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Download From Microsoft Without a WGA Check

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the routing-around dept.

Anonymous Coward writes, "When you want to download a file from Microsoft, a WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage) check is performed. Microsoft installs a small piece of software on your computer that contacts the Microsoft server and checks the validity of your installed Windows software. If the test fails you will not be able to download the file(s). The following method gives you the ability to download every file from Microsoft without a WGA check."

2 of 195 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Correct me if I'm wrong... by Jade+E.+2 · · Score: 5, Informative

    I did the same thing, went to a test machine with an old blocked VLK and tried it, no dice. Then I realized... Hey, wait a minute. This looks like it's just a shortcut to inputting your product ID by using a hash... I wonder what would happen if I just replaced the hash with one from a valid system?

    Not having a valid windows system handy I was willing to run a somewhat questionable executable on, where could I get a valid hash? Oh hey, look at that. Right there in the article it says "(example &Hash=6VJPCR9)". I appended that to the URL, and bingo. "Genuine Microsoft Software".

  2. Mirror for the lazy by stevetures · · Score: 5, Informative

    mirror for the lazy:
    http://mirrordot.org/stories/3627c5be2ac21048d6da6 04b34dc63bb/index.html