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.
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.
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:
- Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search.
- Enter add features in the search box, and then tap or click Settings .
- Tap or click Add features to Windows 8 and then click I already have a product key.
- Enter your product key and click Next.
- Read the license terms, select the check box to accept the license terms, and then click Add features.
- Installation will take a while and computer will restart automatically. (In this reboot itself, feature will be added).
- Now, when computer will restart, Windows will lose its activation status.
- 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?
