Slashdot Mirror

http://blog.hishamrana.com/2009/07/30/windows-7-activation-spoofed-not-cracked-via-slic-2-1-and-oem-master-key

So you have a manufacturer's signed SLIC table in the BIOS. Inside Windows you install a certificate to validate that table (e.g. from Acer or Toshiba). Then you use the appropriate serial key for your SKU version (not tied to mfgr).

This is why OEM machines can be wiped and reinstalled and have no activation problems. The OEM's custom install disc runs a batch file installing the cert and serial. It was identical in Windows Vista and the non-morons have been doing it since 2007.

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/20810-Activation-solution-comparison
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/5952-Win-7-amp-Server-08-R2-SLIC-2.1-Bin-Collection
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/10370-Windows-7-OEM-SLP-Key-Collection

The service pack has already been leaked (more info here with usenet and bittorrent links). So far its working fine. There have been some scattered reports of problems but this is mainly due to people missing updates via glitches within Windows Update.

1. My suggestion is everyone download Secunia PSI to scan their systems for older/vulnerable software. Update all software it finds to be out of date.

2. Use Filehippo.com's Update Checking utility to update any software that PSI misses.

3. Use a registry cleaner and temporary file cleanup utility to CCleaner.

Then do the update. It should go perfectly well then.

There is a problem in Windows XP SP2 with firewire transfer. Albeit that it could be numberous small files creating problems but it should be faster than 100mbps ethernet. Try this blog regarding Windows XP SP2 Firewire Slowness for a link to the KB and a links to few other work arounds or just go direct to the KB article.

I read a very good blog post doing a simple license disection showing how much power the studios with the Image Constraint Token and the Analog Sunset. This means educating consumers now regarding this ticking timebomb.

From the entry:

The provisions of Section 1.7.1 stipulate that any AACS licensed machine such as a HD-DVD or Blu-Ray player providing any analog, hence digitally unprotected, interface to be updated via a download after December 31, 2010 to degrade the signal from one-quarter 540p signal down to 480i. Even today's DVD players output higher quality 480p signal to capable video displays. The consumer is being asked to willingly pay these companies for a model of planned obsolescence where we will have to come back to purchase another player in the future even if our current player isn't broken. In other words, consumers are expected to pay for a set of features today that will be eliminated in short order to guarantee a revenue stream. For example, how many people would purchase a car at full sticker price from a manufacturer stipulating an artificial limit on how many miles it could be driven per day in two years without informing the customer? Not many. To call this an abomination would be an understatement.

This is definately not the way to attract new users to FF. However, if you want to do it, using a IE infobar is way cooler.

Neither name will work for people like me. I don't understand why Slashdot has refused to cover the super-heavy DRM in both formats. This article is pretty darned good reason to avoid both formats.

I'm not sure if you are using Windows Server 2003 on site, but if you have a license to it then Microsoft already has a VPN solution. See this how-to:
http://blog.hishamrana.com/2006/04/07/how-to-windo ws-2003-vpn-server/

XP with Ghost and Sysprep Guide

That is probably the best guide on the web right now. He goes through everything step-by-step. I made my first image with success following those instructions.

http://blog.hishamrana.com/2006/02/22/how-to-image -windows-xp-with-ghost-and-sysprep/ I'm not sure if you use these directions when making your disk image before. Plus, I think it takes some time to get it right.

Wrong. Microsoft did not offer any support to paying customers who installed Linux under Virtual Server. Now they provide support if you run Linux from either Red Hat or Novell. Furthermore, the press releasealso has a link to the Linux tools necessary for smooth video and mouse movement. It helps to read a little before commenting.

Must better coverage over at this blog. Check out VMWare President Diane Greene's blog.

And here is direct link to the Microsoft download page that requires registration.

Direct link to the 32bit version: here. (no reg required)

Direct link to the 64bit version: here. (no reg required)

Happy downloading.

So is Blu-Ray going to break away from the AACS licensing terms? There was a great blog posting (not my blog) discussing certain sections of the AACS draft. If this is really the case, then Sony will win the format war because the linked analysis shows 3-5 million early adopters will be left out in the cold with the downsampling provisions. Now we just have to wait and see how long Blu-Ray will take to come out.

One thing to note is Blu-Ray has an additional DRM layer which makes it even tougher to creck.

I found a really good summary of what could be the technique behind making this happen.. The chances are he is using the BOCHS hack for implementing a video bios. In the process of booting, windows does NOT take control until its kernal is fully loaded which is where the first screen flicker comes in. The *ONLY* way he could have done this way to connect the LCD of the Mac directly to a PC behind the scenes. However, even then, if you look at the model # of the hard drive, its the same one you find in the first intel imacs shipped. My conclusion is that it would take far too much work to make this a hoax so it must be real. I'm pretty sure this guy is using the Bochs technique.

Must read articles discuss the real threat (also here) that *IS* going to be included in every disc. Why is there so very little coverage of the boycott?

EFI may have some advantages but *REMEMBER* EFI is part of the Trusted Computing design. Interestingly, I had to dig through to an old January 11 version of the EFI page at wikipedia that details this. It seems like someone has edited out this information:

The Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) is an updated BIOS specification developed by Intel. Designed for use with trusted computing, it allows vendors to create drivers which cannot be reverse engineered. It also allows operating systems to run in a sandbox, delegating networking and memory management to the firmware. Hardware access is converted to calls to the EFI drivers. The EFI BIOS is used to select the operating system, replacing boot loaders.

I'm not for conspiracy theories but reading the Intel EFI 1.1 spec and looking at how Apple has resorted to locking out XP and requires a separate HFS+ partition to get dualboot Linux on a MacTel. Luckily Linux can be booted from HFS+ but do you think this will always be the case? EFI could be used in the future to prevent untrusted file systems, operating systems, kernel-level (not just EFI) drivers or apps from making use of a computer. So where are we on this /.? I find it stupid that people are chiding Microsoft for failing to include a feature like this. Yet when a real threat is shown that *IS* going to be included, there is very little coverage of the boycott. As much as I hate Microsoft, I'm not giving them crap for not including another device that will take the keys away from MY hardware.

1. Boing Boing
2. Slyck Forums
3. Another blogger with some good quotes
4. Normality Net with more info
5. Amit's Page with even more commentary

Drive by linkings!

I've seen quite a few posts on this but here are few links in particular that I found to be good. I will finish up by saying that Apple cannot win this battle. The x86 market is far too large for people not to tinker.

1. OSX 10.4.4 Works on AMD and SSE2 CPUs Check out the "related posts" entries for more info.
2. After OSX86 Project recieved it's DMCA shut down notice, people are moving discussion to the OSX86 China Forums
3. For immediate questions, IRC Channel is availabe.
4. To search old posts go to the 360 Online Forums
5. 10.4.4 restore disc has already been released on bittorrent

I've seen quite a few posts on this but here are few links in particular that I found to be good. I will finish up by saying that Apple cannot win this battle. The x86 market is far too large for people not to tinker.

1. OSX 10.4.4 Works on AMD and SSE2 CPUs Check out the "related posts" entries for more info.
2. After OSX86 Project recieved it's DMCA shut down notice, people are moving discussion to the OSX86 China Forums
3. For immediate questions, IRC Channel is availabe.
4. To search old posts go to the 360 Online Forums
5. 10.4.4 restore disc has already been released on bittorrent