Microsoft has responded to pirates by blacklisting the Lenovo OEM key that leaked earlier this week.On Tuesday Neowin reported that pirates were able to modify their BIOS and activate copies of Windows 7 Ultimate with a Lenovo OEM master key. Microsoft have worked with Lenovo to blacklist the master key before Windows 7 starts shipping with new PCs in October.
According to Alex Kochis, Director of Genuine Windows at Microsoft: "we've worked with that manufacturer so that customers who purchase genuine copies of Windows 7 from this manufacturer will experience no issues validating their copy of Windows 7. At the same time we will seek to alert customers who are using the leaked key that they are running a non-genuine copy of Windows. It's important to note that no PCs will be sold that will use this key."
Windows 7 is due to ship on October 22 this year and it's 99% certain that after this date more OEM keys will start leaking. According to Microsoft officials "Windows 7 already includes an improved ability to detect hacks, also known as activation exploits, and alert customers who are using a pirated copy." It has always been a cat and mouse game between Microsoft and pirates and it seems that it's 0-0 once again.
In related news, Microsoft announced yesterday that Windows 7 technical testers will be receiving a free copy of Windows 7 Ultimate on August 6.
Thanks to Neowin member Long for the news tip
Fixed.
Secondly, it's called exaggeration Ryster. The "110% sure" phrase is incredibly common(snipped)
Last edited by GreyWolfSC on 01 Aug 2009 - 01:52
but in theroy 11-% can exist .. in percents there is suck thing such as
OXY clean now with 221% bigger bottle
sonic free route 44 upgrase has 120% more
OXY clean now with 221% bigger bottle
sonic free route 44 upgrase has 120% more
Indeed in some circumstances percentages above 100% are possible, but not when talking about chance and probability. To say something is 100% certain means it absolutely will happen and there is no chance of it not happening. You can't go higher than that.
For the record, I'm not normally this anal about things like this. I just get tired of all the over exaggeration and shoutyness of people these days.
Last edited by GreyWolfSC on 01 Aug 2009 - 02:03
+1
Why did you feel the need to join in?
Because someone had to break this up.
Fixed.
Agree, it's inevitable. Only that time, there will already be lots of machines that have been shipped with that key, and there won't be an easy way out for MS.
Haha seriously.
But once the next leaked key is released after Windows 7 is officially released, this strategy won't work anymore, and it will go in the way of Windows Vista with no new blacklists, unless they somehow change their antipiracy strategy. Windows 7 may "include an improved ability to detect hacks", but it's clear that doesn't cover this method with boot-time BIOS emulation. Or else Microsoft wouldn't have to manually blacklist the entire OEM key itself. (which is a mess once tens of thousands of users get their legit new Windows 7 systems)
No SP1 if you have a leaked Key and you have to get a new one through the OEM you bought your PC from if it's legit. Simple enough imo. Or lese just use win7 with the tag and locked wallpaper or w/e. If those don't bother you enough.
But once the next leaked key is released after Windows 7 is officially released, this strategy won't work anymore, and it will go in the way of Windows Vista with no new blacklists, unless they somehow change their antipiracy strategy. Windows 7 may "include an improved ability to detect hacks", but it's clear that doesn't cover this method with boot-time BIOS emulation. Or else Microsoft wouldn't have to manually blacklist the entire OEM key itself. (which is a mess once tens of thousands of users get their legit new Windows 7 systems)
There is no boot time bios emulation. They are directly modifying specific strings in the BIOS (actual hardware) to place the mark of a Lenovo system. When the OS checks the certificate and key and the bios strings and sees that they are all present then it goes ahead and self-activates with the OEM-SLP key. If those bios strings are missing then it may install but will require activation anyways.
No SP1 if you have a leaked Key and you have to get a new one through the OEM you bought your PC from if it's legit. Simple enough imo. Or lese just use win7 with the tag and locked wallpaper or w/e. If those don't bother you enough.
Yeah simple enough. Companies just wont be able to add new machines with W7, how could this ever be a problem. Just adds another step, and having to deal with another company is always an annoying step, to the install process. What a load of rubbish, this stuff is so crazy. I can understand why so many companies are looking at Linux these days.
Dell currently places OEM COA stickers on their machines that contain fully valid keys although it appears that their XP/Vista reinstall media does use a bulk install key of its own. I know because I used both of the ones on my dell and several others to install and activate OEM XP and Vista.
Maybe he has loads of others, and is saving the rest for that reason. More likely he just doesn't care that much, or wanted to mess with Lenovo.
in what country do you live? Here in venezuela just people that knows about computers (10%of ppl) will use windows 7 for now, the most will use XP and his machine with 512 gb ram also nobody uses Linux and wtf is BSD?
oh come on, today it's pretty common to have more than one pc (laptop and home pc at least), but to pay about 200$ more than once, seriously? for Russia it's just too expensive even for one license because of different value of $
little bit more than in US, but that's not the case. in Moscow average salary is about 1000-1500$ and in many cases people spend almost half of it for rent, not to mention other routine costs.
Sounds like it's time to move then.
You are talking like its that easy.
Enjoy living in your bubble.
it's a want not a need, so frankly, suck it up, if its too expensive, save up, im not sympathetic, as win os's are probably not as, but still very expensive where i am....i find it hilarious that you compare upgrading you os to living costs...WOW really.
ps: win7 is going to be about $450( from site previews) here and im a student, so go figure...its going to be a while before i can save up and get it.
edit: if its a popular product they can charge what ever the **** they want to, if people want it, they will buy it, otherwise there is piracy
it's a want not a need, so frankly, suck it up, if its too expensive, save up, im not sympathetic, as win os's are probably not as, but still very expensive where i am....i find it hilarious that you compare upgrading you os to living costs...WOW really.
ps: win7 is going to be about $450( from site previews) here and im a student, so go figure...its going to be a while before i can save up and get it.
edit: if its a popular product they can charge what ever the **** they want to, if people want it, they will buy it, otherwise there is piracy
no, it's not a "want", it's more like "that's what I needed all these years". you know, difference between XP and 7 really reflects on productivity, if you can make proper use of new features, not to mention performance.
and I didn't said that I don't want to pay for it, I said that I don't want to pay too much, especially for multiple licenses. meanwhile I'm fine with free RC
it's a want not a need, so frankly, suck it up, if its too expensive, save up, im not sympathetic, as win os's are probably not as, but still very expensive where i am....i find it hilarious that you compare upgrading you os to living costs...WOW really.
ps: win7 is going to be about $450( from site previews) here and im a student, so go figure...its going to be a while before i can save up and get it.
edit: if its a popular product they can charge what ever the **** they want to, if people want it, they will buy it, otherwise there is piracy
no, it's not a "want", it's more like "that's what I needed all these years". you know, difference between XP and 7 really reflects on productivity, if you can make proper use of new features, not to mention performance.
and I didn't said that I don't want to pay for it, I said that I don't want to pay too much, especially for multiple licenses. meanwhile I'm fine with free RC
That's right, i don't need it to live, but is needed. In places like here, we don't have a anti piracy organization, you can have al pirate software and no one will tell you anything. I have gone to enterprises that have "pirate" software,
It's the reality in some countries of the world, and you can't do anything, that's why the linux use it's growing up here.. But most of the people don't know that there's something more than Windows or Mac, i think that the 80% of the poblation here has never gone to buy a Windows License.
I wanted to pay for it, but no now, now i'm fine with the RC. In march 2010 i'll see, because it's cheaper to buy a PC with windows OEM than buy one alone.
I think he means the piracy makes him mad. Easy, no need to jump down throats here.
Also like others have said, it doesn't seem fair that pirates would be able to have a fully activated copy long before paying customers get their hands on the OS.
null != 0
Names like that I believe are not allowed on this site.
(Just saying in case you get in trouble
(Just saying in case you get in trouble
I'm pretty sure just as long as you don't post the link or specific directions it's OK to talk about names/sites.
(Just saying in case you get in trouble
riiigh... but it's ok to talk about gary glitter?
do you even understand how this works? the key is the least important bit of this. The crack works in exactly the same way as geniune OEM activation. OEM keys will leak in the very near future as OEM's start building the new machines for sale. As soon as these keys are in the wild they can be taken and applied. Once a single pc has been shipped to a customer by that OEM, they won't be blacklisting anything. This process uses exactly the same exploit as the vista version, as OEM activation is still using SLIC 2.1 bios tables.
And? We received the news from Long, and wrote it up giving him credit...
Trying to blacklist those keys once Windows 7 is available to the general public would wreak havoc and cause legitimate users using OEM copies with the same key to be blacklisted.
Though I agree, it's best to go authentic. Either through Technet/MSDN or paying for a copy. Windows 7 is by far the best OS MS has made so far and it'd be a shame if it doesn't sell well.
So yeah, it's not an entirely ineffective move on the part of Microsoft.
In the end your copy still stays activated but you can't d/l anything outside of critical security patches from windows update.
And when SP1 hits any leaked keys will be blocked for sure, so you can't install the SPs if you use a leaked key even if your copy is activated fine. It's two different things. WU can do it's checks, it doesn't check just the bios to get the ok, it checks the key itself that you put in.
So yeah, it's not an entirely ineffective move on the part of Microsoft.
There are specific WGA cracks, only for WGA, out there.....
It cannot be blocked (piracy).
And like I said, I admit, I tried out the crack on an old machine and it still works/passes Win Update. And yes, I HAVE preordered it from Amazon and feel fully justified to try it out first.
wow, suckiest post ever! big up the MS employee
Duh.
Right, and while you can activate it fine offline etc, when it comes time to download something other than a "critical" security update off of WU, you'll get blocked. This also counts for future service packs. So in the end, one way or another (unless you don't wanna install updates at all), you'll have to get a new key somehow.
Do they give out points or prizes if you can run bodged hacks by "script kiddies" and post announcements here?
To the people posting flames to MS, what is the problem? They blacklist a stolen/leaked key and your pirated installation of Windows 7 may no longer work in the near future, what grounds can you possibly have to whine/complain from?
If your frustrated about MS's actions to combat software piracy, then work out your own methods of circumventing it (Or you can purchase it).
Very unlikely your gonna get malware from an iso, if you manage it your an idiot and your using bad sources for finding your torrents.
It's not $500 is it. Obvious exaggeration doesn't help convince people of your point.
Did he say "iso"? No.
No, people do stuff like this because they don't want to spend money on it.
You should be able to get critical updates via Automatic Updates regardless of WGA/Activation status.
They can blacklist it at the activation level but those that are already activated can be validated as legit. Technically OEM-SLP keys shouldn't activate anyways. They use that digital certificate and the bios vendor strings to identify that machine belongs to the same manufacturer as where that OEM-SLP key came from. If they match then it installs and self-activates (none needed). If they don't then it requests activation which gets denied when you try. Microsoft will refer you to the system manufacturer at that point as well. On that token I was under the impression that even the keys on the OEM COA stickers were supposed to be blacklisted on the ones on Dell machines install and activate fine.
Shutting down their OS? Way to be dramatic mate. At worst they'll be denied updates and have a "this copy of windows is not genuine" message flashed at them with instructions on how to fix it. Microsoft and the OEM would by that time have a procedure in place to provide a replacement key to those persons.
Really? I think lots of people running pirated copies know very little about other sources.
Some people don't even know they have a pirate copy until someone tells them. I get people all the time like that.
Ppl downloading pirated Windows know what they're doing and look for a file that pass Windows Update.
The key-less install uses a generic key. It is the same all around and never activates. I have the impression they will eventually blacklist it.
lets go! ARRLL ABOARRRRD!!
Last edited by carmatic on 31 Jul 2009 - 22:21
HOLY DOUBLE IMAGE batman...way to post it twice.
Yep, but my question is.. Why pirates? Just for more drama =P
Of course they are. They are stored in a plain text file on OEM installation discs, and in the registry as well! There are plenty of utilities available to read the key stored in the registry. All someone has to do is run one of them on a display system in Best Buy and they have the key.
Instead of having master OEM keys which are inevitably going to end up being abused, they should just go back to licensing each copy, its a minor inconvenience for the end user, but anyone that can't read or write from simple instructions shouldn't be using a computer in the first place.
Believe me.. More that one will pay to someone to put de CD-Key xD
And no, before the Morality/Ethics Police rain down on me, I'm not going to keep using it. I've preordered Ultimate from Amazon and stand fully behind it.
Kudos for MS. They finally did some good and quickly.
No, i'm talking about permanent full activation with the OEM method.
Look at cars, you can get a whole line of products for all the different budgets there are, with software that has a monopoly on a segment, you can't avoid being target of a few people that will try some smart solution to their money problem.
And of course most of the kids cracking they systems can afford a copy, but they will do it because they can. It is worth the constant headaches from WGA problems every couple weeks??
As for those trying to cheat the system, you are a thief. Plain and simple. You are stealing and anything bad that comes from that is your just reward.
Just like your grammar, the logic in your statement is faulty as well. It's not forcing it on people who cannot afford it, but, rather, if you cannot afford it then you will have to wait and save up for it. Since I cannot afford something in a store, it does not mean I can walk into that store and steal it. Everybody loves to get something for nothing because we all are greedy--that is why our economy is falling apart.
and it downloaded some sort of update yesterday, silverlight i think it was.
ethier way, the two wouldnt activate and i was getting sooo frustrated.
i am really concidering buying a copy when it comes out, but as a 17 year old with a job that's just under over wage, college in another town i have to pay to get too with my own cash, i dont have £100 lying around.
id have to use a cracked one or something untill i found the cash.
as for MSDN, i could only dream
you are right though, this is the first copy of windows i'm concidering paying for, it is brilliant.
When someone steals from her grandma, her grandma loses her object/money. When he makes a copy, he isn't stealing, he's making a copy.
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