Pirates crack Vista Activation Server

[DLSS]

Pirates crack Vista Activation Server

from APC Magazine

Pirates have released another ingenious workaround to Vista’s copy protection: a hacked copy of Microsoft’s yet-to-be-released volume licencing activation server, running in VMware.

Volume Activation 2.0 is one of the more controversial features of Vista: it means that every copy of Vista has to be activated, even the Business/Enterprise volume licenced editions.

However, to make life easier for administrators, Microsoft worked in a more convenient system of in-house for en masse activation of PCs called KMS – Key Management Service.

The idea behind KMS is that you have a single PC running KMS which can then handle activation for all your Vista clients, so that they don’t have to connect back to Microsoft every single time.

The downside of KMS is that the activation is only good for 180 days, to discourage people bringing in their home systems, activating them and wandering off again.

Bearing in mind that KMS wasn’t scheduled to be released until next year, pirates have managed to get hold of KMS and produce a standalone, fully-activated KMS server called “Windows Vista Local Activation Server – MelindaGatesâ€. Tongue-in-cheek of course…the first “cracked†version of Vista was called Vista BillGates.

The download is a VMWare image, and the idea behind it is that you download and install VMWare Player (a legal free download), boot the image and use some VBS script (supplied with the activation server download) to have the client Vista machine get its activation from the local server. And that’s it – no communication back to Microsoft.

[stingwray]

Well it was going to happen but I didn't think it would be as easy as this.

A very elegant solution to the problem.

Microsoft would be better to remove activation, drop the price of windows and they would cut piracy of the windows platform by at least 75%.

[intelspeed]

didnt micro$oft make a big thing about vista activition being harder to crack....lol

[cooper]

I call bullshit.

If they cut price but keep activation, there would be an increase in sales.

If they cut price and remove activation, there would be the exact same amount of sales.

I'll elaborate.

Outside of the Mac people that have been conditioned to think like this in part by consistently having a new version to buy every 6 months or so. The average x86 computer user doesn't see the OS as a separate piece of software. It's the obiqutous intangible thing that comes with the box and stays there forever. I know quite a few of these computer noobs, and I can assure you that nobody went out and bought a legit copy of Windows. They bought boxes that came with one and kept it up to date, or they got some zitty friend to come over and install the new version on there. They feel that the machine is useless without Windows, and so they're entitled to using it (version 1, version 20. I paid good money for it once so it's mine indefinately!) at least as long as they have the physical machine.

Microsoft drops support for an OS at some point, but WAY before that happens all those essential applications that people around them use won't work on their machine. And that pisses them off. They spent good money on a computer that came with everything, and sure, it might not be as fast as the one that guy that never leaves his mom's basement has, but it gets the job done.

More stuff breaks and eventually that user throws his hands in the air and shouts at some kid "I don't care what you do, just make it work". And we all know there's that guy living just a few blocks away (hell, most of us ARE that guy) who can get it to them for free. Before they even consider the price of the upgrade there's the warez kid saying he can hook them up for free. Sure, it might not be 100% as it will be an illegal copy, and that activation thing might kick in and be a bitch to get rid of, the warez kid is completely honest about this. But it'll probably allow them to get a few more miles out of the machine. If it works, great! If not, well, then they still get to decide if they want to invest in the new OS, or maybe just get a new machine. But let's try this first because after all, IT'S FREE!

If you remove the activation angle, that fear of things possibly breaking will be taken away. The barrier, what little there is, drops away. There are a FEW honest users out there who gently press the keys on the keyboard in fear of breaking it, who would rather run the legit version and go out to get it. There's a ton of fanboys that think buying the OS the day it gets released is like having Billy G's semen dripping down the inside of your leg, and that gets them PUMPED. And the rest of the public doesn't give a shit. Couldn't care less, even if they tried.

Most of Microsoft profits and OS sales come from BUSINESSES. That's where the money is at. The corporations that buy the OS a billion seats at a time as well as the computer repair shop that installs it on all new machines that get put out there. The OS is heavy enough, and looks spiffy enough that if it gets installed on an old box it will appear slower than ever before. People will test-drive the warez version, decide it's crap on the current hardware, buy a new one and whaddaya know? Comes with a legit copy of the OS preinstalled. Those few copies that sell in the store are but a drop in the ocean.

So, if you take away activation, the average joe blow user will be more susceptible to go with the illegitimate version, and Microsoft will probably lose more than it has gained because upgrading a machine will seem like a sensible investment. More sensible than buying a completely new box. And who cares about that OS anyways? They can get the latest version for free from that warez kid. The last version of the OS will die out faster, which might be a plus to Microsoft, but in terms of actual sales, if they go anywhere it'll probably be down.

If you only drop price, more people will consider the price worth the peace of mind. But the people who think like this are few and far between to begin with IMHO.

If you drop the price, and take away the risk, what's the point of buying again? So you can feel good that the richest guy on the planet gets even richer? I've got mouths to feed, rent to pay, I'm getting assraped at the pump and won't be celebrating christmas for the second time in a row because I have bills to pay(*). Paying for stuff that is TANGIBLE to me, and of which I can see the actual value to me.

Fuck that rich prick and the horse he rode in on.

(*) No, not me. Joe blow user.

[LiquidSpikes]

<_<

.....

>_>

Aaawwwkkkkwwwwaaaarrrrdddddd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyways...

yeah I hate giving money to the microsuck butt heads, but I will be buying my Windows Vista just because I dont want to be sued by microsuck. plus all the crap they have been doing lately with WGA, guys I am just plain sick of it I think I am just gunna buy it this time.

[stingwray]

The majority of people that pirate Microsoft or anyones products do so because they feel like they are being ripped off and that they are charged to much for what they are getting.

This makes people justify to themselves that pirating the software is acceptable as these companies are sitting on large amounts of money as it is.

If you drop the price then a lot more people will buy it than pirate it, I know the example of you wouldn't steal something from a shop isn't the best but if you relate it to that it is like saying that if the item was on sale then more people would steal it which wouldn't be true.

If people thought they were getting good value for money then piracy would be cut considerably.

[DLSS]

The majority of people that pirate Microsoft or anyones products do so because they feel like they are being ripped off and that they are charged to much for what they are getting.

This makes people justify to themselves that pirating the software is acceptable as these companies are sitting on large amounts of money as it is.

If you drop the price then a lot more people will buy it than pirate it, I know the example of you wouldn't steal something from a shop isn't the best but if you relate it to that it is like saying that if the item was on sale then more people would steal it which wouldn't be true.

If people thought they were getting good value for money then piracy would be cut considerably.

true ! , i admit on get'n some w4r3z rips ....but in my case its usually like a test drive ,see i have a divx player .... if i like the movie and the price is > €20

i'll go 'n buy it ... (all my DVD's are legit exept 2 u cant get in over here...)

if its over that price i'll wait till its under that price and buy it and in the meantime stick to the w4r3z rip .... but i'll always buy the movies i like eventually ....

i just cant afford em at huge costs ...