It's official: Pirates crack Vista

[Clay_Banger]

http://apcmag.com/5512/pirate_crack_vista_oem_activation

It's official: Pirates crack Vista at last
A genuine crack for Windows Vista has just been released by pirate group Pantheon, which allows a pirated, non-activated installation of Vista (Home Basic/Premium and Ultimate) to be properly activated and made fully-operational.
I new this would happen, it has always in the past, and it will always happen in the future, I don't think that Microsoft will ever be able to stamp out piracy, without making the average users life hell with activation checks.

Thoughts?

[gradedcheese]

Thoughts?

I hope MS comes up with an excellent piracy prevention scheme, and I hope it sucks for the users. Then it's a question of "$200 for Windows and $400 for Office or trying Linux" instead of "free pirated Windows/Office or trying Linux". I firmly believe that rampant piracy, especially in the developing world, helps MS more than it hurts them.

[shen-an-doah]

I firmly believe that rampant piracy, especially in the developing world, helps MS more than it hurts them.

Indeed. I'm sure Bill, et al would prefer you to be using pirated Windows rather than Linux. I mean, they won't get paid either way, but with the former, at least you're using their product...

[gnomeuser]

I hope MS comes up with an excellent piracy prevention scheme, and I hope it sucks for the users. Then it's a question of "$200 for Windows and $400 for Office or trying Linux" instead of "free pirated Windows/Office or trying Linux". I firmly believe that rampant piracy, especially in the developing world, helps MS more than it hurts them.

I am thinking the same thing, the tighter they grip their users and press them for money, the more likely it is that we'll get more users on Linux. Their only salvation is that nobody buys the boxed version, they all get it as part of the deal when buying their Dell machine, luckily even here we are starting to press them (even if I think it's a bit early for this - we can do it but I would have liked to wait for the next LTS release for Dell to ship, it would give time to finish up important development and we'd have a specific goal to fill which helps to motivate).

[BOBSONATOR]

Look at the prices, microsoft are the real pirates.

[ArtificialSynapse]

I hope MS comes up with an excellent piracy prevention scheme, and I hope it sucks for the users. Then it's a question of "$200 for Windows and $400 for Office or trying Linux" instead of "free pirated Windows/Office or trying Linux". I firmly believe that rampant piracy, especially in the developing world, helps MS more than it hurts them.

I agree 110%

[seshomaru samma]

Is this something new?
We had pirated Vista selling for 1US$ on the markets for months already (here=Shanghai)
On the cover it says you simply need to change the Bios clock to year 2099 or something similar and that's it.
I never tried it myself ,but everyone I know who has Vista ,got it from the pirates for 1US$

[dspari1]

This is quite a bummer.

I almost thought that people who have never paid for Windows in their lives would actually have to give Linux a try. There is no reason to celebrate this.

[joe.turion64x2]

Bloody pirates!!!

[steven8]

Bloody pirates!!!

I like Spam! (Wait. . .that's bloody vikings.)

[smdeep]

A very sad day indeed. Here in Calcutta, India, all us Linux lovers were finally happy that Vista cannot be pirated and people would have to pay at least 50% cost of the computer to run Vista. This would make people use Linux. Sad. I agree with gradedcheese.

[Clay_Banger]

A very sad day indeed. Here in Calcutta, India, all us Linux lovers were finally happy that Vista cannot be pirated and people would have to pay at least 50% cost of the computer to run Vista. This would make people use Linux. Sad. I agree with gradedcheese.
Thats what i thought, that microsoft had finally won. But leaving holes like this in the license system makes me wonder if they ever will.

[kvonb]

Maybe we need to form a "Microsoft Anti-piracy" Lobby group :).

I remember a while ago that Microsoft were offering a quite substantial reward to people reporting pirated copies of Windows, I might have a new lucrative career in the pipeline ;)

[Dr. C]

This is not good news for FLOSS. :(

[stmiller]

It was bound to happen. Copy protection never works.

[xzero1]

How do you crack something thats already broken?

[Dragonbite]

This is sad news, not only for the Linux adoption front but also for software makers all over.

Now obviously I do enjoy Open Source and its flagship product; Linux. I am a fan of having the choice to go with something developed collaboratively instead of commercially.

I enjoy the potential freedom of modifying the code, and I've enjoyed the freedom of not paying money for it.

But I also agree that if somebody develops a program, movie, piece of art, music that they should be able to and have the right to ask for compensation for their work. Even a starving artist has to eat.

[Sunflower1970]

Sad news agreed. :(

...but I can't help that my very first reaction was "yay."

[lyceum]

I hope MS comes up with an excellent piracy prevention scheme, and I hope it sucks for the users. Then it's a question of "$200 for Windows and $400 for Office or trying Linux" instead of "free pirated Windows/Office or trying Linux". I firmly believe that rampant piracy, especially in the developing world, helps MS more than it hurts them.

+1

[Kingsley]

Are you sure this is new? I've had a perfectly cracked and activated copy of Vista Ultimate for 3 months.

[DR_K13]

Why is everyone suprised?

[mech7]

this is old

[carlosqueso]

I wouldn't be surprised if microsoft intentionally leaves their software crackable. That allows the average person to be able to get it and keeps hardware/3rd party software companies focused on windows. Then they can sell their OS as having a huge market share, and get all the OEM business for themselves.

[joe.turion64x2]

Maybe we need to form a "Microsoft Anti-piracy" Lobby group :).

I remember a while ago that Microsoft were offering a quite substantial reward to people reporting pirated copies of Windows, I might have a new lucrative career in the pipeline ;)
Good idea, then perhaps Linux communities find this way another source of funding (and from MS, ironic, isn't it?).

[justin whitaker]

I think this is old news. There have been pirated versions of Vista floating around for months that not only cracked activation, but also got you past WGA validation. Of course, I'm not interested in running cracked versions of Microsoft's operating systems, and I do not want to pay for the privilege either.

I don't see where people say that this is bad for Linux. People that run cracked operating systems weren't going to run Linux anyway: they were just going to fill their hard discs with more pirated games and software.

I've often thought that Microsoft does this deliberately. If you ever peruse the comments from the hackers, they always say something like: "Microsoft left an easy to modify registry entry that allows you to turn VISTA/XP/2000 from a retail to a Corporate version! Thanks!"

Then you say, well, if it's so easy, why did they leave that open. It's not like the Redmond campus is stacked with morons. These are bright people.

I keep coming back to desktop capture. Even a pirated version of Vista is preferable to the rapid expansion of competing products.

[justin whitaker]

Good idea, then perhaps Linux communities find this way another source of funding (and from MS, ironic, isn't it?).

Let's do this. It would be a great way to show that the Linux Community cares about piracy.

[mech7]

I wouldn't be surprised if microsoft intentionally leaves their software crackable. That allows the average person to be able to get it and keeps hardware/3rd party software companies focused on windows. Then they can sell their OS as having a huge market share, and get all the OEM business for themselves.

No way MS is trying hard to protect their software and for large number of people it's working too like WGA for example.

[Incάnus]

http://apcmag.com/5512/pirate_crack_vista_oem_activation

I new this would happen, it has always in the past, and it will always happen in the future, I don't think that Microsoft will ever be able to stamp out piracy, without making the average users life hell with activation checks.

Thoughts?

Microsoft's operating systems thrive primarily on app support. App support relies on installbase, app support feeds installbase and so on.

If you could absolutely make every person pay for a windows license for every machine - or not use windows at all, no exceptions, no cracks, windows' installbase would be terribly damaged, because there are billions of people in the world who would just not buy it.

Piracy, just like OEM* is pivotal to Microsoft's "market share" and its app support from developers and users.

This is why we should probably support Microsoft in their "fight against" piracy.

*(and one effect of OEM windows licenses floating around is to feed piracy on a massive scale)

[starcraft.man]

You want to know whats even funnier, I don't think this has been posted but now theres a cracked Vista install image. See here. (http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=39679) You don't even need to do anything anymore to bypass their protection scheme, you apparently (i haven't tried it) drop this version of the DVD in and boot and you won't need to enter any key or use any bypass :p

I find it hilarious, they put all that effort to prevent piracy of hi def movies, and now people can just pirate their software without any effort :D

AND the funniest bit is even though you can pirate Vista, people STILL DON"T want it ^^

[MOS95B]

I tried a cracked version of VISTA a few months ago, to see what all the fuss was about. I was underwhelmed.

Add me to the "Not suprised, but still don't care" group.

[joe.turion64x2]

You want to know whats even funnier, I don't think this has been posted but now theres a cracked Vista install image. See here. (http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=39679) You don't even need to do anything anymore to bypass their protection scheme, you apparently (i haven't tried it) drop this version of the DVD in and boot and you won't need to enter any key or use any bypass :p

I find it hilarious, they put all that effort to prevent piracy of hi def movies, and now people can just pirate their software without any effort :D

AND the funniest bit is even though you can pirate Vista, people STILL DON"T want it ^^
That's the best part of it. Most people who already have a computer don't like Vista, and many of its followers are people with new machines who were forced to use it and hence have no need to pirate it (and many of them are willing to remove it).

Unfortunately (for the windowsers) most of this new hardware with Vista preinstalled won't work well with Windows XP.

In a retail store nearby there is a machine with Windows XP preinstalled at a given price, and there is also that same machine (same specs) with Vista preinstalled but -$100 less. It is obvious their desperation to make users adopt Vista.

[juxtaposed]

It's official: Pirates crack Vista at last
A genuine crack for Windows Vista has just been released by pirate group Pantheon, which allows a pirated, non-activated installation of Vista (Home Basic/Premium and Ultimate) to be properly activated and made fully-operational.

At last?

There has been a Pantheon release of vista available for atleast a month now.

And I think Paradox cracked it, as that is what it says on the instructions (#2) of the Pantheon release.

Anyway, piracy is bad for linux (despite the fact that the ubuntuforums staff hate any mention of it).

Piracy takes away a big problem with windows: The money, and constant anti-piracy annoying things. Seriously, they have no effect on pirates.

[Happy_Man]

Ah, thank god. I was getting worried, there.

[starcraft.man]

That's the best part of it. Most people who already have a computer don't like Vista, and many of its followers are people with new machines who were forced to use it and hence have no need to pirate it (and many of them are willing to remove it).

Unfortunately (for the windowsers) most of this new hardware with Vista preinstalled won't work well with Windows XP.

In a retail store nearby there is a machine with Windows XP preinstalled at a given price, and there is also that same machine (same specs) with Vista preinstalled but -$100 less. It is obvious their desperation to make users adopt Vista.

LOL, ya. You want to know the funniest thing? I have a few mac friends (not to mention the a few mac podcasts I listen to with laporte) and it seems all of them that use a mac love Vista... and when I ask my true, power user windows friends... they despise Vista. It's like MS made a product for Apple/Mac users :D.

[prince_alfie]

I want more Ubuntu... lucky you don't have to pirate it at least :D

Geewhiz of course doesn't matter whether it's pirated... Vista is slower than a hog even in the legit versions.

[KaroSHiv0n]

This is really old, Vista was cracked since rc1 (to my memory, maybe before that)

[dannyboy79]

Are you sure this is new? I've had a perfectly cracked and activated copy of Vista Ultimate for 3 months.

not very intelligent to mention you're breaking the law! I believe it says somewhere in the rules where this is unacceptable.

[DJ_Max]

What makes you think they tried "hard" to protect their software? Either you're wrong or they did a very poor job.

[Clay_Banger]

This is really old, Vista was cracked since rc1 (to my memory, maybe before that)
Yes, as far as i know, there have been work arounds, that have simply "put off" the activation, instead of presenting Microsoft, with what appears to be, a genuine copy of vista.

What concerns me more is, how will microsoft clamp down on this out break? i dont care what they do, i just want to see Micrsoft find a way to fix this.

[joe.turion64x2]

Reading between the lines I found the word genuine,

It's official: Pirates crack Vista at last
A genuine crack for Windows Vista has just been released by pirate group Pantheon, which allows a pirated, non-activated installation of Vista (Home Basic/Premium and Ultimate) to be properly activated and made fully-operational.
How can a crack be genuine? Perhaps Pantheon is MS's nickname in the underworld.

[starcraft.man]

Reading between the lines I found the word genuine,

How can a crack be genuine? Perhaps Pantheon is MS's nickname in the underworld.

ROFL, pls... MS is too incompetent at this anti-piracy stuff to be smart enough to pull something like that off (just look at WGA invalidating MILLIONS of legitimate users, 2 of my friends too). They just left loopholes in Vista they shouldn't have (mostly it seems to make business installs easier, like the countdown reset feature) and now their paying for it... At least, I think they are... I sometimes wonder if anyone even pirates Vista, it seems to me that most of the pirates are really smart users that can smell the DRM and crappyness a mile away and don't use it.

It certainly is fun to laugh at though how they scramble to stop pirates and fail. :D

[joriad]

What was the purpose for someone to come up with a crack to activate Vista in the first place? Microsoft will invalidate duplicated activation codes as they come across them. So anytime anyone who has a cracked copy of vista will find reduced functionality at some time or another, plus the possibility (however unlikely) of prosecution if caught. So why go this route in the first place when the stop timer trick worked from day one. I guess someone just wanted to stick it to M$.

[stmiller]

http://www.digg.com/microsoft/Vista_Hacked_Again_This_Time_Even_More_Effectively

Anyone see this?

[joe.turion64x2]

Priceless:

I love the Chinese copyright attitude as my Chinese friend puts it: Chinese copyright is the right to copy anything they like.

[joe.turion64x2]

Pirates have already launched their own Windows version:
www.windowsue.com
However that is still based in Windows XP SP2.

[Ateo]

I knew it would happen, eventually. I don't care either. I'm glad it gets pirated.

[juxtaposed]

I sometimes wonder if anyone even pirates Vista, it seems to me that most of the pirates are really smart users that can smell the DRM and crappyness a mile away and don't use it.

I don't think many sceners use windows.

They just want to be the first at uploading anything - a group that released an aparently good version of vista also released a version of vectorlinux and mandriva.


What was the purpose for someone to come up with a crack to activate Vista in the first place? Microsoft will invalidate duplicated activation codes as they come across them.

Trust me - almost ANYTHING that is put in place to stop piracy can be cracked.


http://www.digg.com/microsoft/Vista_Hacked_Again_This_Time_Even_More_Effectively

Anyone see this?

I think they just used vLite and integrated a serial and all. Pretty easy.


Pirates have already launched their own Windows version:
www.windowsue.com
However that is still based in Windows XP SP2.

Already?

People have been making customized versions of windows for years; using nLite and (now, for vista) vLite.

There have been ones that are very minimal and fast, others that have loads of installed software (like photoshop, office, etc).

[yanqui]

At this point you still couldn't pay me to use Vista. I use Ubuntu, Mac OS X, and WinXP, with approximately equal success and enjoyment. Vista won't be any good at all until Service Pack one. I read a magazine targeted at Microsoft channel partners, and it offered suggestions for resellers who are encountering customers saying "I'm waiting for Service Pack One." The suggestions were pretty lame, but that may be because there's nothing that would convince me to risk my data on an unstable OS; I'm already predisposed to believe in Microsoft's well-deserved reputation for not getting it right the first time.