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[Nvyseal]

Microsoft's decision to offer the Windows Media Center Pack for Windows 8 as a free download may be coming back to bite it, as software pirates have reportedly discovered a way to use the add-on to permanently activate pilfered copies of Windows.
The trick, as a few Reddit users discovered, involves activating Windows 8 temporarily via its Key Management Service, then using the Product Key from the free Media Center Pack to trick the system into thinking it's fully licensed.
Initially, Microsoft said that Windows Media Center would only be available as a paid add-on to Windows 8 Pro. Not even upgrade customers would get it for free, even though most editions of Windows 7 came bundled with it.
Redmond eventually bowed to consumer pressure, however, and began offering the Media Center Pack for Windows 8 Pro as a free download shortly after the Windows 8 launch, albeit only through January 31, 2013.
To get it, customers merely submit their email addresses to receive Media Center Pack Product Keys from Microsoft (one key per address). Upon receiving a key, they need only enter it into the new "Add Features to Windows 8" control panel to download and activate the Media Center components.

Read on at the Reg