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Microsoft Allows Pirates to Install XP SP2

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the well-isn't-that-nice dept.

mkraft writes "On the tail of the previously asked question on whether Microsoft should support pirated copies of XP, comes the answer. According to Computer Times, Microsoft will allow SP2 to be installed on any copy of Windows XP including copies with invalid license keys. Microsoft decided "that even if someone has pirated copy of Windows, it is more important to keep him safe than it is to be concerned about the revenue issue." There is no news of whether or not pirated copies will be allowed access to the Windows Update site afterwards or just allowed to install SP2."

4 of 549 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Great by Wuffle · · Score: 5, Informative

    Microsoft service packs don't require the previous service packs (eg XP SP1) to be installed, they contain all the updates thus far.

  2. Not true.... by aGeMo · · Score: 5, Informative

    Many corporate cdkeys were locked out of the last sp2 build to try to fight piracy. The build would allow you to install the service pack but immediatly after login it would force the activation screen to you which you can not get around. Only solution was to format and install with a different key. More info here.

  3. Re:There has to be an alternative motive here... by dirk · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you buy a full version, you have all these rights. What people fail to realize is they get an OEM copy of the OS with a new system. It is much cheaper than a full version, but also has 1 added restriction, it can only be (legally) run on that machine. If you want the full version, pay for the full version. If you only pay for a limited version (which is esentially what the OEM version is) then don't complain because you don't get the rights of the full version.

    And before you say it, Sony has chosen to make it so you can only install the OS on a Sony machine, not MS. So the fact you can't install the OS on VMWare on the machine it came on is the fault of Sony, not MS.

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  4. Re:Great by DroopyStonx · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually, SP1 doesn't check the validity of the license. It simply denies those who have a CD key starting with "FCKGW".

    The SP1 fix for pirated copies of Windows XP is a simple re-registering of a newly generated CD key. No need to activate.

    So basically if you installed a pirated copy of WinXP (that has activation removed) and used any other key besides "FCKGW...", you're good to go.

    Not much of a "piracy prevention" system going on there.

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