Download From Microsoft Without a WGA Check

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."

Comments

Generalized way to find the hashes

[Anonymous Coward]

You don't even need some silly executable to find the daily hashes to append to the url. Microsoft provides a ready community where the latest codes are reported!

Re:Correct me if I'm wrong...

[Bing Tsher E]

Not having a valid windows system handy I was willing to run a somewhat questionable executable on,

That sentence alone is enough to get me riled up. Granted, I'm one of the people who stepped gracefully off the Microsoft Bus as soon as 'Product Validation' became a reality. (I even run Windows 2000 and the first version of Office 2000, which are the two last versions on their respective lines to not have the 'phone home' features)

It sorta chills me to think of being afraid to run particular binaries on a machine that I own and am legitimate owner of, because a 'phone home' feature will nark on me.

My copies of Windows 2000 and Office 2000 are the full retail-box versions (about the most expensive way possible to buy Microsoft's products). I used to buy a lot of their stuff. Not any longer. And I'm not alone.

Re:Why the fuck..

[matt328]

As I mentioned in a post in a different article, I've had a painfully annoying run in with Window Activate while in the middle of a computer upgrade.

I feel your pain. I provide all our company's in house tech support. If a machine goes down and needs a hard drive replaced, I don't fudge around calling up Microsoft when the WPA thing starts bitching. I have a utility that patches an operating system file, and bam, no more WPA or WGA bullshit. If they want to accuse me of being a pirate, they can come on in and look at the product key hologram stickers on every box I do this to. Its not that I'm pirating it, I just don't have time to jump through all their hoops. Alot of my users do all their work on the computer, and if its down for more than 2 hours or so I start to get flak.