Microsoft clears up the illegal cd key stance and SP2

MissilemanMissileman Orlando, Florida Icrontian
edited August 2004 in Science & Tech
Found this little tidbit of info:

Microsoft clears up confusion regarding illegal PIDs in XP SP2

Many users have questioned why illegal PIDs are being allowed on a Windows XP SP2 installation when they were blocked in previous betas. This is due to Microsoft's new approach on security in Service Pack 2 to prevent any further Windows XP machines from getting infected with viruses and malicious attacks. Microsoft's Gary Schare answers:

"There have been a number of discussions on this newsgroup regarding whether SP2 will install on non-genuine (aka "pirated") versions of Windows. Here is the official Microsoft position on this topic:

We expect that nearly all Windows XP users, running genuine or pirated Windows, will have access to the security technologies in SP2. The same users that were blocked from installing SP1 - those that have used a small set of legacy pirated product keys - will be blocked from installing SP2. We believe that there are very few systems in use today that use these keys -- in other words, the pirates have moved on to other keys which we are not blocking.

So how do we charaterize our policy?

We want to make sure that the broadest number of people can install SP2. The nature of malicious attacks on computer users is constantly changing and we will continue to evaluate how we deal with security updates for pirated versions of Windows to best protect our genuine Windows customers.

Thanks,

Gary Schare
Microsoft"
_______________
Source: MSFN

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    Illegal and secure is apparently better than illegal and unsecure. ;D
  • MissilemanMissileman Orlando, Florida Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    Thrax wrote:
    Illegal and secure is apparently better than illegal and unsecure. ;D

    Well it's in M$'s best interest since they really need to get Windows reputation back up. Problem is I don't really think XP was all that bad. It's just that when you are the biggest you also get the most scrutiny for holes.

    Like I tell the MAC guys when they say Mac doesn't have viruses and such. Why I would I waste my time trying to infect both of you when I can get millions of Windows machines :)
  • KingFishKingFish
    edited August 2004
    That statement by MS was supposed to clear things up? Sounded quite vague to me... They've changed their position twice on the pirated keys issue. I think they realize they won't win that war no matter how hard they try so better to just secure the most machines to minimize DDOS attacks. If linux were the leading OS in market share they would inevitably suffer the most attacks as MS is today. I think the decision by MS is the best in their interest and for security in general.

    KF
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    It's pretty clear to me.

    Only the people using the key set blocked in SP1 will be banned from SP2. Everyone else, that is the smarter pirates who have moved on to other keys, will be able to update.
  • MissilemanMissileman Orlando, Florida Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    I just installed the RTM version of SP2. It went on without any issues and seems snappier than the beta versions were. This is a legal version of XP Pro though. I'll try a post sp1 corporate install tomorrow and let everyone know what happens. I'll have to change to my other RAID drives and do a setup from there.

    The released full service pack is 265Mb by the way.
  • RiddickRiddick Malaysia Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    is SP2 officially out? any download links/mirrors ?
  • qparadoxqparadox Vancouver, BC
    edited August 2004
    Good thing I'm an all 2000 pro / Linux / Bsd / Qnx shop :).
  • MissilemanMissileman Orlando, Florida Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    Riddick wrote:
    is SP2 officially out? any download links/mirrors ?
    The SP2 final is out. RTM means release to manufacturers and/or manufacturing according to some. It is available on the MSDN subscription site, but you must be a paid subscriber to get in.

    Here are some open mirrors that I found. Most are very busy at the moment:

    http://dlpchome.cnbb.com.cn/system/...sp2_RTM_ENU.exe

    ftp://61.233.231.2/xpsp2_RTM_ENU.exe

    http://gzcnc.onlinedown.net/down/xpsp2_RTM_ENU.exe

    http://sccrc.onlinedown.net/files2/xpsp2_RTM_ENU.exe

    http://ks.onlinedown.net/down/xpsp2_RTM_ENU.exe

    http://hb2.onlinedown.net/down/xpsp2_RTM_ENU.exe

    ftp://ks.onlinedown.net/xpsp2_RTM_ENU.exe

    http://dllishui.pchome.net/system/p...sp2_RTM_ENU.exe

    ftp://cable.pchome.net/system/patch/xpsp2_RTM_ENU.exe

    http://dlfzmobile.pchome.net/system...sp2_RTM_ENU.exe
  • -Ben-Ben
    edited August 2004
    I heard the release that was 265 megs was fake. Does it have a digital signature?

    Im getting it off BT.

    Windows.XP.SP2.Final-WinBeta.torrent
  • MissilemanMissileman Orlando, Florida Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    The 265 Mb version is not fake. It is the complete version (like a redistribute version) so it is much bigger than the user version which I think they expect to be 135 Mb or so.

    Here's the info from my copy (and it came from M$)
    SP2.JPG 33.9K
  • -Ben-Ben
    edited August 2004
    Well im getting the 271.1 meg version.
  • RiddickRiddick Malaysia Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    whats the difference between the user version and complete version? can i go around installing SP2 with the user version alone?
  • MissilemanMissileman Orlando, Florida Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    Just make sure it doesn't say beta. It should say RTM in the file name. Beta isn't mentioned anywhere in this release.

    The redistrubute version is always larger and includes all code for all possible machines. The manufacturers can then customize it down for their own use. The user version is basically the normal install version and removes a lot of the specialized code. It is usually not the one you want to carry around to put on all machines.

    This Service Pack will also have a web install version like DX went to where a small executable will download only the specific code required by any one machine from the internet. (It won't patch the patches basically). They expect this to shrink the download to 65-135 Mb for a fully patched and updated SP1 machine.
  • MissilemanMissileman Orlando, Florida Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    Okay I did some checking on the download links above. The RTM version that is there is the correct version and is complete MINUS the digital Signatures All the numbers on that version are correct, but it is not digitally signed.

    The .ISO version on MSDN is signed and the numbers match the one on the links above. Trouble is you must be an MSDN subscriber to download the .ISO version and nobody seems to have dumped that version to the net so it looks like another week or so before the REAL release.

    That version does allow more keys. I tried one that I knew previous versions of SP2 rejected and it worked this time.
  • -Ben-Ben
    edited August 2004
    Just got SP2 up and running.

    Not alot different.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    I just don't understand why people are so anxious to rush out and install something so unexciting as a SERVICE PACK. This is just bug fixes and patches, not like it's a hot game or something! :rolleyes:

    Can't you just wait a few days until MS puts it up? ;D
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    Service packs make me hot. I admit these things now, I'm a nerd and I can't hide in the oppressive shadow of denial any longer! :bawling:
  • NomadNomad A Small Piece of Hell Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    Yeah, Thrax's hands get clammy and his knees tremble with love at the thought of a service pack.
  • BlackHawkBlackHawk Bible music connoisseur There's no place like 127.0.0.1 Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    MD5: 59A98F181FE383907E520A391D75B5A7

    Anything other than that is a fake.
  • -Ben-Ben
    edited August 2004
    I have been using it for a while, and there is nothing different. The security center does not pop up every 5 minutes asking you to do something.
  • quadomaticquadomatic
    edited August 2004
    does this mean ONLY the people who were blocked from the last version will be blocked from the sp2, or did they add more keys to block?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    Only people who were blocked from SP1 cannot install SP2.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    primesuspect wrote:
    I just don't understand why people are so anxious to rush out and install something so unexciting as a SERVICE PACK. This is just bug fixes and patches, not like it's a hot game or something! :rolleyes:

    Can't you just wait a few days until MS puts it up? ;D
    Yeah I'm waiting til next week ...I can't afford any downtime until the semester has ended! :aol:
    I wonder if SP2 comes with it's own non-detectable spyware? ;D
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