Chinese Black Market Selling Win 7 on USB Sticks
There's a "10-in-One" suite of Windows 7 Ultimate, loaded on USB sticks, up for sale on the Chinese black market.
Ars Technica reports that the Chinese black market is illegally selling Microsoft's new Windows 7 operating system on USB sticks. What's even more insulting is that the USB drives are sold rather cheap, costing $14 (98 Yuan) for the pre-loaded Netac U208 8 GB USB drives. That's a crazy price given the hardware and software combination, and may offer a hidden payload in exchange for the low pricetag.
The report originates from the Chinese website 163, and is backed by a photo of the packaged Netac drive, displaying an authentic-looking front and back. Ars Technica translated the website's report using Google and Bing, revealing that Windows 7 Ultimate is what's packed on the drives. Actually, it's a "10-in-One" version that (probably) supplies the Ultimate OS and various tools, and then links them all into one user interface.
The black market drive's package also hints that it's the Signature Edition of the OS, and even offers a signature by The Man himself: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. The Signature Edition of Windows 7 was originally distributed to Windows 7 Launch Party hosts months ago. Naturally, this product isn't endorsed by Ballmer. In fact, Microsoft considered a USB package as an option in the past, but eventually dumped the idea. It's assumed that Ballmer's signature is placed on the package to make it seem more authentic; it does look as if the product came right off the Microsoft presses.
Despite the outward appearances, these USB drives could potentially carry malware within the hacked copies of Windows 7. Although insanely cheap, this option is not only illegal, but could provide sensitive personal data to hungry hackers looking for bank accounts and credit cards.
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lol... Smart
Tiger Woods is big in the Chinese black market
How can we trust China with IP! China has no regard on IP. The only thing they care about is to steal various advance technologies from others, so China itself doesn't have to do the R&D for it. Then they can make big bucks out of it...Talk about low cost country...in China's case "no cost country"...
Amen. Thanks for stating the obvious.
Still... wouldn't USB OS be an awesome alternative? If only windows wasn't so much driver related...
I live in China. This is a big 'ol yawn. Flash drives are uber cheap in the markets regardless; and usually a disk version of pirated software is going to run around 7 RMB (a little more than a dollar). Doesn't necessarily come with malware - in fact, I'd say most don't. Although it's still hacked, and will likely cause people problems as Microsoft does the usual updates to counter those methods...
In other news, microsoft decides not to do something people want, so someone ads it in illegally.
seems like a plot to hijack
Blaa Blaa
Pure speculation by the writer..
Nothing to see here move - along.. another bull sensational session by
a writer trying for attention..
typical.. thanks for the nothing tom..
Only the last paragraph is speculation by the writer.
can you say...STUPIDITY...so much for an evolving nation, as china says they are every time they are hacking the US defense systems. stupid crap like this allows them to get away with it.
dun forget those pirate copy release by the group always compete among themselves. So if one screw up, their profit will go to the other guys. So they will try hard to provide a clean pirate release. However, sometimes you do get malware from some release due to mistake, new kids on the block or less skill...
In other news, microsoft decides not to do something people want, so someone ads it in illegally.
Ha... sadly true (as for MW2).
Looks real though. Kinda cool actually.
i used to buy these pirated software compilations before when i did not have an internet connection to try out some of the goodies and evaluate whether they are worth their legit prices. Now i download the trial wares for evaluation. Some stuffs they included are totally new to me. Good leads. But a lot of them are crap or worthless.
I don't know what vanchinaman is talking about, Every single Chinese bootleg I have ever tried always have come loaded with viruses. In my opinion the majority of Chinese products can not be trusted. As a Chinese person once said to me, "We will do anything for a dollar."
I often joke with a co-worker who happens to be a Chinese nationalist over here on a work visa: Americans go to China and buy cheap fake Rolex watches. Chinese come to America and buy as many pairs of real name-brand shoes that they can fit into the luggage. He's taking back 10 pair of shoes for his wifes, kids, and parents.
He says you simply can't find non-counterfeit items and that some counterfeits are done so well, it's hard to tell if it's actually genuine or counterfeit.
Or it could not contain any malware at all and be 100% virus free.
And the Pirates are everywhere. Arrrrrrrgggg
A version of Win 7 on a USB stick or a bootable SD card would be awesome for all those people who dont have optical drive. And before some idiot says "what people" Netbooks.
TBH, anyone could have their Win 7 on a flash drive, just make sure the license key is legit and have it as a backup in case the disk gets trashed.
Still... wouldn't USB OS be an awesome alternative? If only windows wasn't so much driver related...
I have Windows 7 iso on my USB and boots too.
I think it should be legal for Microsoft to purposely infect computers that use illegal copies of their software. Make it as an update and once it completely installs it wipes the harddrive. Or put that in every update to check if your copy is genuine. I have no sympathy for people who pirate and SELL OS's.
this would really sell like crazy if they bundled it with crysis!
I often joke with a co-worker who happens to be a Chinese nationalist over here on a work visa:
Hi MrHorspwer, do you know that most "Chinese nationalists" (it is defined as those loves CCP) happen to work in/for America, or their family are in America? You own story had told that
If you compares price of the same product, it is usually cheaper in America. Branded shoes, clothes, notebook, are cheaper in America, even if there were all made in China. Automobiles are 100% or 200% more expensive. And Shanghai's apartment isn't much cheaper than NewYork.
That is why your nationalist friend went to America to buy stuff. I bet the visa is his most precious property
I live in China. This is a big 'ol yawn. Flash drives are uber cheap in the markets regardless; and usually a disk version of pirated software is going to run around 7 RMB (a little more than a dollar). Doesn't necessarily come with malware - in fact, I'd say most don't. Although it's still hacked, and will likely cause people problems as Microsoft does the usual updates to counter those methods...
Yeah I think this post is a joke. Windows 7 is sold for 7RMB here, and if you bother, you can download from internet. Why an USB? It is not needed
Most are virus free. I am not sure if this can make you feel better, but most, if not all hacked version were hacked by Americans of so-called Russians( not sure if they were true Russian). But yeah it is hard to find one in America market.
And don't you think that perhaps MS itself have a LOT of benefits from this? Why is MS Windows so successful ? BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE USE IT. We all know it's not because people buy their os (most people have pirate copies) it is because the most popular software is for windows and please try to teach a 50-year old to use linux and explain why he can't have MS Office installed as he used to have in his last computer
LMAO
"Those suckers that bought Vista Ultimate, myself included, are screwed," said yet another commenter. "There isn't a chance in hell that I am paying $219 for what should really be Vista SP2. We were promised 'extras' which we never got, now we are being excluded from the pre-order special. Anyway even at $49, it is still too much to pay."
The extras that commenter mentioned refer to "Ultimate Extras," one of the main features Microsoft cited in the months leading up to the 2007 release of Vista Ultimate to distinguish the operating system from its lower-priced siblings. According to Microsoft's marketing, Extras were to be "cutting-edge programs, innovative services and unique publications" that would be regularly offered only to users of Vista's highest-priced edition.
But users soon began belittling the paltry number of add-ons Microsoft released and the company's leisurely pace at providing them. Just five months after Vista was launched, critics started to complain.
Earlier this year, Microsoft dumped the feature, saying that it would instead focus on existing features in Windows 7 rather than again promise extras.
The furor over Vista Ultimate has even reached analysts' ranks. In May, Michael Cherry of Directions on Microsoft urged Microsoft to give Vista Ultimate owners a free upgrade to Windows 7. "It would buy them a lot of good will, and I don't think it would cost them much," Cherry said at the time.
Some of the commenters in the latest Computerworld stories about Windows 7 echoed Cherry.
"I am running Vista Ultimate and feel ripped off by Microsoft because ... [we] never received the extras we paid good money to get," said "Hellfire" in a long comment. "The very least that they should do is offer a heavily-discounted upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate to those that have lost money by purchasing Vista Ultimate."
check google for source
I don't see why MS doesn't sell a USB version of windows. With the netbook market flourishing and upgrade ISOs being sold by MS why not. I have copies of win7 through my school and I took one ISO using vlite (also embedded it's cd key into it) and using a 2gig flash drive put the OS on my netbook. Took me 10mins to make a bootable USB drive with win7 (lite) for my netbook, why can't MS...
This type of behavior is what makes this news
http://iitrade.ac.in/news-archive.asp?news=1327
ironic and infuriating. China sues Microsoft for IP violation while at the same time stealing Microsoft IP. This is one problem in a series of issues where China takes advantage of the US and the US lets them. Of course some powerful people (in politics and industry) in the US must be getting a lot of money to let it happen. Why get into free trade with countries if you don't have the guts to enforce the treaties.
Is it possible to get a reasonably good OS for free in the USA? What about the Linux?
This type of behavior is what makes this news http://iitrade.ac.in/news-archive.asp?news=1327ironic and infuriating. China sues Microsoft for IP violation while at the same time stealing Microsoft IP. This is one problem in a series of issues where China takes advantage of the US and the US lets them. Of course some powerful people (in politics and industry) in the US must be getting a lot of money to let it happen. Why get into free trade with countries if you don't have the guts to enforce the treaties.
Don't be an idiot. These are two different companies in China. I can hear a Chinese person saying right now, "This is ridiculous. Microsoft steals IP and yet Blizzard doesn't give us free software." It's not 'China' suing Microsoft for IP violation.
I also doubt these USBs have malware. I lived in China for a bit, and they seem more eager to offer good service there than many companies in the States, even though they're ripping off IP and making patent violations and such. Just because it's pirated doesn't automatically mean they're attempting to do others harm. True, there are some, but not actually that many, in my experience.