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Options for 'Fixing' A Pirated Copy of Windows
PunkOfLinux writes "My parents are running a pirated copy of windows that my mom received from a teacher at school. My parents want to go legit, and buy a copy of Windows, but they are afraid of deleting everything and having to reinstall all their programs. Seeing as I know you guys will have an answer, I'm going to ask you: What would you do in this situation?"
Call their help support line and you can buy a copy from them. They will tell you how to replace the cd-key, if they can't you can download a cd-key changer from the internet.
You can change your product key.
09F91102 no, 455FE104 nope, F190A1E8 uh-uh, 7A5F8A09 that's not it, C87294CE no. Ah! 452F6E403CDF10714E41DFAA257D313F.
and just use this tool
3 b60-bff1-4f03-b06f-d3cbe8f8d9f4/KeyUpdateTool.exe
http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/9/c/e9c7
enter in your new key, reboot and you are legit
TweakXP should do that for ya. Buy a new copy and key the serial number you get over the old one. Unless, of course, your parents have a volume license copy right now, and they buy a home version. Then you have to do a repair install.
http://www.tweakxp.com/tweakutility/
tinfoilmedia
From a *trusted* on-line vendor. XP home will go for ~80-90 USD, Pro ~140. http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductList.jsp?Thir dCategoryCode=071002 for example. You see it offered for much less, odds are it is a "student" version or "replacement media". OEM it typically what system builders use, so if you use that version in theory it is tied to that system. The $300 retail version can be moved from system to system, but costs a boatload more.
+++ UGUCAUCGUAUUUCU
Not true! You've got the OEM installer that can ONLY wipe out anything pre-existing, and the much more expensive RETAIL installer, which is also capable of upgrading an existing instllation. I learned this the hard way. Everyone in town had an OEM copy of XP home, for about 110 euros a licence. But only 1 or 2 had a RETAIL version, and the price was about 290 euros, which I begrudgingly paid to satisfy a client urgent requirement's, (and then became a more vocal Debian & SuSE advocate). From a business model perspective, what brilliance in making the OEM widely available at such low-cost, while not making it terribly obvious as the this hidden (or not obvious) upgrade 'feature' of RETAIL.
You can't be ahead of the curve, if you're stuck in a loop.
Never fear. You can change your product key. Buy your good copy of windows and use its key, then you have a legit copy, key and when your at your time for a reinstall its all good. The media itself is not what microsoft cares about its the license that causes 80% of the price of windows.
u rrent Version\WPAEvents
/a
to change your key youll have to reactivate windows.
1.
Click Start, and then click Run.
2.
In the Open box, type Regedit, and then click OK.
3.
In the left pane, locate and then click the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\C
4.
In the right pane, right-click OOBETimer, and then click Modify.
5.
Change at least one digit of this value to deactivate Windows.
6.
Click Start, and then click Run.
7.
In the Open box, type the following command, and then click OK.
%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe
8.
Click Yes, I want to telephone a customer service representative to activate Windows, and then click Next.
9.
Click Change Product key.
10.
Type the new product key in the New key boxes, and then click Update. If you are returned to the previous window, click Remind me later, and then restart the computer.
11.
Repeat steps 6 and 7 to verify that Windows is activated. You receive the following message:
Windows is already activated. Click OK to exit.
12.
Click OK.
13.
Install SP1 for Windows XP. (if you dont already have it or higher.)
If you cannot restart Windows after you install SP1, press F8 when you restart the computer, select Last Known Good Configuration, and then repeat this procedure.
If the dealers are selling the OEM version without any hardware, this would still be an illegal copy. The OEM pricing is set to be lower for computer makers, and is not to be sold without hardware.
However the 290euros is also a bit high. You should be able to buy a 'upgrade' version instead of a 'full' version. They are the same, but one requires the machine to have had a version of Windows installed on it before or the CD to prove you own it. (There are two types of 'retail' versions in other words, and most people only need the upgrade version which is about the same price as the OEM version give or take 10-15 Euro.)
Stay way from people selling OEM copies of any company's software unless they are also keeping to the licensing rules and selling it with a new computer or qualifying hardware. The Windows OEM license used to allow it to be purchased if the end user was buying a new hard drive etc.
If they are just selling the OEM software, with most companies this is illegal and would not help in getting your copy to be legitimate. This is also why OEM software often requires a clean install and will not 'upgrade' as it is not ever to be sold in a circumstance to upgrade anything.
For all the people saying just buy Windows and change the key - there is a good chance this *wont* work. In principle changing the key does work - the trick is getting a legal key for the version installed.
Your parents probably installed a Corporate copy of XP. This doesn't take the same keys as Home so they can't just walk down to Best Buy and get a key that is going to work.
In fact, there are a number of different key types including:
* XP Home
* XP Home OEM
* XP Pro
* XP Pro OEM
* XP Corporate
(and more)
Assuming your parents installed Corporate, they still need to buy a legal copy of Windows, yes, but they won't be able to pop the key in and go on their merry way. They will need to do what is knows an a "In place install". This isn't the cleanest way to do things but will make sure all their files are left intact (all settings including the entire registry are lost). Boot off the new disk:
The first menu is going to ask you to install, go to the recovery console, or quit. Choose install by hitting enter.
The second menu is a license agreement, hit F8.
The third menu is going to show the existing Windows installation, choose to install on top of it. You will be warned about an existing Windows install there and be given the option of deleting the existing %systemroot% folder and continuing.
Choosing this option will not delete anything on the drive other that what is in the windows folder. All of their files will still be available by navigating to the "Documents and Settings" folder.
I know it is a dirty mess but it is the only way to go from one version of Windows to another while still retaining the contents of the hard drive.
I guess that "+5 informative" needs some "-1 overrated" side-salad, huh?
I'm pretty sure the reason it doesn't work is that the version of Windows supplied under the genuine advantage program is different from the version that my customer's nephew installed. I believe it was Windows XP Professional Corporate Edition that was installed, and I'd guess that the CD supplied by Microsoft when she clicked on the "Get Genuine" link was either OEM or retail (it was certainly Windows XP Professional, and was a hologrammed CD).
The way I fixed this was to do a "repair install" of Windows XP. This worked perfectly & retained all the user's settings and documents, although I was pretty nervous about doing it and a number of drivers did require reinstall. Honestly, if you're undertaking this, be prepared to back everything up with a Knoppix CD & a portable hard-drive and to do a format-reinstall if necessary.
Ned.
Wireless network cards - GUARANTEED 100% Linux Compatible!
Now that Windows Update and certain Windows downloads require you to validate your copy of Windows before accessing the services (the Windows Genuine program), people have of course started having troubles with invalid product keys, etc.
To help people sort out their Windows license problems, Microsoft have put online the Windows Genuine Advantage Talkback bulletin board, where Microsoft offers advice for people with license troubles.
An interesting utility that I found mentioned there on the bulletin board is Microsoft Genuine Advantage Diagnostic Tool, that shows lots of information about the license / product key of the current Windows installation.
There's one small problem I've run into at my job when we sell customers an XP Home license to get them off of Corp: you can't do a repair installation from Windows XP Pro to Home. That's a problem because most of the customers we deal with want to save money and don't want the Pro license, although the Pro license gives us the option to Repair, and therefore keep their files, settings, etc.
Anyone know of a possible way to get around this, other than having to reinstall Windows XP Home from scratch?
Digg had an article recently about how to perform a windows re-install without loss of information. This may be of use to you.
Microsoft will be dropping retail support for XP in December 2007 or January 2008, and corporate support in December 2008
You are dead wrong. Stop spreading the FUD. What I think you meant to say is that you won't be able to buy a copy a year after the release date of Vista. According to Microsoft, mainstream support for Windows XP will end two years after Vista has been generally available. So, we're looking at the end of 2008 or beginning of 2009 at the very least (depending on how bad Vista slips), followed by extended support for quite a few years, 3-5 from looking at the information they have.
Take Windows 98, for example. They've supported that for eight (8) years now. Windows XP will probably not enjoy that level of support, but it still bodes well for the future of that system. Windows XP is in no way "soon to be dead". Especially with the huge amount of government use it gets. The government certainly won't be switching to Vista as fast as it comes out, I'd expect that to take at least one year. Until then, Microsoft can't piss off one of the biggest buyers.
Anyway, I tend to ramble, but I think I've made my point about that.
So why not take a small portion of the money that you'd spend on a soon-to-be-dead WinXP disk, and buy a nice big shiney 250 gig hd ($100) and load ubuntu, suse, or another real OS on it?
Because most users just want ease of use and familiarity. I love gentoo myself, but every Linux install that I've done so far has been tweaky, finicky, and just plain difficult at times. I like to play with it and learn, as it relates to my profession, but most users just don't want to put up with that. Windows, for the majority of users, just plain works.
I wear the ring.
"...how to completely rebuild, repair, or refresh an existing XP installation without losing data, and without having to reinstall user software, reformat, or otherwise destructively alter the setup."
j sessionid=STKGFAI0KVUKAQSNDLPSKH0CJUNN2JVN?article ID=189400897&queryText=nondestructive+
http://www.informationweek.com/showArticle.jhtml;
Oh is it? Show me a passage in any lawbook that equates copyright infringement with theft.
Also, in many jurisdictions copyright infringement is a tort, not a crime.
Use sysprep(found on the xp cd in tools/reskit/deploy.cab or just search the cd for deploy.cab)
extract sysprep.exe and run sysprep.exe -reseal.
when the machine reboots you can enter the COA from your legit copy of XP. no fuss, no muss. and your installed apps will still be there.
I love all these Pseudo Tech offering advice, it always boggles my mind... 0- Buy a Copy of Windows (whatever version you have installed)or buy a key from M$ 1- Reboot in safe mode 2- Do a search for WPA.* (WPA.DBL, WPA.BAK)They're in C:\windows\system32 3- Delete these file 4- Reboot into normal mode, you will warned that you have blabla time to activate 5- Click to activate, select by phone, select change key (bottom of form) 6- Enter new legit key 7- You are returned to activation screen, click Activate online 8- Do a search and backup the wpa files for future needs 9- Done
End of Line.
Uhm... option 1 is ofcourse no option...
Option 2, I've seen too many 'professional companies' FU this simple task of replacing the OS, so you loose both your money and your files..
Option 3, it's better than option 2 as you only loose your files.. LOL...
The best option I always use is, zip all your drives, and back them up to CD's or dvd's (or to another computer if you have one), then completely reformat you system and install windows (never reinstall over a copy), and then start installing the programs you need and copy back the files you want.. (Normally after that I even start removing unnecessary files from the zips so I keep a backup of the old files for a while, until I need the space)..
This may be of value http://www.informationweek.com/shared/printableArt icle.jhtml?articleID=189400897
"Would you, could you, with a goat?" Dr Seuss
I just used this method to save time setting up a bunch of XP Pro Retail machines with a single image on a few MacBooks running Parallels Desktop. Dunno if it will work for you if the copy of Windows your parents have is already activated, I didn't activate the copy I used until after changing the product key for each machine.
:-)
First, have a legit copy (actually just a legit product key) for Windows.
Once you have that, launch the "Activate Windows" application. I don't know where it lives on the drive once you activate Windows and it vanishes from the Start menu.
When the activation app opens, click "I want to activate by phone" or the closest similar option.
In the dialog that opens, there should be a button to change the product key. Click it and enter your legit product key.
Save the changes, and back out to the point where you chose activating by phone, and instead choose activate online.
The computer will phone home and activate, and after that WGA should be satisfied with your legitimatudity.
If, when you find and launch the Activate Windows application, it just tells you 'this copy of Windows is already activated' and quits, you're SOL for using this method-- if that happens I'd suggest you look for the unnamed, MS-unsanctioned utility Thurrott used to change his product key so he could appease the Man.
1> Backup data. Thats the first thing I'd do. Documents, pictures, etc.. Burn them to a CD or copy them to external media like an external USB hard drive.
2> Wipe the system completely with a full reformat.
3> Install the legit copy of windows.
4> Restore the backup data after installing new legit anti-virus software and make sure it's fully updated and scanned the backups.
5> Profit!
~~ Behold the flying cow with a rail gun! ~~
It's somewhat painful and time consuming. But you shouldn't be afraid. Every 6 months is a good rule of thumb.
(I'm totally slacking on a 1.5 year install and it sucks).
I should really just take a Ghost/dd image of my new laptop once I get it properly tweaked.
Contact Microsoft.
Seriously, it's pretty easy for them to change the product key / product ID of an installation, and you won't have to reinstall anything. Plus, I doubt they'll care that much that you pirated in the first place if you say you want to purchase a legal version now.
It probably doesn't apply to you, but if your mom didn't know she received an illegal copy, she could actually get a complimentary Windows license. However, she'd have to rat out said teacher, would have to have bought the counterfeit Windows (and have a proof of purchase), and the counterfeit itself would have to be "high quality".
Otherwise, the prices are still quite cheap by Windows standards. See Microsoft's Genuine Windows XP FAQ for more details.
To get the kit, go through Windows Genuine Validation, either by attempting to download something that requires validation or by installing the Windows Genuine Notifications update and subsequently getting the nag screens (which link to a more info page which should allow you to get the kit).
It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
- E. Debs
It's call Sysprep. It allows you to delete the the licence key and install a legit one for the system. I make image copies of my drives, and use linux to dd them, with Sysprep you can remain legal.
If you have the original install CD that was used, put in the your CD drive and look at the label that shows in My Computer. Write it down.
Then head over to http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=342 and find out which exact version of XP it is. If it is not SP2 click the other links for SP1 and SP0, etc, until you find it.
Once you have a volume label you'll know what was installed and it will help you find the right solution, legal or not (your choice).
If you don't have the CD, things are a bit trickier:
1. Right click my computer > properties > general and you should see something like the following:
System:
Microsoft Windows XP
Professional or Home or Media Center, etc
Version 2002 or something
Service Pack 2 or something
Registered to:
Name
Company
XXXXX-YYY-ZZZZZZZ-AAAAA (This is your Product ID, not to be confused with product key)
2. Find out which version you are running using the channel ID (YYY above):
# 000 : Other (includes some retail, upgrade and evaluation versions)
# 007 : FIXME : Retail
# 009 : Not for resale - bundle
# 011 : Upgrade (XP Home?)
# OEM : OEM (This does not specify royalty or normal OEM)
# 270 : Volume License
# 296 : MSDN
# 308/347 : Microsoft Action Pack subscription
# 335 : Retail
# 640 through 648, 652 : Volume License (usually generated via 270 CID in setupp.ini)
# 699 : Volume Windows XP Tablet Edition
# 071 : FIXME : Unknown.
Source: http://wiki.djlizard.net/Product_IDs
Good luck!
And if you know you don't qualify for their free offer, you don't even have to contact Microsoft to get your key changed.
They actually make a little tool for updating your product key, so you can avoid googling for key changers (which may lead you to potentially dodgy websites).
If you go and buy a boxed/retail copy of the Windows version you are currently running (eg, Home or Pro), you can update the product key by following these instructions. Or, instead of buying a retail version, you can buy the WGA kit or licence code direct from Microsoft by following the parent poster's advice.
interesting idea. So is it just you and your friends who get to take the product for free under this system, whilst laughing at the poor schmucks who paid for it and made your actions possible?
You seem to be arguing in favour of a change in copyright terms, or higher corporate taxes. But rather than lobby for change, you've decided just to take stuff without paying.
Interesting.
DRM-free indie games for the PC and Mac: Positech Games
"Oh is it? Show me a passage in any lawbook that equates copyright infringement with theft."
17 U.S.C.A. 506(a) - Criminal infringement of copyright - Any person who willfully infringes a copyright shall be punished as provided under section 2319 of title 18, if the infringement was committed for commercial gain, of copyrighted works up to $1000, OR making available a work in production (including movies, music and software) on a computer network against the copyright holder's wishes. There are a total of four criminal offenses under this section.
18 U.S.C.A. 2319 - Criminal infringement of a copyright - Sets out that you can be imprisoned for up to ten years, depending on the natureof the infrignement.
So, while there are civil remedies to copyright infringement, there is also the bite of criminal penalties.
"Also, in many jurisdictions copyright infringement is a tort, not a crime."
Except in the United States, where there is really only one jurisdiction that matters. The Federal copyright law preempts all state laws by virtue of the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution.
What those who want activist courts fear is rule by the people.
you showed copyright infringement is a crime, but where did you show it was *theft*?
nowhere.
because it isn't.
gg.
A few years ago, a dealer in germany did exactly that - sold OEM copies of Windows separately from hardware. Microsoft sued him and the lawsuit went all the way to the Bundesgerichtshof (Germany's highest court for non-constitutional issues). In that court, Microsoft lost.
The court found that the EULA was not binding, and Microsoft did not have a separate contract with that dealer that explicitly barred him from selling the OEM versions without hardware (that way, they could have made their OEM rules binding even in Germany).
Since that time, Microsoft has given up selling "OEM" software in Germany. What you can buy instead are "System Builder" versions. Those come without documentation and support, but Microsoft does not try to legally bind them to a certain hardware.
C - the footgun of programming languages
first get a legit key for ur OS that u are runningu rrent Version\WPAEvents /a
then
here is how to change the key
1.
Click Start, and then click Run.
2.
In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
3.
In the left pane, locate and then click the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\C
4.
In the right pane, right-click OOBETimer, and then click Modify.
5.
Change at least one digit of this value to deactivate Windows.
6.
Click Start, and then click Run.
7.
In the Open box, type the following command, and then click OK.
%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe
8.
Click Yes, I want to telephone a customer service representative to activate Windows, and then click Next.
9.
Click Change Product key.
10.
Type the new product key in the New key boxes, and then click Update.
If you are returned to the previous window, click Remind me later, and then restart the computer.
(yes i know i suck at spelling fell free to correct my grammar and/or spellin i dont care, im still not going to change
If you have the "name brand disk image compressed into .zip files" OEM CD, then yes, you're right. But you only get that if you have one of a few specific name brands to begin with, which probably means you've got a legit copy of Windows. Hence, it wouldn't apply to this situation.
If you've got the OEM from Microsoft version, which is what any Mom & Pop store gets, and is also included with Acer, some Dells, and I'm sure a couple of others, then you can do a repair install, upgrade install, or just reinstall overtop. The repair install is what you'd need to do for this situation.
"City hall" in German is "Rathaus" Kinda explains a few things......
I think if you own a valid product key the exact same edition that you pirated, you can download a product key changer from MS that'll let you substitute your valid product key in place of the pirated one. They offer it in the WGA support forums to people who's systems came with XP, but later reinstalled the same exact edition with a pirated key. http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=50346&clcid =0x409
This is the answer. I have also seen that if you install the new 'check if my copy is legal' tool that MS wants to auto-download through Windows Update, if it detects a pirated version, it will offer to let you buy a legal key for a decent price. ($150 for my [legal] full copy of XP Pro that it incorrectly thought was pirated.)
Also, if you need to go through re-activation, and it doesn't like your key, it will offer to sell you one.
And, if they bought the computer from a store and the store sold them a pirated copy, MS will even (under certain circumstances) let them convert to a legal key for free. (You must be willing to rat out the place you bought it from, though, providing detailed information.)
Another non-functioning site was "uncertainty.microsoft.com."
The purpose of that site was not known.
Dipshit.
(define (reduce f l) (if (null? (cdr l)) (car l) (f (car l) (reduce f (cdr l)))))
Wow, reading through all these posts makes me really question Slashdot members.
Really, really, really.
(1) You can't just change the product key. Corp uses volume licensing keys, and will not accept a XP home, home oem, pro, pro oem, or mce key.
(2) You do not need to do a reinstallation, or an "in place install", as neither will keep your existing configuration. You could do an in place install and copy over the registry hives, but there are easier ways.
(3) To buy MS OEM software you no longer need to purchase hardware alongside. This has been the case for at least a year. Check NewEgg for proof.
Now, as some people have mentioned before, a REPAIR installation is the easiest answer.
You must buy a copy of XP Professional for this to work. XP Home won't repair corporate editions, as corporate editions are XP pro.
OEM or retail. It doesn't matter.
Slide in CD, boot to CD, install SATA driver via F6 if applicable.
Blah, google for screen shots and detailed directions. Its really quite simple, you act like you're going to do a fresh install and the install program finds the existing OS. But, I digress, I don't want anyone attempting this on those lame directions alone.
After the repair install you will need to
(1) Active Windows
(2) Install drivers
(3) Download all updates
(4) Sit back, caus everything else is the same.
WHALLA, legit Windows.
Go find one of those stories about a big warezer bust. Follow it through to the indictment; they're all freely available online in the US since 1998..2001, depending on what state you're in. Then, look at what crime the warezers are being convicted of.
I Googled "warez indictment" and found a number of press releases from the federal government. This one, about the RISCISO bust, is typical:
Doesn't say anything about theft. True, I didn't look up the actual indictment, so if you want to prove me wrong, knock yourself out.
Which is not to say that the Feds don't use the word "theft" in their public statements - they do it all the time. But I don't think anyone is being charged with that particular crime. Not when they can put someone in prison for 46 months for "conspiracy to commit copyright infringment."
Soylent Green is peoplicious!
Idiot child, it really matters because a criminal of whatever crime must be charged with a specific crime, not just any sweet words you make up.
The illegal activity called rape or mayhem or torture is not the same as the illegal activity of stealing a bag of balloons from a toy store.