Windows 8 and Media Center

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Take note: If you decide to download and install MS Media Centre in your Win 8 OS, you will be provided with a NEW Product Key that replaces your original “Win-8-without Media-Centre” one. MS views “Windows-8-with- Media-Centre” as a different product to that of “Windows-8-without-Media-Centre” (go figure!!)
:huh:

My Rig: AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 12-Core CPU; ASUS Cross Hair VIII Formula Mobo; Win 11 Pro (64 bit)-(UEFI-booted); 32GB RAM; 2TB Corsair Force Series MP600 Pro 2TB PCIe Gen 4.0 M.2 NVMe SSD. 1TB SAMSUNG 960 EVO M.2 NVME SSD; MSI GeForce RTX 3090 VENTUS 3X 24G OC; Microsoft 365 Home; Condusiv SSDKeeper Professional; Acronis Cyberprotect, VMWare Workstation Pro V17.5. HP 1TB USB SSD External Backup Drive). Dell G-Sync G3223Q 144Hz Monitor.

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Peter, hello.
That “new” Product key is a dedicated key for that Media Center D/L. it does not replace the W-8 install key. I found out as I had to redo my W-8 install, I had to use the former and then after D/L the MC, I had to use its dedicated key, I should say that as I went to Add Features, it presented me with a dialog where I entered the MC keys. It recognized it as the proper one and then offered the D/L. One had to be “right” when making such a statement. Be good. JP.

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@handcuff36: Thanks for that. I based my comment on a statement in the Windows 8 forum. Cheers.

My Rig: AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 12-Core CPU; ASUS Cross Hair VIII Formula Mobo; Win 11 Pro (64 bit)-(UEFI-booted); 32GB RAM; 2TB Corsair Force Series MP600 Pro 2TB PCIe Gen 4.0 M.2 NVMe SSD. 1TB SAMSUNG 960 EVO M.2 NVME SSD; MSI GeForce RTX 3090 VENTUS 3X 24G OC; Microsoft 365 Home; Condusiv SSDKeeper Professional; Acronis Cyberprotect, VMWare Workstation Pro V17.5. HP 1TB USB SSD External Backup Drive). Dell G-Sync G3223Q 144Hz Monitor.

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It is much, much worse than that and I am in the thick of it.

I made requests for two licences but only received one number, and now the one really good machine (the other is a disaster for a different reason) is giving me the ‘Activate Windows Now’ flag and telling me that ‘This product key is already being used on another PC [as indeed it is]. Try a different key, or buy a new one’. The number they show is for the Media Center but they have, as you have noted, applied it to the entire installation, which they have now pretty well locked down on me.

I guess I will have to phone, but I am not a happy camper in present circumstances.

In case you are wondering about the ‘disaster’ remark, that computer is a new Win 7 (64-bit, 8 GB) that I upgraded online to 8, and for all practical purposes nothing in Win 8 works except the Desktop with all my previously-installed Win 7 applications, and the newly-installed Media Center. I am going to have to try the newfangled set-it-straight Win 8 procedure, with a fortune in MS and third-party software on the machine.

The ‘really good machine’ is a 32-bit installation of Win 8 that I put on an originally XP machine with 2 GB of RAM when I got the RTM version, and everything works that can be expected to work with 2 GB, or rather it was working before they shut it down over the licence issue. I wrote about that in one of the threads at the time, and appear to have been just plain lucky.

I guess I’ll have to reread all the licencing stuff before I call them.

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On the machine that’s really messed up, my guess is that something went wrong with the Upgrade. It seems that many of the problems we are reading are related to the Upgrade. Yes, in many instances it works, but in many it just does not work. A Custom Install may be in order.

If you did not burn the ISO to disk, your email receipt for the purchase contains a link near the top that will start the process over. I would recommend the Removable Media Option. This will give you the option to burn a DVD.

I realize that starting over with a custom install requires reinstalling all apps, but IMO it gives a much more pristine installation. I have done 2 such installations so far and both are perfect. Total of 5 hours each, including 3 defrags and Images for each (2 intermediate Images and 1 final Image) I have heard the Reset and Refresh options take longer the Custom Installation. I do not have personal knowledge of this since both my installations were Custom Installs with a partition format during the installation (not ahead of time).

Are you sure about the key you used for the second Media Center installation. I also received 2 Media Center keys at the same time, but made doubly sure I used the proper key for the proper PC. I had one key for one email, the second key under a different email. Worked like a charm. I also believe you will have to call MS support to straighten that one out. I believe you can only get one license per email address.

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I was unaware that the offer was limited to a single email address (when I, too, have multiple addresses), and that is the sort of thing I wanted to check on before phoning – thank you for the information.

What I think I would much prefer in both cases is an uninstall, as if to a restore point.

The really messed up machine includes the full Adobe Creative Cloud, all of which has to be downloaded for installation, and that means hours (or days) of downloading with my connection, and simply nuking Win 8 to restore Win 7 is preferable. I do have backups, and will have to see exactly what I can do, or ask MS if it can be done. Admittedly, it was an experiment to see if the Adobe stuff would actually run under Windows 8. I do have another 64-bit machine that I successfully installed the RTM on, but couldn’t be bothered with it at the time and just restored that to Win 7. I still have a backup of that Win 8, and might revert that yet again, since it was a clean install, and of course has its original registration. That fifteen-dollar deal looks like no deal at all.

On viewing Media Center on the 8 GB machine I am afraid that it might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back on my 2 GB minimalist supercomputer, which is sort of the Energizer Bunny of computers, if only the battery weren’t dead and there wasn’t a screw loose and rolling around inside the case. I joke about it, but it really has had a remarkable working-life, and the Win 8 installation on that was a clean install as well.

Come to think of it, I think I’d better start looking for a restore point for the Media Center installation. Surely Microsoft wouldn’t have overlooked a detail like that. No time to waste… (I’ll post back if I find one.)

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I was unaware that the offer was limited to a single email address (when I, too, have multiple addresses), and that is the sort of thing I wanted to check on before phoning – thank you for the information.

What I think I would much prefer in both cases is an uninstall, as if to a restore point.

The really messed up machine includes the full Adobe Creative Cloud, all of which has to be downloaded for installation, and that means hours (or days) of downloading with my connection, and simply nuking Win 8 to restore Win 7 is preferable. I do have backups, and will have to see exactly what I can do, or ask MS if it can be done. Admittedly, it was an experiment to see if the Adobe stuff would actually run under Windows 8. I do have another 64-bit machine that I successfully installed the RTM on, but couldn’t be bothered with it at the time and just restored that to Win 7. I still have a backup of that Win 8, and might revert that yet again, since it was a clean install, and of course has its original registration. That fifteen-dollar deal looks like no deal at all.

On viewing Media Center on the 8 GB machine I am afraid that it might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back on my 2 GB minimalist supercomputer, which is sort of the Energizer Bunny of computers, if only the battery weren’t dead and there wasn’t a screw loose and rolling around inside the case. I joke about it, but it really has had a remarkable working-life, and the Win 8 installation on that was a clean install as well.

Come to think of it, I think I’d better start looking for a restore point for the Media Center installation. Surely Microsoft wouldn’t have overlooked a detail like that. No time to waste… (I’ll post back if I find one.)

I am a bit doubtful that a restore point would allow you to get back from a key based upgrade of Windows features. Have you tried to insert the original key, just to see if that works (am a bit doubtful too, but nothing to lose if you try it)?

I would most definitely try to get another key for Windows Media Pro edition. You shouldn’t have trouble getting it.

I would suggest that you don’t do anything destructive without getting to MS support. They may just give you another key (they probably should!) and that will solve your problems.

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Que tal, Rui ?
This morning, Media Center does not run at all. I again tried the Add Features and it would not activate. Looking into this but if you have a ready solution, do give it to me. Thanks. JP.

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I believe System restore is basically unchanged from Win 7. Finding a restore point should not be a problem.

I know you do not want to hear it, but I really think a Custom install will fix your problems. Also requesting the second media center key from another email should work for that.

Good luck with whatever choice you make. I have found that at times trying to T/S a problem and fix it, if possible, often takes much longer than starting over.

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Hi JP. Have a look at Event Viewer, maybe there is something there that can be of help.

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I had a look, Rui, it is all Portuguese to me ! When I go through the D/L steps, it says that the app is already installed. ! ? !

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This sounds like one of those instances where a free support call to MSmight be in order.

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Decimo, thanks, I will attend to this tomorrow morn. Sleep tight.

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I am happy to report that the ‘really good machine’ is back to normal (without Media Player) and the first full (True Image 2013, as they now name it) backup is just completing.

I now strongly suspect (or desperately hope) that the ‘really messed up’ machine is not messed up and may simply need very careful attention to the details in ‘Settings’, to which I paid scant attention but which appear to be fairly complicated.

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dogberry, do you mean without Media Center? Were you able to apply for a second key from a second email address?

I also have my first completed install Images using True Image 2013 for both our PC’s. I will create new Images at least once per month so I do not get too far behind with this critical chore.

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I have 2 computers, both running Win8. I got a Media Center Key for the Desktop and installed the MC. I noticed that the last five digits of the key changed from the original to the new MC one.

I then did the same with my laptop and got a key with the same number. Did the upgrade and all went well. After a few minutes, the Action Center poped up and told me that my activation key was in use by another computer. Tried to use the original key and was told that it wouldn’t work with Win 8 Pro w/ MC. Either buy a new key or re-install win8.

What I did was to ask for a MC key using a different email address. Used that key (it was different) to activate “Windows 8 Pro with Media Center” and it worked.

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I really think the key here is one Media Center key per email address.

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Amen. But it’s important to remember that the real key to your computer after you install media center in the new one you got to install it. The old (initial) one will no longer work once media center is installed. The key for media center is actually the key for Win 8 Pro w/ media center.
So if your hard drive crashes, you get a new one and put a saved image back you’ll have to use the new key if you have to activate it.

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I will describe the symptoms of the problem on my ‘bad’ installation of Win 8, which I don’t think was bad at all, but simply messed up after I had it running. Maybe someone can suggest where things went wrong.

All non-Windows 8 programs work normally from the desktop and from their tiles where they exist. All Windows 8 controls work normally. Some Windows 8 apps work properly, such as Maps and Calendar, but others, such as Travel and News and Finance, show preview pictures alternating with text, but then a blank screen after switching to a symbol. Travel has tantalizing pictures, but if I click on it I get a suitcase symbol, and after that a blank screen. Store does the same, but it appears to be trying to load something, as it has the ring of dots circling. Bing has marvellous full-screen photos (if that is what it is supposed to do).

I think I went through a set of options in PC settings, thinking of things like Privacy, and I am wondering if I have locked myself out of these assorted nifty-or-otherwise Windows 8 apps. I can live without them, as everything I want working works, but if there were a way of fixing them then it would add a bit of variety to the show.

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I believe you can uninstall, then reinstall the apps that are not functioning. For example Travel app is listed in the App Store under the Travel category, but when I click on it I get a message that I already own this app.

I am not sure if these apps are affected by it, but net 3.0 and 3.5 are not enabled by default. There is a section in Add Windows features for adding this net feature. I know WLM would not install until I added net 3.5

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I believe you can uninstall, then reinstall the apps that are not functioning. For example Travel app is listed in the App Store under the Travel category, but when I click on it I get a message that I already own this app.

I am not sure if these apps are affected by it, but net 3.0 and 3.5 are not enabled by default. There is a section in Add Windows features for adding this net feature. I know WLM would not install until I added net 3.5

That is an excellent lead, and one that I certainly would never have thought of, but part of the problem is still with me.

Installing net added the familiar number(s) to the Store app (familiar because my 32-bit installation works perfectly), and it makes sense that the Store app is pivotal in installing other apps. Unfortunately, while the Store app shows a number, that is as much as I can get out of it, apart from the ‘loading…’ dots. Mail also showed a number (1) but when I went to that it led to a blank screen and the number has subsequently disappeared. In some of these cases I can’t help wondering if it is something as goofy as a colour scheme that renders certain things invisible. (I’ll try changing that, just to be on the safe side.)

This does represent progress, so I am hopeful I can get full functionallity. Thank you for the welcome suggestions.

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I am awaiting d/l info for WMC for 5 days now – I’m in Aussie. My upgrade from Win 7 worked like a charm and I am quickly becoming familiar with the Metro interface although on my 2nd monitor I still see a workable desktop.

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I would definitely use the same email address and request a key once again. I have never heard this taking this long.

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I would definitely use the same email address and request a key once again. I have never heard this taking this long.

Microsoft had a thread in which Australian and EU WMC licence applications were not getting through for over a week in some cases. No adequate response from Microsoft on this issue. In America, I applied for a WMC license through my Yahoo Mail Plus account. Yahoo then took my account offline for a day, and I have been waiting three days for the license. Reapplied yesterday, and no dice yet. These kinds of mess-ups are indeed happening to a lot of folks.

If Dogberry has not logged in with his Windows Live ID, the Metro Apps which must update from outside servers will not have Live Tiles, and will not function when opened. In such cases, my Windows 8 Pro Metro Apps ask me to log in, but not all Apps do that. The Store App does do that, and so does Skydrive.

I do not have to log in with Windows Live ID to use Chicago Tribune, NBC News, Accuweather or similar information-only Apps. I do have to log in to use interactive Apps or those which use Cloud Storage, like Messenger or OneNote.

I originally set up Windows 8 Pro as a clean install from bought System Builder media and installed as a dual-boot with Windows 7 Home Premium, both 64-bits. The Account I set up first for testing was an Administrator Account, not a Standard User Account. These factors may figure into my success.

I installed all my x86 and x64 Applications (almost all of them free) from installers, rather than try to do any sort of upgrade. My data were backed up in Macrium Reflect archives, which I Explored and plucked out Folders to Restore to Windows 8 locations. (Use the installed version of Macrium Reflect Free or the WinPE Rescue CD.) I won’t miss the Media Center, as I installed StarBurn (CDBurnerXP doesn’t have a compatible driver or emulator yet) and VLC Player. Windows Media Player just sits on my Legacy Desktop looking very sad and lonely. What else am I missing, if the WMC Key never arrives?

Super Antispyware and Windows Defender are native 64-bit security scanners which work just fine in Windows 8 Pro 64-bits. I have read that Malwarebytes will also work. I wish I could change the Default Actions of Windows Defender, but I haven’t seen any way to do this.

Chrome Metro works and I like its tabs and virtually unlimited Flash Player (works at almost any site) and available Extensions, even when running in Metro Mode. IE 10 is OK, but it really doesn’t live up to its potential at this time. And I substituted NitroPDF for the Metro PDF Reader. Changing these few Default Programs makes my life easier.

So that’s how I got Windows 8 Pro 64-bit to run Metro Apps just fine, and this is how I am using third-party applications to plug some of the holes in my Windows 8 installation as of this time. With luck, one of the three or four attempts to request the WMC Product Key will eventually show up in my Yahoo Inbox, but I am not holding my breath waiting.

UPDATE:

1:55 PM 11/9/2012 Received my License Key for the download from Microsoft. In Triplicate! Only one License Key Number. They apparently do have ways of tracking that.

Maybe it was my complaint here which spurred MS into action? :p NAH!

11:35 AM 11/10/2012 WMC installed and configured. I really don’t see what the big deal is here. This feature pack really doesn’t add much that I can’t do with third-party apps on my own, unless I’m missing something.

-- rc primak

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Probably wouldn’t hurt to disable any software firewalls and security apps as a test. Also consider SFC /SCANNOW.

Jerry

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Once you get the Store App working, open it, Right Click and choose My App. From the drop down box you can choose Apps not installed or Apps install on your PC. Any app you uninstall, you can reinstall from here.

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Nice tip Ted. Rather than go to it, I would say open it. I first tried right clicking on the Store icon in the Start Screen because thats what I thought you meant.

Sure wish Microsoft didn’t decide to go with a Chromeless Metro interface or I might have found this myself. I guess I’ll just have to learn to right click in each app to see what goodies live there just like I explore the options menu in desktop programs. But its tough learning new tricks when you get old. I just prefer menus but I learned to tolerate (not love) the ribbon, I suupose I’ll learn to tolerate Metro.

Jerry

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There are not options with right click on all apps, but there are on some. You will also find various app options using Charms Bar. When an app is opened, Charms changes to be app specific.

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I knew that but never thought to check it or the charms settings in the Store app . I think you’ll find that almost all Metro apps have a right click list of settings. Have you run into one that didn’t? I haven’t.

Jerry

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Some of the games do not. Specifically Mahjong or MS Solitaire apps. Perhaps others. They do have Charms options. I haven’t actually tried a lot of different apps.

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I installed the Microsoft Solitaire collection and there is a set of right click options in the individual games.
Don’t know about Mahjong.

Jerry

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OK, I see what you mean. I had not actually opened a particular game, but checked on the main Home screen for each game. There are also right click options on Mahjong once you pick a game puzzle. I stand corrected. I do not know of any that don’t include right click options.

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I bought a Toshiba DX 730 all-in-one 23 touch screen ($1000.00 plus). down loaded 8 pro, Media Center then things went to HELL! 8 hours on the phone with Toshbia, who wanted $150.00 more to fix via phone. next 8 hours with various Microsoft clowns – no HELP. I solved the problem with a hammer & screw driver – the computer is now in the Landfill!!
TBYRD

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It’s hard to believe you went through all that! Was your first installation an Upgrade or a Custom Install? I suspect Upgrade. That seems like an extreme way to solve the problem, but to each there own.

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I had a Major Stroke 11 years ago, now I don’t put up with B/S from THINGS or PEOPLE. I figured out the problem (ME)
I will try my luck with a HP all-in-one ($1500 – Plus) April 3. I bought a Windows 8 book, maybe with more study and
time I’ll get it right this time.

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That’s a dreadful story about a computer gone wrong. Most major outlets offer a 3-year maintenance package (if that’s the term) which can be a bit expensive for most users (they make money on the deal) but which is a form of insurance you might consider. It would give you peace of mind and a reasonable expectation of clear sailing (whatever that may be). I know that some big retailers (this may vary by region and store) have a 2-week return policy that they don’t advertise, but if you’ve bought a lemon they’ll take it back. One very easy thing to do is buy a computer with 8 pre-installed, rather than install it yourself. Good luck with your next machine.

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tbyrd, private mail gone to you. JP.

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I too waited and waited, slept, ate, lived life, and finally it did show up right at about the 24 hour promised limit. So far looks good, is actually adding video files to the Library from an XP shared drive without explicit symbolic links or anything so that gets a double ++ so far.

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Mine was a day later, but Yahoo had put my account offline during parts of that time.

Good to know the WMC has some uses now. Probably more in the future.

-- rc primak

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A recent link from Gizmo’s Freeware may be of interest to anyone trying to learn Windows 8, and it may be less stressful than other sources.

I have three computers running Windows 8, and tomorrow there’ll be but two. I am restoring one to Windows 7.

The new Win 7 machine, which I discussed in this thread and that I converted to Win 8 for $15 (and too much time and trouble), will not install all of the updates that came with Update Tuesday. Something is kaput, and I am finished with it in the short run.

I still have the serial number and the Media Player number and can convert again ‘someday’, but I want a stable and complete Win 7 installation on the computer first, and the pre-8 image was fairly far advanced. I’m getting out while the getting’s good.

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Hey dogberry, I suspect the conversion was an Upgrade. If I’m wrong I apologize. The Custom install is so quick with Win 8, it might be worth trying before you give up the idea.

If you did not burn the ISO file to DVD, you can use the link near the top of your email receipt from MS to start the process over, except when you get to the point, choose Install by creating media. This will download the ISO file to your PC then allow you to burn a DVD or Flash Drive.

During the actual installation choose Custom Install. On the next screen click the Advanced (Disk) Options and highlight your partition and choose format, then continue the installation. Since the actual Win 8 installation is only about 15 to 20 minutes, this would give you a chance to see if the PC is better behaved. The Win 7 restore is still only a few minutes away of it srill does not work.

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I have a question concerning how long I can delay before installing the Windows 8 and WMC low cost Upgrades.
I have purchased one Windows 8 Pro upgrade for £24.95 and have downloaded the software and burnt an ISO DVD ready for a clean install.
I have obtained 2 different WMC Upgrade licenses (Keys) from Microsoft using 2 different email addresses.
From all I can gather from the Upgrade Terms and Conditions, there is no time limit on when I can use the Windows 8 Upgrade license. However,
if I want to make WMC available, it appears that I must use one of the provided WMC Keys before the end of January 2013.
If I want to use the second WMC Key, I must purchase and install a second copy of Windows 8 some time before the end of January 2013 to
enable me to use my second WMC Key before it expires at the end of January 2013.

In summary, the Windows 8 license key does not expire, but the WMC license key does expire at the end of January 2013. Is this correct?

Geoff

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the WMC license key does expire at the end of January 2013. Is this correct?

Not correct, excuse my direct statement. The low cost offer is the one that ends at the end of January, methinks.

Once you acquire a key, it is yours. JP.

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I asked the question because of this statement** from microsoft at

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows-8/feature-packs

** Windows 8 Media Center Pack is available at no charge for a limited time only through this promotional page on Windows.com. If you obtain Windows 8 Media Center Pack through any other location fees might apply. Offer valid from October 26, 2012, until January 31, 2013, and is limited to one product key per email address. You qualify for this promotion if your PC is running Windows 8 Pro. Additional hardware may be required to watch and record live TV. You must provide a valid email address to receive your Windows 8 Media Center Pack product key. Your product key must be activated no later than January 31, 2013. Microsoft will only contact you at the email address you provide to send you your product key and to remind you when the activation period for your product key is ending. Catalysis Corporation is a third-party company we use to collect subscription information and process the delivery of these emails. If you purchase a new PC with Windows 8 preinstalled and you later upgrade that PC with Windows 8 Pro Pack, Windows 8 Media Center Pack, a volume license edition, or a retail edition, you will no longer be able to install apps that are provided exclusively from your PC manufacturer through the Windows Store. Get the full details on our special offers.

Reading it more closely than I did the first time – it seems pretty clear that it does expire on 31 Jan.

Geoff

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I believe the key statement in the foregoing post is “Your product key must be activated no later than January 31, 2013” This does indeed mean that it must be installed and activated by Jan. 31st.

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Medico, ” “Your product key must be activated no later than January 31, 2013″ ” Thanks, it says it all. Jean.

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