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Thread ID: 137131	2014-05-26 06:20:00	Surface Pro, Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center Activation hell	vk_dre (195)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1375886	2014-05-26 06:20:00	Hi Everyone, It's been a long time since I've been back to PressF1, good to see the community alive and well! Anyway, I've been stuck in Windows activation hell the last one week . My Surface Pro had been happily running Windows 8 . 1 Pro until I decided to make use of my 'Windows 8 Media Center Pack' product key, which I had acquired early last year during the Microsoft Windows 8 Promotion that ran from October 2012 until Jan 2013 . After putting in my code, I realized I had already used it on an old media PC . I have the memory of a goldfish, or so the missus says . Now, my Surface Pro is rightly refusing to let me use this key as it has already been used . The kicker here is that I can't even buy a new key , the "Buy Key" option under "Activate Now" keeps giving me an error . Add to this, I rang the MS help line, several times, both AUS and NZ numbers, each time transferred to a different help desk . All I need is a new damn key . Or failing that, remove the 8 . 1 Media center, and then roll back to my original Windows installation . I don't have any restore points stored on my Surface Pro . Literally at my wits end . Apologies if the post is incomprehensible, I haven't read over it, I'm still seeing red and fuming at being transferred around numerous "help desks" . Cheers, V . K	vk_dre (195)
1375887	2014-05-26 06:26:00	Only thing you may have to do is buy the media centre pack then. But, I think that's over $100. Not much else you can do, and I dont think they'll give it to you for free What does the error say when you try to buy one?	Speedy Gonzales (78)
1375888	2014-05-26 06:40:00	Only thing you may have to do is buy the media centre pack then. But, I think that's over $100. Not much else you can do, and I dont think they'll give it to you for free What does the error say when you try to buy one? 8.1 Pro to 8.1 Pro with Media Centre is far less than that...	pcuser42 (130)
1375889	2014-05-26 06:41:00	It was giving a "0xXXXX" error before, but now Ive changed the region to US, and it says "Sorry, you can't buy keys online in this country or region, but you can buy Windows from a retailer near you". Progress? lol	vk_dre (195)
1375890	2014-05-26 06:42:00	I've been through the a similar thing, you just do an activation via phone, tell them the story and they will give you an activation code to put in.	Alex B (15479)
1375891	2014-05-26 06:47:00	I've been through the a similar thing, you just do an activation via phone, tell them the story and they will give you an activation code to put in. Mate! What is the number you've rung? I've tried all the AUS/NZ listed numbers! No luck at all..	vk_dre (195)
1375892	2014-05-26 06:48:00	8.1 Pro to 8.1 Pro with Media Centre is far less than that... Yer where? Not that I need it I got 3 keys when MS were handing them out :p	Speedy Gonzales (78)
1375893	2014-05-26 06:57:00	Mate! What is the number you've rung? I've tried all the AUS/NZ listed numbers! No luck at all.. Bring up the phone activation thing select New Zealand and it will give you a number.	Alex B (15479)
1375894	2014-05-26 07:38:00	Bring up the phone activation thing select New Zealand and it will give you a number. Doesn't work, I rang them up and they said the key wasn't genuine! Which was news to me, as I'd successfully used it once already. Did a bit of google sleuthing, and turns out Microsoft did a whoops: www.theverge.com , so pretty much everyone who received a key from this promotion, regardless of whether or not they had a genuine Windows 8 Pro device, has had their media center keys invalidated. Great bloody timing. For no fault of my own. Speedy, is this how you got 3 keys??	vk_dre (195)
1375895	2014-05-26 07:41:00	Double post!	vk_dre (195)
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