Counterfeit Keys

[pscowboy]

I've just come from a new prospective customer's office. I was called in to troubleshoot why his machines (six), were rejected in getting updates. I did not set up his units.

This, I must share with our community here.

After being initially LIED to, I finally got the truth from one of the gals. The owners' son set up the office. Talked dad into saving some bucks by not buying six copies of XP Pro.

He borrows a friends' XP and comes in with a "GENERATED LIST OF PRODUCT KEYS". He proceeds to install Pro on all the machines using the counterfeit keys. Now, each installation program eventually accepted one of these; and the initial Activation process obviously let it through as well.

The problem comes in retrieving Updates.

Microsoft has a "Validation" screen one must get through before the patches can be downloaded. This extra check point retrieves the key, using a keyfinder utility, from the Registry, and cross-references it to a legally issued list of Product Keys. (Servers can hold an awful lot of data). The program determines the bogus nature of the comps' key, and denies access to the updates.

Firstly, I was flabbergasted that a business owner wouldn't want to be legal software-wise; and secondly, to have a problem with an $850-$950 layout? It might have even been less if they called M$, and asked to "buy" five additional licenses. I think you can get a discount in that scenario from the retail box full-version price.

I never cease to being amazed at the colossal stupidity of some people!!!!

I got paid my 2 hours min; but I walked away from this low-life and his business.

 

[7_vii_7]

Yeah some people do that. I was involved in a company that had people stealing the keys and stealing the CDs.

There is a file out there *torrent file* that bypasses the VALIDATION for update.

I am guilty of using it for one of my home computers.

 

[pscowboy]

There is some more information follow-up to share. In my first post, I hadn't remembered everything I learned from the day.

For those of you that might think you can get by with "generated" keys, heed this:

While trying to assess this offices' problems, I was given two separate messages at the update site and the validation site.

One was that IE 6 was not the version expected; and the other was that Outlook Express was not the version expected. I can only gather from this (educated guess), considering the deep integration of these two programs with the OS, that the use of a counterfeit key somehow prevents the complete fusion between these three.

Even if the owners' kid found a "hack" around the validation site, IE and OE will not update!

This businessman is going to wind spending double or triple to fix his problems than what it would have cost him to go legal in the first place.

If he doesn't, he will be operating with poorly maintained comps as far as security is concerned.

Before I wrote this, the latest prices are $50-$60 for Home & under $100 for Pro (as per Price Grabber). For goodness sakes, unless one is poor, that is not a lot of money for a pretty decent operating system.

 

[imperfectcircle25]

I think the automatic updates will work its only if you goto M$ website and try to manually udate that u have a problem. Biut its sad that a business owner would go the cheap illegal route just to save a few bucks. My guess is that he really doesnt know much about computers and just went by what his son told him to do. Probably didnt even know what he did was illegal.

 

[Zoron]

Even if the owners' kid found a "hack" around the validation site, IE and OE will not update!

Actually, they will. You just have to find the right "hack".

I'm not going to say how I know this, but I know there is a way around the validation process for Windows Updates. There is no way that I know of around the manual downloads though... such as MS Antispyware. Even with the Windows Update "hack" in place, those downloads won't work.

 

[toolfan524]

Microsoft has a Volume license Agreement program wich alows you or a business, school, etc. to purchase a single copy of XP or whatever, and then purchase multiple activation keys to run on each of the computers. Im sure this would be cheaper than buying multiple retail copies.

And dont forget that Micro$oft has to charge so much freakin money for a damn piece of crappy software that they're going to do everying in their power to make sure they dont loose a cent of it.

 

[riser]

Volume licensing is only good if you're going to buy quite a bit. They'll go as low as 5-10 licenses I think but even then, it's not worth it at that point unless you'relooking long term.

 

[mwang87]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YerYxRzlT0
www.oliveslice.com

 

[hashv2f16]

I definitely see the point in people who pirate software privately e.g at home. But not from a business who can actually afford to pay the rediculous software rates.
Recently I paid 400+ for a Windows XP Pro SP2 UPGRADE version.. for one single measly SOFTWARE LICENSE?? I THINK NOT. M$ is a rip off anyway.

 

[hashv2f16]

Even if the owners' kid found a "hack" around the validation site, IE and OE will not update!

Actually, they will. You just have to find the right "hack".

I'm not going to say how I know this, but I know there is a way around the validation process for Windows Updates. There is no way that I know of around the manual downloads though... such as MS Antispyware. Even with the Windows Update "hack" in place, those downloads won't work.

yeah, i bet bill gates' son made the hacks.

and btw whats the reason for writing M$ instead of MS? apart from them being the best scammers in the world.

 

[Flakes]

i know a way around the validation process on the website using firefox.....not gonna tell ya's cause i havnt needed to use it cause my version of win2k is legal...its my xp pro that i happend to of lost that isnt(still havnt found it, must of givin it to a friend and forgot or something)

 

[Zoron]

Even if your copy of 2K wasn't legal, it wouldn't make a difference... the check is only performed on XP machines.

 

[Codesmith]

1) Just curious, did you offer your services to help him upgrade to legal copies (assuming he was willing to purchase legal copies)?

2) Automatic updates still works fine, also downloaded patches don't check for valid installatioins. Microsoft also lets you bypass the validation process at windows update by entering a simple javascript command.

Finally any tech who knows what he is doing is going to have a CD with all the updates on it anyway. Unless you are deliberately trying to make the work go as slow as possible. (think xpautopatcher).

MS could change any of this overnight, but I think they are worried that if they force everyone with an illegal copy to go unpatched it will 1) have an effect on the general safety of the internet and 2) drive students and those in 3rd world countries to linux.

Their current efforts are merely to make sure everyone with an illegal copy knows it.

3) So patching isn't really the issue. The real reason it is just plain stupid to run a business with pirated software is you can go online and anonomously report it and if they sue you get a reward.

https://reporting.bsa.org/usa/

 

[cowboytech]

Last I knew, you could get the critical updates, even on a pirate version, (they dont want them infecting us) But, you can't get the other stuff!

 

[Codesmith]

Automatic update's includes pretty much everything on the windows update site.

I know because I have it enabled and when I go to windows Update there isn't much there except maybe some (often wrong) device driver updates.

 

[Zoron]

There are optional software updates not included in the critical updates that don't get downloaded automatically. Even some of the security updates are considered "optional".

 

[Codesmith]

You are right, I just when to windows update and there were several Optional Software updates that were not offered to me via automatic updates.

Two of them involve IE , HTTP authentication and ActiveX controls.

I am disappointed in Automatic update. I though if I set it to notify me before downloading and chose the custom install that it would present me with all the updates as the website.

Then again none of the IE updates are ciritical for me since I only use IE when running windows update.

 

[pscowboy]

I just patched all his machines with my update cd, and strongly suggested that he go legal.

He'd have to buy six Xp's - one at full price; the other five at 15% off (or it's 10%?).

Then do a key changing procedure on each pc.

He said he would check with his son!

I left with my two hour check.

 

[fallentech]

I think M$ gives a reward for turning in people who use pirated copies....
If you don't want this guy as a future income source that is....
There are third party update utilities that can be used to bypass validation....
XP PRO license $89 each

 

[ExpertNovice]

I definitely see the point in people who pirate software privately e.g at home. But not from a business who can actually afford to pay the rediculous software rates.
Recently I paid 400+ for a Windows XP Pro SP2 UPGRADE version.. for one single measly SOFTWARE LICENSE?? I THINK NOT. M$ is a rip off anyway.

Actually, most private users either have jobs and are getting paid or have parents that have jobs and are getting paid. Small businesses are normally very strapped for cash. Any employees get paid but the owners may go several years before they start getting a paycheck. That is, if they don't go bankrupt in the meantime.

However, I'm sure those who use hacks to save money wouldn't mind having someone steal from them in order to save money. Right?

 

[joefriday]

:roll: let old threads die.

 

[joemccrary]

Be careful buying licenses from some of the e-tailers you find on PriceGrabber. I bought one and it turns out the guy "recycled" it quite a few times (he even sent me the sticker with the code on it). Needless to say, when I tried to validate, I had to call Microsoft (they let me go ahead with the validation). Be sure you stick with a brand name store.