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This is not a duplicate of this question, since the OP had already connected to the internet.

I installed Windows 8 Consumer Retail and was not connected to the internet, and remain unconnected so it cannot automatically activate.

  • How long can I use Windows 8 this way (never connected to the internet) and without activating the license?

I want documentation links, not just an answer you think is true or read somewhere, back up any statements with clear documentation please.

Answers related to Vista-W7 activation or commands used in Vista-W7 to check license status are not acceptable as Microsoft completely changed activation technologies for windows 8.

Related Question here which shows some the limits in functionality in the New UI, I cannot find any limits using the desktop other than no Internet functions.

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1 Answers1

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On an unactivated PC, you'll get regular notifications that you need to enter a valid product key. This message appeared in the upper left corner of the screen just now when I tried to visit PC Settings on an unactivated Windows 8 test PC. It didn't appear to block any functionality, nor did the notifications degrade any features. It appears to be strictly a speed bump. (I'll be looking into the exact implementation of activation and product key checking in the next few weeks.) Ed Bott.

Source

I also found this but it was for Enterprise version, Microsoft has not documented any of the activation process for any versions so far, so its articles like this are the only information I can find as of this posting date.

Microsoft declined to comment when asked to explain the reasoning behind the activation changes to Windows 8. "We have no information to share," a spokeswoman said in an email Monday. Source

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