izanbardprince
April 17th, 2008, 10:31 AM
It started out, that to pirate Vista, you had to:
1. Install it in trial mode.
2. Disable User Account Control
3. Find an OEM serial number somewhere on the internet.
4. Either edit your BIOS by hand to forge that OEM's digital signature, then give Vista the serial number, possibly destroying your BIOS in the process, the plus side being Microsoft could never tell your PC apart from the real OEM's - OR - Install a driver file that emulated the OEM's BIOS signature (Nuked by Service Pack 1) - OR - Install a program that prevented the trial/grace period timer from counting down. (Also nuked by Service Pack 1)
BUT
Since Microsoft's Windows Genuine (Dis)advantage kept malfunctioning and killing off legitimate copies of Windows that were bought and paid for, Microsoft took away WGA's teeth and decided that now, not only will it NOT lock you out if your system doesn't validate (It just gives you a 15 second nag screen on boot up), it also offers you a legitimate license at a 50% discount, so now not only are "pirates" not afraid of getting caught, they know that even if they do, the worst that could happen is they get Windows at half price.
But it gets better...
The new "pirate" copies of Windows not only integrate Service Pack 1, they also disable WGA and activate the damned thing for you! So not only is it free, but it's actually more convenient than dealing with the retail product.
I about fell out of my chair laughing when I was reading about all that, could it be that Microsoft is finally realizing that not only does product activation and WGA not work, they're ONLY succeeding in angering their own customers?
It reminds me of those security devices on cars that never stop the thieves, but just make sure there's been thousands of dollars in damage done in the process of stealing it.
Lesson for Microsoft:
Charge a fair price and remove the incredibly annoying "copy protection" and maybe half the copies of Windows out there wouldn't be "pirated".
1. Install it in trial mode.
2. Disable User Account Control
3. Find an OEM serial number somewhere on the internet.
4. Either edit your BIOS by hand to forge that OEM's digital signature, then give Vista the serial number, possibly destroying your BIOS in the process, the plus side being Microsoft could never tell your PC apart from the real OEM's - OR - Install a driver file that emulated the OEM's BIOS signature (Nuked by Service Pack 1) - OR - Install a program that prevented the trial/grace period timer from counting down. (Also nuked by Service Pack 1)
BUT
Since Microsoft's Windows Genuine (Dis)advantage kept malfunctioning and killing off legitimate copies of Windows that were bought and paid for, Microsoft took away WGA's teeth and decided that now, not only will it NOT lock you out if your system doesn't validate (It just gives you a 15 second nag screen on boot up), it also offers you a legitimate license at a 50% discount, so now not only are "pirates" not afraid of getting caught, they know that even if they do, the worst that could happen is they get Windows at half price.
But it gets better...
The new "pirate" copies of Windows not only integrate Service Pack 1, they also disable WGA and activate the damned thing for you! So not only is it free, but it's actually more convenient than dealing with the retail product.
I about fell out of my chair laughing when I was reading about all that, could it be that Microsoft is finally realizing that not only does product activation and WGA not work, they're ONLY succeeding in angering their own customers?
It reminds me of those security devices on cars that never stop the thieves, but just make sure there's been thousands of dollars in damage done in the process of stealing it.
Lesson for Microsoft:
Charge a fair price and remove the incredibly annoying "copy protection" and maybe half the copies of Windows out there wouldn't be "pirated".