Microsoft mistakenly gifts Windows 8 pirates with a free activation key


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Microsoft's final copy of Windows 8 leaked online back in early August and pirates have been battling to work around Microsoft's activation technology ever since. Early attempts involved the use of third-party Key Management Services (KMS) servers that would activate a copy for 180 days, requiring a re-activation every six months. This work around has allowed Windows 8 pirates to use the operating system free of charge temporarily, but the software maker has now made it even easier to avoid paying for a key.

Microsoft is giving away a Media Center upgrade to Windows 8 Pro users until January 31st, and pirates have discovered that the key provided will fully activate a copy of Windows 8 that was previously temporarily activated through the KMS workaround. The blunder means pirates can download an illegitimate copy of Windows 8, temporarily activate it through KMS and then upgrade it fully to an activated copy of Windows 8 thanks to Microsoft's own Media Center upgrade offer. The Verge has confirmed the procedure works on a test machine and we have reached out to Microsoft for a comment on the method.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/21/3674706/windows-8-activation-key-pirates

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Couldn't afford even $39 for a legit key upgraded from a pirated install of 7? Geez.

my friend is from the UK so think its a little more expensive.

He isnt working at the moment so no.

Regardless, this isnt the place to get into this. I know its not liked here.

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keep trying windows 8 and it is very fast but I still don't like it, used windows 7 a year before if was officially released .... can't find that crack anywhere haha :p... i work in a computer shop though so i can get it cheap (free) anyways if I want it...

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They will still find a way to hack this upgrade and make sure it breaks the license conditions somehow. Pirates usually make a point of having illegal software. :glare:

And yeah if you can't afford an upgrade, then you can't upgrade. Simple as. But as said, we won't get into this debate. :p

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Posted on the Front Page 14 hours ago. You should have looked before posting a duplicate topic.

http://www.neowin.ne...imate-windows-8

doesnt matter. most news posted on front page also have a forum post for discussion extensively.

front page news get forgotten in a day but forum post get discussed until everyone get bored.

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Posted on the Front Page 14 hours ago. You should have looked before posting a duplicate topic.

http://www.neowin.ne...imate-windows-8

You're aware that news items and threads are two different things aren't you? We have no rules against posting a thread that's been mentioned as a news item. Many folks frequent only the front page, and some prefer the forums.

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Early attempts involved the use of third-party Key Management Services (KMS) servers that would activate a copy for 180 days, requiring a re-activation every six months. This work around has allowed Windows 8 pirates to use the operating system free of charge temporarily......

Early attempts??? the author is obviously not up to date with the new attempts and "temporarily" is the wrong term when the activation is renewed forever with automated scripts by 'Windows 8 pirates' :D :D :D

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The "World Tech news" are so far behind. I just started seeing this popping out on news sites. That workaround is soo old. I wonder how much time it will take them to find out about the phone activation method.

This is so funny actually, you call a Microsoft number to validate your copy of Windows 8 and Office 2013.

I'm not talking about me of course. All legit here.

:shiftyninja:

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