You will need the Windows 8 Pro Product Key, NOT the MC Key.

http://www.eightforums.com/installa...retail-windows-8-1-windows-8-product-key.html

Is there any program that can look past the current MC Key to get the W8Pro product key. Every tool I have used, three or four now, comes back with the MC Key.

No need as you should have been sent, the original media, the certificate of authenticity, the product key and the proof of purchase.

http://www.eightforums.com/general-discussion/10837-windows-8-eula.html

As I stated, this computer was purchased from an individual who was the one that installed W8Pro w/MC, and I specifically asked for the W8Pro key, but got the MC Key instead, didn't know that was what he was giving me. So I do not have the email, as I was not the one that purchased it (if he did...begining to wonder).

Is it possible to activate more than one copy of W8Pro with one key? I am wondering if maybe he used the activation key more than once, possibly even used a crack to do it.... Guess thats what I get buying from an individual as opposed to a new PC....

xxx

It is sounding more & more like an ILLEGAL sale.

I would return for a refund.

This may not be the right way to go about it, but what if I install W8Pro using someone elses (my sister's) perinstalled W8Pro key then used my MC key to upgrade? Is the key from the install replaced by the MC key? Just trying to figure out a way to do this...

Why can't you contact the person you bought it from and get the Windows 8 key?

I have sent him an email requesting it a couple of days ago and have yet to here back...

Well, Microsoft Tech Support bailed me out...bet that doesn't get said often...

I called them with the issues listed above (Office 2010 and HP Printer software not installing). I spent at least 7 hours on the phone with them the last two days. Today they tried several things including removing and reinstalling the .net framework and editing the registrys with no success. He then tried a reinstall over the top of the current W8.1PMC, same errors as before. Tried another "clean" reinstall with no files from the old software, again, same errors. In the end with the "clean" install not working, I agreed to downgrade to W7U and he provided my with an ISO and a Key, but he was at the end of his shift and left me to make a bootable thumbdrive and install W7U.

I tried to install W7U, but ran into issues with the thumbdrive and an error saying that the drivers were missing (I think that was a USB 3.0 VS 2.0 thing). Anyway, I was glad I ran into the problem because in the mean time I downloaded a W8.1P ISO from the internet and decided to give it a try with the Key that the Tech Support guy used for the earlier installs. This time I formatted the HDD (SSD) before continuing on to install a true clean copy of W8.1P. SUCCESS... I am able to install all the software that was giving me problems before and other things that I didn't realize were issues are gone too.

My only issue that I can see now is that the recovery partition that the Tech set up before one of the reinstalls, is now not showing up in Windows Explorer. I can only see my C:\ drive, the D:\ is not present, but from where I started, that is not a big problem.

Anyway, just thought I would update you all.

One other thing...is MC worth getting? I/we don't watch tv or movies on our laptops, so I am thinking it is a bit of a waste to install it. Opinions?

Agree for you it sounds MC would be a waste of time. You can always install VLC if you do want to watch a movie or something.

I kind of had the same problem.

I did not realize the Windows 8 with Media Center was a different key.

I sold a device that I had previously installed Windows 8 Pro plus Media Center that I had legally
purchased from Microsoft. Since the device I was selling originally came with Windows 7, I put the
Windows 7 back on it that came with it. I loaded the Jelly Bean keyfinder and copied out what I
thought was the Windows 8 key, It was the Windows 8 Media Center key and I did not understand
the difference then.

When I sold my device I offered the buyer the Windows 8 key in case he wanted to play with it since the key
was assigned to that hardware and I could not use it again. He was very happy and I sent him the key I had
saved earlier.

Well, he e-mailed me back and told me what I had sent him was the Media Center key and not the original
Windows 8 Pro key. I had not copied that key down anywhere. Here is the kicker. I had bought that key under
one of my three Road Runner e-mail addresses I had earlier in the year. I did not print anything off or copy it.
I had switched from Road Runner to FioS so I no longer had access to any of those Road Runner e-mails
(I was accessing them web based).

So, it looks like that key is lost forever. There should be a way to get the Windows 8 key from the
Media Center key.