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Should I update to windows 8.1?

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 5:46 am
by Fin745
I’m on windows 7 and everything works fine, but with the ending support of windows 7 and since I do use my HTCP as also a normal PC,

Should I update to windows 8.1? I have both a license for windows 8.1 and the media center.

Thanks.

Re: Should I update to windows 8.1?

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 12:13 pm
by Scallica
No, leave it alone! If you don't use your WMC PC for general internet use, the security risk is minimal.

Re: Should I update to windows 8.1?

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 12:49 pm
by Fin745
Scallica wrote: Sat Mar 30, 2019 12:13 pm No, leave it alone! If you don't use your WMC PC for general internet use, the security risk is minimal.
Sorry if I wasn’t clear on my post, but I do use it also for “general internet use”.

Re: Should I update to windows 8.1?

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 7:59 pm
by Scallica
Fin745 wrote: Sat Mar 30, 2019 12:49 pm
Scallica wrote: Sat Mar 30, 2019 12:13 pm No, leave it alone! If you don't use your WMC PC for general internet use, the security risk is minimal.
Sorry if I wasn’t clear on my post, but I do use it also for “general internet use”.
Ah, I missed that part. I would still leave a working WMC system alone. I would buy another PC/laptop for general internet use.

Re: Should I update to windows 8.1?

Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 7:10 am
by dab2kab
I run windows 8.1 for both wmc and for use as a day to day normal pc. It works well for this purpose and i think such a system can work well. That being said, ive learned over time with WMC, that if it isnt broke, dont try to fix it. What i would do is wait until your windows 7 install has an issue that you feel requires a reinstall or in the long term you have a needed program that drops support for windows 7 and when that happens upgrade to windows 8.1. As far as the security worries go on windows 7 post january 2020, honestly i think if you are computer savvy enough to setup up a reliable wmc machine and use it, you are unlikely to fall victim to most security threats that arise anyway.

Re: Should I update to windows 8.1?

Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 1:54 pm
by jachin99
I asked about windows update strategies here https://www.askwoody.com/ and chose to NOT install patches. The advice I read about after choosing my strategy essentially boiled down to not using adobe products, or IE. If you need adobe flash for web browsing then use chrome because its already built in. If not then firefox might be a better choice. I dont browse the web too much on my machines, and I dont view PDFs, or use them for email.

Re: Should I update to windows 8.1?

Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2019 2:42 pm
by DavidinCT
jachin99 wrote: Tue Apr 02, 2019 1:54 pm I asked about windows update strategies here https://www.askwoody.com/ and chose to NOT install patches. The advice I read about after choosing my strategy essentially boiled down to not using adobe products, or IE. If you need adobe flash for web browsing then use chrome because its already built in. If not then firefox might be a better choice. I dont browse the web too much on my machines, and I dont view PDFs, or use them for email.
Agreed. THere are TONS of Windows 7/8.1 updates that are NO LONGER tested against Windows Media Center(it's a dead product according to MS). Over the years I learned this the hardway a FEW times, Now when I build a WMC machine, I get it to a point where it's stable and I completely disable updates. I have a fairly good firewall in my home and every bit of content is downloaded from another machine and dropped on to a network share before being installed. Just be a little midfull and carefull on what your doing here.

There is also an automated system backup once a week (OS drive only) to a network drive on another computer, that is kept for 1 month, so if I notice a problem as late as 4 weeks out, I can restore and get back up and running very quickly (OS restore takes about 35 min over the network).

There was one update... about 5 years ago, that completely broke the computer... it took me a day to get the system back(needed to format) and almost a month before everything was back to where it needed to be.

Re: Should I update to windows 8.1?

Posted: Thu May 02, 2019 3:29 pm
by mercalia
If the media center licence for 8.1 was one of those free ones they gave out you may find it dont work now, unless you have already installed 8.1 with media center some time and activated it. I seem to remember it was time limited for first install. With cheap hard discs there is no reason why you shouldnt make a 8.1 media center hard disk system then maybe make an image if you want to free up the hard disc?

Re: Should I update to windows 8.1?

Posted: Wed May 22, 2019 12:20 am
by DavidinCT
mercalia wrote: Thu May 02, 2019 3:29 pm If the media center licence for 8.1 was one of those free ones they gave out you may find it dont work now, unless you have already installed 8.1 with media center some time and activated it. I seem to remember it was time limited for first install. With cheap hard discs there is no reason why you shouldnt make a 8.1 media center hard disk system then maybe make an image if you want to free up the hard disc?
There is a way around that... it requires finding a 8.1 ISO WITH WMC on it... Using a WMC install key(a open key that will install the complete package), this will install 8.1 with WMC, when you try to activate it, of course, it will fail, then put in your WMC key and activate and you will be fine. Call the 800 # if you need to and you will be all set, this will only happen if it has been activated on other hardware before, requiring to call (DO NOT try that with the install key)

Re: Should I update to windows 8.1?

Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 4:00 pm
by dadi01
DavidinCT wrote: Wed May 22, 2019 12:20 am
mercalia wrote: Thu May 02, 2019 3:29 pm If the media center licence for 8.1 was one of those free ones they gave out you may find it dont work now, unless you have already installed 8.1 with media center some time and activated it. I seem to remember it was time limited for first install. With cheap hard discs there is no reason why you shouldnt make a 8.1 media center hard disk system then maybe make an image if you want to free up the hard disc?
There is a way around that... it requires finding a 8.1 ISO WITH WMC on it... Using a WMC install key(a open key that will install the complete package), this will install 8.1 with WMC, when you try to activate it, of course, it will fail, then put in your WMC key and activate and you will be fine. Call the 800 # if you need to and you will be all set, this will only happen if it has been activated on other hardware before, requiring to call (DO NOT try that with the install key)
you don't use your WMC PC for general internet use, the security risk is minimal.

Re: Should I update to windows 8.1?

Posted: Sat Jan 11, 2020 5:16 pm
by V1de0Lovr
DavidinCT wrote: Wed May 22, 2019 12:20 am
mercalia wrote: Thu May 02, 2019 3:29 pm If the media center licence for 8.1 was one of those free ones they gave out you may find it dont work now...
There is a way around that... it requires finding a 8.1 ISO WITH WMC on it... Using a WMC install key(a open key that will install the complete package), this will install 8.1 with WMC, when you try to activate it, of course, it will fail, then put in your WMC key and activate and you will be fine. Call the 800 # if you need to and you will be all set, this will only happen if it has been activated on other hardware before, requiring to call (DO NOT try that with the install key)
I do have 3 of the free WMC upgrade keys that were not activated because I used Windows 7 at time. Sounds like you are saying they can be activated calling the 800 number?

Re: Should I update to windows 8.1?

Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2020 4:02 pm
by DavidinCT
V1de0Lovr wrote: Sat Jan 11, 2020 5:16 pm
DavidinCT wrote: Wed May 22, 2019 12:20 am
mercalia wrote: Thu May 02, 2019 3:29 pm If the media center licence for 8.1 was one of those free ones they gave out you may find it dont work now...
There is a way around that... it requires finding a 8.1 ISO WITH WMC on it... Using a WMC install key(a open key that will install the complete package), this will install 8.1 with WMC, when you try to activate it, of course, it will fail, then put in your WMC key and activate and you will be fine. Call the 800 # if you need to and you will be all set, this will only happen if it has been activated on other hardware before, requiring to call (DO NOT try that with the install key)
I do have 3 of the free WMC upgrade keys that were not activated because I used Windows 7 at time. Sounds like you are saying they can be activated calling the 800 number?
Microsoft sent out an email for the free upgrade, you needed to activate it to have the free key. If you did activate it, it should be still valid.

Microsoft does a text a with a link to a website to do activation now. It's fairly easy. You could always try this, and if they say you need to contact customer service, you have a invalid key.

FOLLOW my directions on here

viewtopic.php?f=49&t=12241

Everything is there for you to install and try. DISCONNECT your internet when you do this, unplug your network cable, or if doing in a VM, just delete the network card for the install.