels? Just stick with clearQAM if you don't subscribe to any encrypted channels.
Click to expand...
I think pretty much all cable systems use cablecards now, so, everything is encrypted, so, that isn't the issue.
The issue is, for DRM channels(like your GoT), those can only be recorded with WMC, since that is "copy-once". That is extra DRM on top of the encrypted signal.
All the other channels are "copy-freely", so even though the channel is still encrypted, it has no extra DRM to prevent you from viewing it on other machines.

That means, that, if you ever have to reinstall the OS, or get a new mobo, guess what, all your DRM enable 'copy-once' programs can't be played anymore. You're SOL.

Sorry for getting way OT, but this is really annoying BS.
 
Elixer said:
I think pretty much all cable systems use cablecards now, so, everything is encrypted, so, that isn't the issue.
The issue is, for DRM channels(like your GoT), those can only be recorded with WMC, since that is "copy-once". That is extra DRM on top of the encrypted signal.
All the other channels are "copy-freely", so even though the channel is still encrypted, it has no extra DRM to prevent you from viewing it on other machines.

That means, that, if you ever have to reinstall the OS, or get a new mobo, guess what, all your DRM enable 'copy-once' programs can't be played anymore. You're SOL.

Sorry for getting way OT, but this is really annoying BS.
Click to expand...

I work for a local cableco. All of our Expanded Basic channels (under 100, and the HD versions in the 800s) are not encrypted. Digital Plus channels in the 100s and premium movie channels are the only ones that are encrypted and the only ones that require a CableCARD or set top box. Almost all HDTVs have a digital QAM tuner and receive Expanded Basic channels without any additional equipment on this cable system.

I'm very familiar with the copy flag and that's exactly why I said WMC is the only practical choice to roll-your-own DVR. The limitations of DRM you mentioned apply to absolutely any other DVR you might lease from the cable company anyway.
 
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I saved both keys. I put them in a .txt file with the original ISO of Win8. After reading this thread
I'm glad I did.
 
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Ichinisan said:
I work for a local cableco. All of our Expanded Basic channels (under 100, and the HD versions in the 800s) are not encrypted.
Click to expand...

Then your users are still fortunate. Our local cable (Comcast) has encrypted all channels, and rendered my TV tuner cards worthless (except for local antenna reception). Only a cablecard setup will now work.
 
Towermax said:
Then your users are still fortunate. Our local cable (Comcast) has encrypted all channels, and rendered my TV tuner cards worthless (except for local antenna reception). Only a cablecard setup will now work.
Click to expand...

Can't you just use an IR blaster with a set top box?
 
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