Genuine XP

[eranga262154]

To all, specially for XP users.

I don’t think that this question is illegal question to discuss here in VBF. If so moderators can be close it without any notice.

Without connecting to the internet (Microsoft official web site), what is the easiest way to find out that the working XP copy is genuine or not on a specific computer?

[dark_shadow]

as far as im aware of i dont think there is a way except for connecting to microsofts website because there servers check for blacklisted keys and to a normal user the keys ( even if they arent legit ) look relaitvely legal unless someone knows the algorithm on how they keys are generated in there head which would be kinda scary if someone did

[eranga262154]

I think so, all the time those kind of legal aspect deal with the blacklists.

[grilkip]

I hate googling too.

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/

[eranga262154]

Thanks, that is interesting.

[ididntdoit]

phone in. theres a toll free phone line for registering windows. If it's pirated, it'l likely tell you

[I_Love_My_Vans]

Also, (in england) if you report someone as distributing pirate M$ software you get £250 Great because I work in a computer shop we see it all the time.

[eranga262154]

phone in. theres a toll free phone line for registering windows. If it's pirated, it'l likely tell you

You say that, by a phone call I can register a Windows copy?

[eranga262154]

Also, (in england) if you report someone as distributing pirate M$ software you get £250 Great because I work in a computer shop we see it all the time.

It's cool. If I can caught few of them, I'll buy genuine softwares . Here in Sri Lanka no such a situation. That's why I'm asking this. Most of the time one genuine copy used in two or three places.

[Lord Orwell]

microsoft is pretty funny about this. You don't give them personal info, but basic computer information is uploaded to generate your registration.

[eranga262154]

So, you mean that when I want to register a copy only I need it's key. After that since there is no personal info I can use it anywhere around the world. That mean a single CD is enough for a large community. It's really funny, if so.

[Lord Orwell]

no. exactly the opposite. when you register your computer they record information about your computer setup. You can install it as many times as you want on the same system but if you so much as upgrade your video card it unregisters it sometimes, and you have to call and explain why you need to register it. That's why i use corporate edition. it doesnt require online registration.

[eranga262154]

Then the situation is going to more worse than the earlier. Normally lots of people do an upgrade there system at least ones for a year. If they use high level editions(like professional editions) they are in trouble.

[Lord Orwell]

nah. xp will be good for a while yet. They just recently stopped delivering patches for 2000 (except critical ones) so i figure xp has a few years of service yet. Their site claims 5 years of support after a product is obsolete but in the case of 98 it went a little longer.

[kregg]

I have a Microsoft Genuine Advantage Diagnostic tool that I had kept for my friends. I can upload it if you want.

[Lord Orwell]

if you want it, all you have to do is visit windows update. it forces you to install it now.

[eranga262154]

nah. xp will be good for a while yet. They just recently stopped delivering patches for 2000 (except critical ones) so i figure xp has a few years of service yet. Their site claims 5 years of support after a product is obsolete but in the case of 98 it went a little longer.

Of course, even in my company used XP Pro edition around three years. Up to now Microsoft service is fine. But I'm not sure this because my company doesn't have that much of level, one of my friends say this.

If a company which has become Microsoft Certified partners, they lucky to get the service for lifetime. Yesterday evening I go through the Microsoft web site about that and no luck to find anything.

[eranga262154]

if you want it, all you have to do is visit windows update. it forces you to install it now.

Lord, as you said one of the previous post, Microsoft keep the informations of the system with them. Same thing can be here, right?

One question, say I want to setup WinXP in a whole LAN in my office. Even though I can't use one CD or not?

[kregg]

With Windows Genuine Advantage, it doesn't store data about you, it just collects your serial number, compares it to a blacklisted list of serial numbers (due to being copied, faked, etc) and then tell you that the software is genuine/non genuine.

This cannot be done offline because Microsoft needs to check against it's online black list of serial numbers.

If you want to use Windows XP on multiple computers, you will need to buy multiple licences from Microsoft, or otherwise you run the risk of being non Genuine.

[eranga262154]

ya, Microsoft caught anything such illegal thing if it is online. If they not record the system informations, it's not a case. That's the point.

[kregg]

Well I don't think they do. They don't treat you as a "OMG YOU ARE A CRIMINAL! YOU SHOULD BE EXECUTED ON TEH SPOT!!1111" thing, they treat you more like "Oh somebody must've sold you a dodgy copy. Don't worry, we'll fix things straight, just hand us $$$"

Somehow, I don't think Microsoft would be all that popular if they made all non-genuine customers look like suspects.

[Lord Orwell]

With Windows Genuine Advantage, it doesn't store data about you, it just collects your serial number, compares it to a blacklisted list of serial numbers (due to being copied, faked, etc) and then tell you that the software is genuine/non genuine.

This cannot be done offline because Microsoft needs to check against it's online black list of serial numbers.

If you want to use Windows XP on multiple computers, you will need to buy multiple licences from Microsoft, or otherwise you run the risk of being non Genuine.

or you could buy a corporate edition. Bulk license. FYI if you call their tech support and tell them you lost your disk (which i actually did lose my home edition disk) they will send you a new disk and code for only $25

[kregg]

I might try that tonight

"How many disks did you say you lost, sir?"
"Umm... make it 60"

[Lord Orwell]

now here's how it works. Pay attention everyone. When you enter your serial number when you install your system, you are NOT registerd! You either have to connect to the internet and register that way, or you call tech support and enter a approximately 40 digit code.
They then give you another long code to enter back and it registers you.
Here's the thing: The code you are giving them that your computer makes to give them is based on not only your entered key, but also your system hardware. Trust me on this: Back when they still had live operators on the system, when i upgraded my video card and it made me call tech support to reregister, after i gave the woman on the phone the code it told me to give her, she not only knew why i had to reregister, she knew the brand of video card. If you own a version of windows that has to be registered with microsoft (xp or vista) or a program such as office that does, microsoft knows everything about your system that matters.
Perhaps norton ghost could let you set up a whole lan, but if it is a large lan, you would want at least one computer running server 2003 or something similar with the other comps set up for roaming user profiles. Microsoft recommends this setup if you have at least 10 computers. And if you have at least 5 you are wanting to set up, go with the corporate edition. It runs about $500 and while it is licensed for however many computers (i think it's 50!) it never connects to microsoft to verify how many you actually run it on.
I have both the 32 and 64 bit versions of xp corp professional and i change my hardware so often microsoft would eventually get tired of messing with me if i used home edition. I have changed SOMETHING in my computer at least 4 times this year alone. When i did use home edition, i not only invalidated it on one computer 3 times in one month, but i also had to move it to another computer while my motherboard was being rmed. (manufacturer's defect: exploding capacitors)

[eranga262154]

or you could buy a corporate edition. Bulk license. FYI if you call their tech support and tell them you lost your disk (which i actually did lose my home edition disk) they will send you a new disk and code for only $25

That's interesting. Around $25 is not a large amount comparing with there service. I think it is better to use a legal copy on this scenario. Paying more $$$ for Microsoft products could be the case that OPEN SOURCE comes to the part.

[eranga262154]

if you have at least 5 you are wanting to set up, go with the corporate edition. It runs about $500 and while it is licensed for however many computers (i think it's 50!) it never connects to microsoft to verify how many you actually run it on.

May be this is the way our department is run on. All the 60 machine use a one copy, and any of the machine I can connect to the Microsoft web site and do any download there. Actually out department management never allow to even touch those CDs.

[Lord Orwell]

that's because they could be installed on ANY computer probably and if microsoft ever got the idea it was installed on more than the license (by whatever method) then they can sue...

[eranga262154]

And at the same time, people can use it and lost, then their is another story began. Even the Microsoft gives what ever a solution, people have to spend a long time to fix this case.

[kregg]

I remember somewhere that if you backup a file and reinstall windows, and copied that file to it's original place, you wouldn't need to reactivate windows since the file had all the information on it.

EDIT: Here it is, but it only works when you have the same hardware.

[Lord Orwell]

download a program called rockxp. it not only will list your product key but can back up that file for you.

[eranga262154]

I remember somewhere that if you backup a file and reinstall windows, and copied that file to it's original place, you wouldn't need to reactivate windows since the file had all the information on it.

EDIT: Here it is, but it only works when you have the same hardware.

Have you tried it before?

I tried to do that. Search that two files wpa.dbl and wpa.bak, but the wpa.dbl is there in System32 and the wpa.bak file is missing. I don't know what's the wrong. Do you have any idea. Search the Google, all of them described what it is, not mentioned that how it can be missing.

[Lord Orwell]

wpa.bak is the file you make. it doesn't automatically exist. They are only giving you a suggestion for a name. All you have to do it copy wpa.dbl somewhere else and if you lose activation you can boot into safe mode and copy it back into your c:\windows\system32 directory.(or wherever it is)

[kregg]

Have you tried it before?

I tried to do that. Search that two files wpa.dbl and wpa.bak, but the wpa.dbl is there in System32 and the wpa.bak file is missing. I don't know what's the wrong. Do you have any idea. Search the Google, all of them described what it is, not mentioned that how it can be missing.

Done it sucessfully, yes.

1. Copy wpa.dbl
2. When your PC is reinstalled, rename wpa.dbl (on the computer) to wpa.bak, and copy the copied wpa.dbl file to where it should be.

[eranga262154]

Ok, So I've made a mistake. Let me see.

[ididntdoit]

Simply-microsoft stores computer info and blocks your key after so many uses. I got a software with a database of over 1400 keys, if one don't work try another. This is good if a pirate managed to get your key and now you're blocked. If all the computers are the same, look up hard drive imaging software. Or use a *fix* i found that patches winlogon.exe to not check if your copy needs to be activated. If tyou want to activate it later you can, but it will keep working for you without you having to activate.

[Lord Orwell]

or you could use "corporate" version which never registers.

[eranga262154]

or you could use "corporate" version which never registers.

Seems this is a good idea for me.

[Lord Orwell]

i do that. I have put xp64 corporate on three different computers. and xp32 corporate on 5, including a mac mini bootcamp. you install parallels desktop and it tells you windows will unregister itself but i had no issues at all since it's corporate version.

[eranga262154]

Yes, I go through the google and found the corporate version seems the best.

[penagate]

I'm closing this thread now because it appears to be diverging from the original question into a discussion of how to circumvent the licencing system.