Microsoft bars Windows pirates

4 Jun, 2004 at 11:41pm ET Article published in Tech

As recently discussed in our forums, it has been reported that Microsoft has decided that the forthcoming update to Windows XP, SP2, will not work with the most widely pirated versions of its operating system.

Mr Randle said during installation SP2 will check the product ID number for the copy of XP in use on a PC and will not let itself be installed if that software is a version that has been widely pirated.

Microsoft has worked out the 20 most pirated product IDs and SP2 will not install and run on any copy of XP bearing one of those numbers.

“The situation at the moment is that we will block those,” he said.
…
Mr Randle said Microsoft was keeping its SP2 strategy under constant review.

“Whether it will change between now and launch I do not know,” he said.

Service Pack 1 for Windows XP worked with almost all legitimate and pirated versions of the software.

Only those copies of XP that used the two most widely pirated product IDs were barred from getting the upgrade.

Source: BBC

Comments

5 Jun 2004 ~ 10:17am GnomeWizardd aw crap
5 Jun 2004 ~ 12:35pm kanezfan it'll be cracked before it's even released. i'll keep running my devil's own
5 Jun 2004 ~ 2:09pm KingFish Are they referring to the key as the product ID?

KF
5 Jun 2004 ~ 2:16pm Spinner

KingFish wrote:

Are they referring to the key as the product ID?

KF

My understanding is that the product ID (My Computer - Properties) is partly determined by the CD Key, and will change depending on what CD Key you use. Product ID = PID as discussed in the linked to forum thread as mentioned in the news post.

So they are two different things, I think.
5 Jun 2004 ~ 2:38pm mmonnin They are only going to block 20 Keys? I have seen a list with hundreds of keys.
5 Jun 2004 ~ 2:39pm Thrax Feheheh. I've seen that list too.
5 Jun 2004 ~ 4:21pm BlackHawk Keygens are fun too
6 Jun 2004 ~ 12:26am Spinner

mmonnin wrote:

They are only going to block 20 Keys? I have seen a list with hundreds of keys.

The report actually said PID's, not Keys. They are two different things mate, whether that reporter at the BBC realises it or not. I imagine Microsoft are referring to the 3 digit tags all the PID's carry. e.g OEM, 640, 641 etc (xxxxx-648-xxxxxxx-xxxxx ; My Computer - Right Click - Properties)

There are hundreds of keys out there yes, and there are dozens of key generators, but most of those will only generate PID's of a certain type. It is those which Microsoft is reported to be targeting. 20 PID types blocked, if that's what they meant, would result in 90% of the current pirate keys and key generators becoming incapable of working or creating usable keys, as they would result in a blocked PID type. And like I was discussing in the other thread, the current builds of SP2 seem to be backing up that assessment.

Cheers
6 Jun 2004 ~ 12:48am KingFish This will be interesting. Thanks for all the info Spinner, it has been great I would imagine it won't take long before the underground gets some keygens that work up and running. I also don't see a benefit of updating to sp2 at the moment as I run norton av 2004 and zonealarm on my boxes. My boxes are also kept up to date with the latest security patches from windows update. Besides enabling the firewall by default and bundling existing security patches, what else is included that is compelling enough to go to sp2?

KF
6 Jun 2004 ~ 1:37am kanezfan scaring you into buying windows i guess. whatever.
6 Jun 2004 ~ 2:10am Thrax I'll reformat my PC and go to SP2 just to see if I can dupe MS. Tallyho.
6 Jun 2004 ~ 12:30pm Spinner

KingFish wrote:

Besides enabling the firewall by default and bundling existing security patches, what else is included that is compelling enough to go to sp2?

KF

Well there's quite a lot different. Whether you feel it will benefit your user experience, that's another matter.

In pretty much most common tasks, security has been upped. Even the downloading of a simple file has had the interface tweaked. The firewalls are better, the driver update control has also been tweaked to give the user more control, referring to when you use direct connects to the Windows Update site to update drivers, and IE and OE have recieved some various extensions.

For me some additions are welcome, some are not. No doubt the spoon feeding security tightness will be of great benefit to Joe Newb, but for those of us who actually know how to run Windows XP safely, most of the new features will be an annoyance. I just hope Microsoft in later builds adds more functionality with regard to turning some of the new stuff off. e.g Stop it reminding me everytime that the download I've just clicked on with the intention of downloading, "May not be safe".

Nevertheless, there is no doubt in my mind SP2 final is going to bring Windows XP up a notch. I've only really talked about a few of the new security enhancements, but there is so much more. The Wireless networking wizard is a welcomed addition, along with a whole host of other such updates along the same lines.

Cheers
7 Jun 2004 ~ 1:17pm DemenTORR Nice info u got there spinner, keep up d good work.. we entrust u 2 update us with keygens that will crack sp2 hehehe...
7 Jun 2004 ~ 10:29pm Spinner

DemenTORR wrote:

Nice info u got there spinner, keep up d good work.. we entrust u 2 update us with keygens that will crack sp2 hehehe...

I realise you are just joking, but at this point I just need to re-iterate the fact that myself and/or Short-Media do not support warez of any kind. I’m simply discussing the updated software legitimacy authentication system that Microsoft seems to have implemented into SP2 at this stage in its development. This is the news, not the piracy helpline.
25 Jun 2004 ~ 1:16pm Amy I'm downloading 64 now and plan to try XPSP1.

Not that I ever apply service packs anyhow -- if you use xplite you really don't need them, as you can remove messenger, outlook, media player, and most of internet explorer without which you are (relatively) virus-protected -- a lot more than with them in no matter how many SPs you install!

Also, the 'Shields Up' website has a ton of microsoft-virus defeating freeware that disables other XP areas of known epidemics.

Plus I forbid any ms applications (apart from host, etc.) from connecting to internet with sygate personal firewall (freeware) and I never ever get a virus except the ones I get with downloads that I neglect to virus check.

Edited by Spinner (Removed piracy tips)
27 Jun 2004 ~ 9:49am EyesOnly One question about Xplite. Is it safe? Seems risky to me yet i can't deny how attractive it seems as cleaning out windows stuff you don't use would be nice.
18 Sep 2004 ~ 12:39pm venom fire i think i heard that the new version of windows update will check for a valid PID, before it lets you download any updates.
18 Sep 2004 ~ 12:59pm primesuspect This is old news, venomfire. SP2 successfully installs on all but the most commonly pirated versions of Windows XP. Security is more important than revenue recovery, at least at this particular moment in time.