Pirated Vista may be useless

[S.SubZero]

http://www.infoworld.com/article/06/...useless_1.html

"The copies available for download are not final code and users should avoid unauthorized copies which could be incomplete or tampered. This unauthorized download relies on the use of pre-RTM [release-to-manufacture] activation keys that will be blocked using Microsoft’s Software Protection Platform. Consequently, these downloads will be of limited value," the statement said.

I could have told you months ago that MS isn't going to let the same thing happen to Vista that happened to XP. Any "cheater" key being used on an illegally-acquired Vista will be detected by MS, and that OS will be affected in some way that the end-user will not like. Of course Windows Update won't want anything to do with a pirated Vista, so forget fixes and patches.

I read up on how the activation process has been changed for Vista, and how they also did away with the VLK "Corporate" key system we.. er.. other people.. were using to get around the activation in WinXP. Even business licenses for Vista have to be activated, and they have to be RE-activated every six months.

Consider this advice: If you want Vista, just buy it. The best thing to do now is try to get one of those upgrade coupons, which you can get kinda cheap now. You just buy a qualifying OEM WinXP version and qualifying hardware, and you get the coupon for a free upgrade to Vista from the comparable XP version. My new laptop will have the Vista Home coupon, and now I kinda regret not upgrading to XP Pro and qualifying for Vista Business.

Really, trying to pirate Vista looks like it will be more of a hassle than it's worth, especially for an OS you're likely to have for a few years.

[hushypushy]

Interesting article. I just wonder how effective this will actually be.

Microsoft didn't let automatic updates go for SP1, but they took that off in SP2 for XP, because so many people had pirated Windows installs and they knew that by not allowing updates, they'd be letting a lot of people be vulnerable to big time bugs, viruses, etc. So I wonder what's gonna happen with Vista.

[leo9986754]

I think this just encourage people to hack into it a lot more

[MiretanK]

Matter of time, wait until the final Vista be launched. Crackers will find a way to trespass the block. Not to mention that MS is very aware about piracy, I heard sometime ago that will disable Aero UI in pirated versions.

...matter of time of someone to discover how to enable it.


Hmmm, sticking the subject, Windows Vista testers get a free copy of the RTM product. Anyone here submitted bugs to MS? :P

[refraction]

thank god i dont want vista, especially at the price they are asking, its f'ing rediculous. It's no wonder people pirate it

[MiretanK]

Indeed. U$400 anyone?

[Hard core Rikki]

Forget the price. Doesnt the dozens of DRM implementations scare you off ? If not, then Vista is probably "OK" for you...

I want to system that sets my email and music to delete itself after a period. A parallel OS is also unacceptable. Protected Video/Audio Path is also to be considered a downgrade, not an "upgrade". Anyone notice the irony of upgrading to golden handcuffs?

XP is the latest remanant of Microsoft in my systems. Games or no games, I dont care, Linux will rule everywhere I go.

Note: ATI has released some soft that allows conversion from Direct3D code to OpenGL. Handy when you have only games based on Direct3D.
Once this goes mainstream, count on a very LOT of Direct3D-based working games for GNU/Linux.

[Xtreme2damax]

What does OEM Version mean? Does it mean a Copy of Windows XP, that came Preinstalled on my Computer when I bought it?

If So I think I may qualify for a free Vista upgrade, and my hardware is most certainly capable of running Vista.

How can I go about getting one of these upgrade coupons?

Thanks if anyone can let me know

I never Pirate An operating system, and I never really pirate anything, so this is something I won't have to worry about. I like staying on the legal side of the law

[darth sephiroth]

lol it IS something you need to worry about. Haven't you heard all the OTHER sides? you only get to "Upgrade you computer" (aka, reinstall vista because it crashed you entire comp and you had to reformat. this is probably gonna happen even more often than in windows XP) once (or was it twice). and whoever pirates it isn't gonna get him/herself a n00bpirated copy, they'll get one where all the dumb security bullsh* is cut out and the only remaining victims of the "protection" are the legal users who will encounter bugs in it no matter what and get ALL the bull**** slapped in their face.

[S.SubZero]

Is Vista something you REALLY want to take a chance with pirating? I mean look at XP now.. MS shut down alot of corporate keys, Windows Update stopped working for many people. Not to mention Media Player 11 won't install without validating your OS is genuine.

Vista looks like it will be a code nightmare. It's huge, takes up immense resources, and is probably going to be a wreck until several patches come and go. What are you going to do, sit several versions back because the "scene" hasn't whipped up yet another bypass for MS's code checks?

I want my OS to be rock stable. I want to be able to walk away from my PC in a game, and come back nine hours later to it still being in the game. My gaming rig now can routinely go hundreds of hours not only running, but in a game, usually FFXI. Having to rely on hacks and old versions of code to get the OS to run at all isn't going to do it for me.

We'll see. In a year from now we'll see how many people are still fudging around with tricks to get Vista to run at all, much less get any kind of updates for it.

[Hard core Rikki]

Well, Vista wasnt going to be any useful anyway, even if obtained for free (whatever free means).

Gold-plated handcuffs arent very apealing. It's all fancy and shiny in the screen, but that, only gives the ILLUSION that it's something different.

People's uses of computers didnt suddenly change overnight.
For those with basic/normal needs, XP works "great".
For those with specific needs, it is to be assumed they either use GNU or will switch to it. Probably sooner than they think.

[KanedA]

wow, not worry about the price? dude !!! few more buck and you have playstation 3 hardware + playstation 3 software. BTW, from what I know you can install updates and WMP 11 without oryginal Win XP... so I think vista will be cracked just as win xp...

[cloudsBro]

I wont be using Vista anytime soon unless someone pays that amount for me. Not too sure on how secure Vista will be though, everything seems crackable nowdays.

[ChrisRay]

Microsoft said the same thing about Windows XP basically. Pirating will exist whether microsoft likes it or not. Of course their PR is gonna downplay it. Not that I am endorsing it piracy or anything here but consider the source.

Chris

[Raziel]

I don't understand people who keep saying stuff like "vista is poo poo" when they haven't even tried it... as for piracy, heh, gimme a break, everything will always end up cracked.

[Kraelis]

Well... Piracy can't be stopped given current economic models, I suppose, but it can sure be made darn hard. If sufficient convenience and privacy can be sacrificed, I do think Microsoft can make it so hard to crack Vista that... um... everyone switches to other OSes?

Whoops

[darth sephiroth]

Originally Posted by raziel

I don't understand people who keep saying stuff like "vista is poo poo" when they haven't even tried it... as for piracy, heh, gimme a break, everything will always end up cracked.

it's enough to hear about hte security dumb**** to realist you ain't gonna even try it. Second, the slaughter of system resources it performs makes it useless ofr everything expect standing there showing off the "aero" crap. And apart from Aero and .net i haven't heard of anything that's new, and what's new is probably even more poop (aka security pop-ups saying "this is data, it may be dangerous") than already is in XP

and now, let's hear YOU out, have you even tried linux? have you? hmm? afraid it'll be too advanced? wrong, time to learn linux=1-2 hours, windows=1-2WEEKS. (when you're new and got no clue, the "introduction" thingy after the install doesn't actually tell you anything you need)

[hushypushy]

Yeah, all the DRM crap and the fact that it's a huuuuuge system hog makes it pretty unattractive for someone like me, still running the Athlon XP 2500+ and 1gb RAM.

[Betamax]

"May be" is the key phrase here. Personally I'm of the opinion that if a man can make it, then a man can brake it.

Anyways I'm more concerned about the WGA, not from the point of anti-piracy, but from the point of security. What we have here folks, is a system that is DESIGNED to disable your computer. All it'll take is one intelligent (but misguided) individual to write a 0 day worm that makes WGA think your copy is illegal. Before you can say "hack of the century" most pc's in the world will be stuck in limited mode, with their access to any software updates switched off. Nice.

[General Plot]

Originally Posted by Betamax

"May be" is the key phrase here. Personally I'm of the opinion that if a man can make it, then a man can brake it.

Anyways I'm more concerned about the WGA, not from the point of anti-piracy, but from the point of security. What we have here folks, is a system that is DESIGNED to disable your computer. All it'll take is one intelligent (but misguided) individual to write a 0 day worm that makes WGA think your copy is illegal. Before you can say "hack of the century" most pc's in the world will be stuck in limited mode, with their access to any software updates switched off. Nice.

Damn, that IS a scary thought.