Windows 8 Pro is Now Free (by Mistake)

[zakislam]

Exploit allows one to download Windows 8 keys directly from Microsoft.

Windows 8 Pro is Now Free (by Mistake) : Read more

 

[noblerabbit]

oh Microsoft, you couldn't even give your POS (piece of Software) away for free to me.

Coaster of the millenium, right up there with Diablo 3, may you both find love in heaven together somehow.

 

[RipperjackAU]

I used my three hotmail accounts, to snag three Microsoft Windows Media Center upgrade keys. However, a few hours on, nothing has been sent to any of my hotmail accounts!!

I wonder if Micro$haft have realised their mistake, and stoped sending out Media Center upgrade keys. 🙁

 

[azathoth]

Whoops!

 

[joytech22]

I got my key ages ago for the media center upgrade. Maybe I finally have a reason to download the windows 8 ISO and install it into my jukebox (with a touch screen!) LMao

 

[inerax]

Windows 7 is still an amazing OS. Why even "upgrade" for free?

 

[Cryio]

[citation][nom]inerax[/nom]Windows 7 is still an amazing OS. Why even "upgrade" for free?[/citation]

Mostly because of the boot-times and the new focus on the latest software. Windows 8 will be pushed really hard now so....

Go with the flow? I for one like it 😀

 

[jaquith]

For FREE I'm 'buying' it 😉

For pirates, the exploit is especially useful as it provides an alternative to the company's Key Management Service (KMS).

Brilliant TH for publishing this useful 'How To' pirate information. Job well done!!!

 

[yorgos]

free?
still not tempting enough

 

[shahrooz]

[citation][nom]Cryio[/nom]Mostly because of the boot-times and the new focus on the latest software. Windows 8 will be pushed really hard now so....Go with the flow? I for one like it[/citation]
the boot time is awesome even on HDD

 

[Anomalyx]

Everyone touting boot times... you know it never fully shuts down, right? Windows 8 hibernates instead, unless you manually disable "hybrid boot" in the power settings. Disable that, then compare boot times. They're hardly different.

 

[noblerabbit]

I don't see the need to decrease my 9 second boot time off my SSD using windows 7, to have a frustrating obstacle like experience with Windows 8 to save maybe another second off that boot time. lol, I actually think Win 7 boots crazy fast, my coffee isn't even nearly ready.

 

[syrious1]

Everyone touting boot times... you know it never fully shuts down, right? Windows 8 hibernates instead, unless you manually disable "hybrid boot" in the power settings. Disable that, then compare boot times. They're hardly different.

Not sure if true or just a ploy to make me buy an SSD

 

[syrious1]

what Catherine explained I didn't know that some people can get paid $5741 in one month on the computer. did you read this web page, http://xurl.es/uwb72

Shut up Chuck.

 

[Gundam288]

anyone else notice that Zak Islam, who normal only dose articles involving Apple is now doing articles about Windows 8?

That scares me on what windows 9 is going to be.

 

[lp231]

Not sure if the Reddit user is legit or not because
1. If install from disc, there is no skip product key button. If product key is not typed in then Win8 will not continue
2. There is no grace period like the 30 days like on Win7. Once product key is typed in Win8 automatically activates
3. For the free promotion key on MS site, it's just for adding Media Center.
I bought Win8 and got that free MCE key from that site.
I copied Win8 from disc to USB and added a file so I can skip the product key.
When I applied the MCE key in "Add Windows Features", it doesn't work. It says it requires the original product key first. So I did that activate and then free MCE key works.

 

[kingnoobe]

LOL@ people commenting on boot times.. Really windows 8 would do nothing for me. What cut down 10 seconds on boot times once a week (if that).. Windows 8 isn't even worth updating to for free. I'll stick with 7 until probably windows 9/10. When it might actually be worth upgrading to.

 

[HDmac]

Its free, yet I still don't want it. I don't know how much but Microsoft would have to pay me a considerable amount to use it.

 

[abbadon_34]

great you know many people are going to come to Toms asking for Win 8 keys, legitimately?

 

[Guest]

can i haz Güindows keyz?

 

[STravis]

[citation][nom]Anomalyx[/nom]Everyone touting boot times... you know it never fully shuts down, right? Windows 8 hibernates instead, unless you manually disable "hybrid boot" in the power settings. Disable that, then compare boot times. They're hardly different.[/citation]

The above info saddens me because I assume that the commenters on Tom's are tech savvy, but you are pointing out that they're a bunch of buffoons that don't even know that their machine is going into hibernation...

 

[NightLight]

i bet 95% of the haters haven't even installed a version yet before mouthing off...
I remember people doing this with 98-(me)-xp...

 

[alextheblue]

[citation][nom]STravis[/nom]The above info saddens me because I assume that the commenters on Tom's are tech savvy, but you are pointing out that they're a bunch of buffoons that don't even know that their machine is going into hibernation...[/citation]It's not quite the same as Win7 hibernation. Hybrid Boot is better for most users than hibernation and typically just as good as a cold boot (but much faster especially on low end systems with mechanical drives).

There's almost no reason to disable hybrid boot, as a matter of fact. You can still do a complete reboot at any time if you need to. Although even cold boots are a tad faster.

 

[randomizer]

[citation][nom]Anomalyx[/nom]Everyone touting boot times... you know it never fully shuts down, right? Windows 8 hibernates instead, unless you manually disable "hybrid boot" in the power settings. Disable that, then compare boot times. They're hardly different.[/citation]
There are still a few seconds between them. There's only so much you can cut boot time so I think they did a pretty decent job. What really matters is how much the boot time blows out over time because Win 7 is still highly susceptible to this. After a couple of years it had pretty much tripled for me. Hopefully that isn't the case for Win 8, but it probably will be.

Now if only they could cut my POST time as well...

 

[belardo]

Someone wants to pirate Windows8....?