Lost the activation of your Windows 8.1 ater Media Centre

sydeccles · 14 Nov 2013 at 09:41

I have had a problem on one of my PC's.

I downloaded the Windows 8.1 Pro ISO from the Microsoft site, did a clean install with the install key, more info on this here:-

http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/windows-81-tip-download-windows-81-iso-windows-8-product-key

I then activated it with my Windows 8 key, so far so good. Next I added the Media Centre using the key I got FOC when Windows 8 was initially launched, restarted the Computer only to be told that I needed to activate Windows, basically I lost the activation of my Windows 8.1.

I thought, maybe I had done something wrong. so I undertook all of the above a second time, a fresh install of Windows 8.1, which I activated, then added the Media and unfortunately I have had the same message, I need to activate windows.

I am now looking at undertaking yet another fresh install, unless I can find a walk around the activation issue.

ANY HELP would be appreciated.
Thanks

linktoinsanity · 14 Nov 2013 at 12:15

Have you just tried reactivating again?

oceaness · 14 Nov 2013 at 12:28

And if reactivating doesn't work it should give you a freephone number to call Microsoft support on?

sydeccles · 14 Nov 2013 at 13:58

oceaness said:
And if reactivating doesn't work it should give you a freephone number to call Microsoft support on?

Thanks for that, but I was hoping to find a simple fix, as I do not want to have to phone M/Soft every time I undertake a reinstall.

gareth170 · 14 Nov 2013 at 14:14

only way is to phone activate tbh. then it should work automaticly next time u reinstall

sydeccles · 14 Nov 2013 at 14:41

I am now back up and running, a fresh install of Windows 8.1 activated with my Windows 8 Key, not sure if it's worth trying with Media Centre again.

crazybones · 14 Nov 2013 at 16:49

Same issue when I reinstalled Windows 8. It just resulted in me having to phone Microsoft twice to re-activate.

I then took a system image to hopefully speed up an reinstallations in future.

bledd · 14 Nov 2013 at 17:58

Ditch Media Centre, it's crap and never updated now.

Move to XBMC, it's AWESOME

PCZ · 14 Nov 2013 at 20:41

The problem is your MC key
You didn't activate it in time and it has been disabled.
The key gets accepted but on next reboot your windows get de activated.

I have several from the time of the free MC key offer and only one works.
The broken ones were not used until recently and they will de activate windows 8 if used.

marc2003 · 14 Nov 2013 at 23:03

bledd. said:
Ditch Media Centre, it's crap and never updated now.

Move to XBMC, it's AWESOME

how's live tv support? i'm currently using mediaportal and it stinks compared to WMC. it's a pain to setup and the UI/tv server is buggy as hell. :/

BlizzardX · 15 Nov 2013 at 02:58

XBMC is terrible for Live TV, MP is miles ahead in that respect. It's a shame that WMC is closed as it would be great as a front end when paired with Argus-TV.

malachi · 15 Nov 2013 at 09:53

Got Live TV working in XBMC last week, its pants. So slow at changing channels. Had to go back to WMC.

Ringiho · 15 Nov 2013 at 10:34

*cough*

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=171216

That should remove the need to use WMC (though it needs to be installed) and allow the awesome of XBMC to carry on!

sydeccles · 15 Nov 2013 at 10:39

PCZ said:
The problem is your MC key
You didn't activate it in time and it has been disabled.
The key gets accepted but on next reboot your windows get de activated.

I have several from the time of the free MC key offer and only one works.
The broken ones were not used until recently and they will de activate windows 8 if used.

Just to clarify.
I did activate the Media player key, I have been running it on Windows 8 Pro since Win 8 was launched.

1) When I installed Windows 8.1 it activated OK with my Win 8 Key

2) I then added Media player with the key I have been using since Win 8 launch, this key was accepted and Media played was added.

3) When I restarted my computer, it informed me Windows needed activation, basically Media player de-activated my Windows 8.1 installation

gareth170 · 15 Nov 2013 at 11:29

sydeccles said:
Just to clarify.
I did activate the Media player key, I have been running it on Windows 8 Pro since Win 8 was launched.

1) When I installed Windows 8.1 it activated OK with my Win 8 Key

2) I then added Media player with the key I have been using since Win 8 launch, this key was accepted and Media played was added.

3) When I restarted my computer, it informed me Windows needed activation, basically Media player de-activated my Windows 8.1 installation

another way is to install win8 then add WMC then upgrade to win8.1 via store, with you should be doing.

A2BDriver · 15 Nov 2013 at 12:53

The same happened to me, the phone activation didn't work and just hung up on me, and there UK phone number is dead. Ended up going through the online chat and got it activated with in 5 minutes.

ants83 · 15 Nov 2013 at 15:45

same happened to me. i out the media centre code in to activate, it worked

sydeccles · 15 Nov 2013 at 15:49

A2BDriver said:
The same happened to me, the phone activation didn't work and just hung up on me, and there UK phone number is dead. Ended up going through the online chat and got it activated with in 5 minutes.

Where di I find the online chat, do you have a link ???

MeatLoaf · 15 Nov 2013 at 20:46

sydeccles said:
I have had a problem on one of my PC's.

I downloaded the Windows 8.1 Pro ISO from the Microsoft site, did a clean install with the install key, more info on this here:-

http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/windows-81-tip-download-windows-81-iso-windows-8-product-key

I then activated it with my Windows 8 key, so far so good. Next I added the Media Centre using the key I got FOC when Windows 8 was initially launched, restarted the Computer only to be told that I needed to activate Windows, basically I lost the activation of my Windows 8.1.

I thought, maybe I had done something wrong. so I undertook all of the above a second time, a fresh install of Windows 8.1, which I activated, then added the Media and unfortunately I have had the same message, I need to activate windows.

I am now looking at undertaking yet another fresh install, unless I can find a walk around the activation issue.

ANY HELP would be appreciated.
Thanks

This happened to me. I just restarted the PC again and it was fine.