Hack Upgrades XP Home to XP Pro Lite

6 Jun, 2005 at 8:23pm ET Article published in Tech

German computer magazine C’T claims that by changing only 2 bytes from the file setupreg.hiv in Windows’s XP Home, users can get access to certain functions only available in Windows XP Professional, such as Remote Desktop, User management and enhanced security features.

C’T writes in its latest print issue (in German only) that you need to copy the root directory and the i386 directory of the WindowsXP CD to your harddisk, extract the Bootsector of your WindowsXP CD and change only 2 bytes in i386Setupreg.hiv by using Regedit. In fact all you have to do is edit the binary key “default” and change “01” to “00” and “02” to “00” in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEHomekeyControlSet001Servicessetupdd, C’T claims.

Source: The Register

Comments

6 Jun 2005 ~ 8:26pm mmonnin Should we be posting how to hack?
6 Jun 2005 ~ 8:29pm Rewired

mmonnin wrote:

Should we be posting how to hack?

I don't see why not though I don't know ShortMedia's official policies. If we interchange the word hack with modification it sounds politer. Has anyone confirmed this hack works?
6 Jun 2005 ~ 8:31pm Thrax

mmonnin wrote:

Should we be posting how to hack?

Does this one violate any law?
7 Jun 2005 ~ 11:16am Private_Snoball *Disclaimer: This information is for knowledge purposes only. Short-Media.com does not hold responsibility for any individuals attempting to use the hack.

There, problem solved
7 Jun 2005 ~ 12:27pm beregid ah...i feel better now. i don't imagine its any secret that some users here either hack, or circumvent software licensing. that was just an informative post. never told ya to go do it. and if you do, don't brag about it.
7 Jun 2005 ~ 2:08pm Garg To me, it's like unlocking extra pipes on graphics cards. The manufacturer didn't intend it, but it's hardly illegal.
7 Jun 2005 ~ 2:31pm QCH I'm mixed on theis "Crack" being legal. If the ability is there just disabled, and you own the licence, then I feel it's OK. It's not like you need to steal something and cludge it into the WinXP Home to get it to work.
7 Jun 2005 ~ 2:35pm Spinner The hack isn't and can't be used for illegal purposes and it probably doesn't even breach the Microsoft Licence Agreement. But to be fair, I've never read it all the way through. Bill might have just put something in there covering this sort of thing just to annoy people.

At the end of the day, it's your software, you own the contents of the disk, if you want to 'hack' it up and modify it, then that's your choice. It's like buying a toy car and scratching off the window paint so you can see inside.
12 Jun 2005 ~ 11:24am danball1976 I've been saying all along that WinXP Home is just WinXP Pro with a few services disabled.