Thank You Microsoft For Free Windows 8 PRO Permanent Activation

Microsoft would have never thought that their promotional activity itself could become an advantage for Pirates. Company is running a promotion (till 31st Jan 2013) where they are giving away free product keys of Windows 8 Media Center Pack for Windows 8 PRO.

Pirates took the advantage of this promotion to activate Windows 8 PRO permanently for free using the keys provided by Microsoft itself.

How it Works?

Windows 8 requires a product key while installing and this  installation key is arranged easily. Problem occurs after installing where the product key cannot be used to activate Windows 8 because it is invalid/pirated.

Now, many users have already activated Windows 8 PRO via KMS. But still, it does not activate Windows permanently. At max, it offers a 6 month extension to the activation status. You get a specific date of License expiry.

windows 8 kms activation

Any system using this kind of activation can be activated permanently for free with Windows 8 Media Center Pack promotion. While reading GHacks, I came to know about this loophole and tried it out of curiosity. And Voila! It works 🙂

How I Activated

Windows 8 Media Center Pack keys are given away for free by Microsoft until January 31, 2013 after which they will be offered for a price. Just enter Email ID and Microsoft sends product key within 24 hours.

windows 8 media center product key promo

This key cannot be directly used to activate Windows 8 because it is a key to add a feature. You need to Add media Center Pack to Windows 8:

  1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search.
  2. Enter add features in the search box, and then tap or click Settings .
  3. Tap or click Add features to Windows 8 and then click I already have a product key.
    already windows 8 product key
  4. Enter your product key and click Next.
  5. Read the license terms, select the check box to accept the license terms, and then click Add features.
  6. Installation will take a while and computer will restart automatically. (In this reboot itself, feature will be added).
  7. Now, when computer will restart, Windows will lose its activation status.windows 8 pro permanent activation
  8. Click on Activate button and you are good to go.

The key that is entered in the process is the new product key that Windows uses for activation checks in the future and not the key that was originally entered during installation of the system.

I tried it on Windows 8 PRO, you may have to rearm in case you have Windows 8 Enterprise to extend evaluation.

The system is permanently activated after the procedure, which you can verify by opening the activation window which should read “Windows is activated” and no longer “Windows is activated until”. No more nags appear and you won’t have to install any 3rd party app to remove Windows 8 activation watermark.

Should we call it a mistake of Microsoft or cleverness of Pirates?

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 22 comments
Praba - November 22, 2012

Yeah May Be They Will Verify All Email Account Who Claim For Free “”Windows 8 MediaCenter Key”” After 31 January 2013.
Process 1.:They Will verify your claimed email account in “””Subscribed Account If It Match they Will Won’t Do It Any thing Beacuse In “””Subscribed Email Only Who Payed Money For Windows Will In That database”””
Process 2.:If Not Match They Will Block All The Free Given Keys Surely “”””””Exactly After 31 January This Is What Going To Happen””””””‘
Process 3.:While Using Windows 8 Metro Apps Or If you just connect internet everything Went Out Of your Control After 31 January 2013
becasue””They Are Not Bunch Of idiots Developing More Advance Software With More Advanced Interface””””
Process 4.:This is Only Attractive Their Customers By Giving Free Keys Without Notify The Pro keys..Update Complete Activating Windows 8 Pro With MediaCenter
Process 5.:After 31,January 2013 Windows 8 May Be Cost Upto rs.5000
Process 5.:Until Now As Per Simple Calculation By Using Free Windows 8 Pro Media Center About 40Lakhs People Had Activated Lose 3.2Billion after january 31,2013 Surely
After they Will Block
{
By Using Simple Kms Command.:
This IS What That Just For Educational Purpose Note The Full Article”””””””””
”””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””
slmgr /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
slmgr /skms 000.000.00:000
slmgr.vbs -ato
slmgr /ckms
“””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””’
They Are Not idiots about 4million peoples activated windows 8 pro for six month freely by the same they monitoring everything……………..
Process 6.:So About 20lakhs people Surely attracted by windows 8 completely
Process 7.:They Will Buy It So 20lakhs*3000 they Will earn 6 billion{approx may be more}
profit 2.8 billion extra What You think …………………………………………………………………..
They Are Changed The History Of Computing In Past Decades
Don’t Think Funny About Microsoft….
So Buy Using Upgrade Offer just Rs.800 For All ……………DoN’t Waste Precious Time
But It Support Developer Because Its A Huge Process For Developing That Like Advance Interface……………

Reply
    Rohit Langde - November 23, 2012

    Thanks for your inputs Praba. Hope Microsoft takes action after 31st Jan against Pirates.

    Reply
RIJIN - November 22, 2012

that “add features in the search box” does not give any options. it only gives “turn windows features on or off”. help me in this regard. I am running windows 8 enterprise evaluation edition.
Is the any way to download windows 8 pro trial without buying that?

Reply
    Rohit Langde - November 23, 2012

    The option may not be in Enterprise version, I have mentioned in the article that I tried it on PRO.
    No, there isn’t any trial version of Windows 8 PRO version.

    Reply
S Thiruvengadam - November 23, 2012

Dear Sir, Why do you want to go to pirated version of Windows 8. When you get a genuine download and backup DVDs for a decent price of Rs. 2039 with activation key for Media Center. Microsoft is doing this to weed out piracy. I got the DVD like that and it is activated. Today there is a price for everything. There is no FREE LUNCH. Have a heart. The software is coming from a reputed company and they have look after their staff and taxes. Please do not encourage Piracy. Thank you.

Reply
    Rohit Langde - November 23, 2012

    Actually, I already have an activated version which I bought for Rs. 1999. This I tried out of curiosity on different machine and hence shared it.
    I ain’t encouraging piracy but bringing the loophole into notice of the company. Hope they fix it soon.

    Reply
    Andrey - April 14, 2013

    i bought windows 8 upgrade. Then downloaded it and recorded on dvd, installed it but it says can’t install clean. had to install back windows 7 and install upgrade windows 8 pro.then i tried key for windows 8 to download media center. it said that can’t use my key…. then i googled and got a key for to install media center app, now it says my windows in not activated… tried my key doesn’t work. Something seriously wrong with Microsoft now. fed up with re installing… probably will get a crack or something. much easier. i licensed copy… windows 8 pro. Microsoft just has an issue and it makes me to search for cracks, much easier than install windows 7 then install windows 8 because i can’t install windows 8 without 7. and wasting 1 day, installing all my software again….

    Reply
JUHAX69X - November 23, 2012

Thank You. Nice guide.

You or anybody else tried what happens, if You remove Media Center after successfully activation..?? Is Windows still activated after uninstall?? That would be nice to know too, because I don´t like Media Center itself…

Reply
    Rohit Langde - November 23, 2012

    Well, I haven’t tried removing Media Center but I think that will bring back to old activation (which you did via KMS). In other words, you may lose the activation done using the Product key received from Microsoft.

    Again, I am not sure about it. I would recommend not to use Media Center if you don’t like it instead of removing it.

    Reply
seif eddine - November 23, 2012

thank you too

Reply
MANSOOR AHMED - November 23, 2012

VERY CLEVER!

Reply
rakesh - November 23, 2012

It’s good deal to try out genuine windows 8 not pirated.

Reply
satish - November 27, 2012

Hello Rohit

I have got the keys from Microsoft, but how do I go about now? download a trial version of windows 8? Please guide me.

Reply
    Rohit Langde - November 28, 2012

    It doesn’t work that way Satish. Key cannot be used directly while installing Windows 8. You need already activated Windows 8 Pro via KMS and it can help you make the activation permanent. Please refer screenshots ad read article carefully.

    Reply
hau - November 28, 2012

i have register on this website but i not reviced any key from microsoft. who can help me?

Reply
Amit Shreyas - November 30, 2012

This Windows 8 pro – activation is not a mistake /or giveaway… it is pre-plained market-policy of microsoft.

Reply
    Rohit Langde - December 1, 2012

    Hahha, So, you mean Microsoft wants user to adopt Windows 8 anyhow.

    Reply
      Amit Shreyas - December 1, 2012

      Yes, because Microsoft wants monopoly in “Operating-system” & “Office” -products…. using a non-genuine windows instead of “open source (Linux operating system” is favourable for Microsoft.

      Reply
Muhammad Qasim - December 2, 2012

I have activated my windows 8 pro with original keys which I entered during installation. Now after installing media center with new keys provided my MS, will I lose my previous keys as you stated?

Reply
    Rohit Langde - December 3, 2012

    Nope. The Original key will remain valid.
    I mentioned that Microsoft just checks the new Media center key for genuineness and activates it permanently. This is useful for people who have pirated edition and wants to make genuine for free.
    If you have purchased Original PRO key, the new key will add Media center feature to existing installation for free, that’s it.

    Reply
anonmous - December 29, 2012

have tried the above process but the they must have fixed the loop.
there a ” cannot be activated right now” message.

Reply

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