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Microsoft To Begin Checking For Piracy
Curious Yellow 82 writes "Microsoft will begin checking for pirated copies of its Windows software when users attempt to update. Security updates are supposed to be exempt from the check. Upon detection of pirated software the user will be given the oppportunity to purchase a legitimate copy of the software for a discounted price, upon providing proof of purchase etc."
If you used the Security Center and set it to receive Automatic Updates automatically it would work, even with a counterfeit version of Windows.
Corporate XP Pro still works FYI :-)
Several sites have the fulldownloads of the service packs and hotfixes etc...
hell there are torrents available that will give you everything that are updated weekly.
A buddy of mine recently offered me a CD of all XP updates including the lestes ones and his colleague at work was making a script to auto apply them all into a slipstream cd image.
it will only stop the clueless casual non licensed software user. everyone else will not be bothered one bit.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Also, an a Limited-User account, with all the activex security turned up (this is my current WinXP account for day-to-day tasks) the Genuine Advantage Tool fails to run, and requests a) Administrator rights and b) that I set my ActiveX security to Medium/Low. It then accuses me of having failed the test, and of having a counterfeit copy of Windows. So, I predict more security problems as people who have taken sensible security precautions are forced to abandon them for this tool.
Not that I pirated my windows :/
Service Pack 2 is a breeze. I have the first copy of XP. All you have to do is Download this and copy it to the root of your C drive. Open up the "Command Prompt" and goto your root of the drive. Type in "cdkey xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx" as in x's are your SP2 compatable CD key. Once you press enter you should see nothing come up. (if somthing does then find a working key). Once your CD key is changed then Goto this site and click "Download and Deploy Service Pack 2 for multiple Computers". Once you are done that install SP2 and your done.
Hopefully this is some help.
Solosoft.org - Your Online Resource to Nothing
Recieving stolen goods is also a crime.
In most states, KNOWINGLY receiving stolen goods is a crime, but not just receiving them. The usual standard is the old standby: "You knew or should have known" or "a reasonable person would have known".
For instance: You could have bought a computer at a flea market, from a long time dealer, and had good reason to think it was not using pirated software, and not be guilty of crime, even though you received the goods.
Tequila: It's not just for breakfast anymore!
It's "mundane detail", not "Monday detail". If you're going to quote Office Space, at least get it right.
Why is it that the proponents of "one nation under God" are so eager to get rid of "liberty and justice for all"?
http://www.softwarepatch.com/windows/ you dont need to use windows update...
Unfortunately most legal systems (American included) do not allow companies to "boobytrap" products. So Microsoft would become liable for any damage done to your computer (if the pirated copy happened to float back over from China).
If you could keep total secrecy about the operation and then just claim some malicious hackers have released compromised versions of Windows, then you could probably get away with it. (I think Microsoft already claims that this happens, and cites it as one of the reasons you should not pirate their software).
For example Banks "boobytrap" money with an dye bomb to mark robbers. But the law protects the banks because the dye is not intended to harm the robber. If your trojan-ized "pirate's version" of Windows intentionally damaged data, made long distance phone calls or damaged the reputation of an individual then you'd have serious problems in courts. If the pirate's version just signaled home and disabled further activity on the system (without damaging data, or preventing access to it, such as encrypting the drive), then that would be allowable.
Microsoft doesn't own the data on your drive, the creator of the data does. And it is likely that you've at least created a tiny bit of your own data. So at least a small part of your computer content belongs to you and you alone.
“Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
The Globe and Mail has a pretty good story on the privacy implications of this. To quote from the article: "The company will scan machines for a variety of information, including product keys or software authorization codes, operating-system version and details on the flow of data between the operating system and other hardware, such as printers."
Yeah, Microsoft USED TO offer a update CD:
c d/order.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/
No questions asked either. I ordered one of these CD's when I worked as a tech, and it was great to have for fixing machines.
However, I will bet that you can still find images of the update CD around - mind you it won't have ALL the patches anymore. Also, if the copy of windows is pirated and has a well known serial number, it will refuse to install (which only makes sense).
You should see if you can track down a image of one of these CD's, or, perhaps Slipstream a copy once you have the patches. Pain in the ass? Yes.
Try to hack my 31337 firewall!
Guess what ... microsoft solved that with it's Corporate Version of Windows XP. (btw that's the copy you see on the internet and you might know it as "Devils0wn")
;-).
u rrentVersion\WPAEvents ... the "Activate me crap" dies ... and for all you tinfoil hats you don't need to reg your Windows XP. You think MS would of made it so easy if they didn't want people to pirate there OS. They would of made it so if some file isn't downloaded from there (encrypted of some kind) the OS simply won't work etc etc. No ... it's some silly regestry hack that takes less then 2 minutes to do and lasts the lifetime of the product. I know that the activation thing I mentioned above works in Windows XP MCE and Windows XP x64, im not sure about XP Pro ... if someone tries and has luck I wouldn't mind knowing.
One key works for everyone. Remember the key FCKGW-yada yada
Wikipedia Article
But if you use the CD key thing as I mentioned above it changes the Windows XP to another key such as the one the anonymous user above gave, service pack 2 will install and there is no annoying blocking of Windows Updates.
Microsoft only wanted to stop the "casual pirater" considering every version of windows is already cracked. Not to sound like a mad pirate but to disable the activation is sadly VERY easy.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\C
That's frickin it
Hope ive been some help
Solosoft
Solosoft.org - Your Online Resource to Nothing
1. Check Windowsupdate for what updates you need
2. Just go for the microsoft.com website and download any security update manually.
Microsoft must always allow this, because many servers do not have internet, thus one must be able to download updates manually and e.g. burn them on a CD.
I tried to use my store bought copy. I really did. But after a few hardware changes it stopped working and I had to call Microsoft (who don't seem to speak english very well) to get a new key. And then ten minutes later realised I still had an archive HD in the box. I took it out and got the same message again. I wasn't making another phone call, so I inserted a cracked windows cd and reinstalled the OS. Should the illegal version really be THAT much more user friendly than the store bought copy?
And that kids is how I met your mother.
Actually, smart shoppers should already be grabbing OEM copies of the operating systems. These require a hardware purchase to be legit, so stock up on 99c case screws!
Big! Strong! Wow! Tada-O!
Sadly, for those of us who constantly change the operating systems on our "hobby" computer, we'll probably get marked that we've pirated their operating systems [emphasis added]
And this is surprising?
"As the majority of hobbyists must be aware, most of you steal your software. [...] One thing you do do is prevent good software from being written. Who can afford to do professional work for nothing? What hobbyist can put 3-man years into programming, finding all bugs, documenting his product and distribute for free? The fact is, no one besides us has invested a lot of money in hobby software. [...] Most directly, the thing you do is theft." (William Henry Gates III -- February 3, 1976 -- An Open Letter to Hobbyists)
Karma: Positive (probably because of superiour intellect)