Windows Server activation flaw negates activation requirement
A flaw in how Microsoft Windows Server 2008 calculates the time remaining until it must be activated could enable users to potentially run the server for years before activation. The defect is a consequence of Microsoft failing to assess its virtualization strategy, says an analyst.
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23.2.2009 Windows Home Server - Now available on MSDN
A key benefit of Windows Home Server is the versatility and power it offers as a development platform. Even when Windows Home Server software was still in the beta stage, we published a software development kit (SDK) so that 3rd party developers could develop interesting add-ins for the product. See the original post, "Developers, Developers, Developers".
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25.3.2009 Microsoft Windows 2003 Server R2 available to MSDN Subscribers
MSDN Subscribers can download Windows 2003 Server R2 on MSDN now!
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 is an update release of the award-winning Windows Server 2003 operating system.
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9.12.2005 Download Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM from MSDN and TechNet
The final bits of Windows Server 2008 R2 (RTM Build 7600.16385) are now up on MSDN and TechNet Plus.
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14.8.2009 Windows 7 RTM and MSDN Academic Alliance MSDN AA Availability Update
At the start of this week, I posted an article informing users of the fact that Windows 7 RTM was available for download via MSDN Academic Alliance (MSDN AA). Looking at the comments that have been piling up I think that an update is necessary to clarify some aspects.
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14.8.2009 Vista KMS activation server
This new KMS server, kms.vbs.net.cn (or vbs.net.cn), claims to operate 24 hours.
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9.12.2006 Pirates crack Vista Activation Server
Pirates have released another ingenious workaround to Vista's copy protection: a hacked copy of Microsoft's yet-to-be-released volume licencing activation server, running in VMware.
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9.12.2006 How to Bypass Windows Server 2008 Activation
In Windows Server 2008 (and previous Microsoft operating systems) you must activate your computer in order to use it legally.
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9.3.2008 Microsoft third-party licensing and activation server set to RTM
In July, Microsoft announced its intentions to deliver a number of licensing technologies to third-party vendors interesting in deploying Microsoft-like activation and licensing in their products.
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3.9.2007 NEW Activation crack for Windows Server 2008 SP1 x64
Ok How Active Windows Server 2008 ? Super Simple!!!
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17.10.2008 Rearm and Extend Activation Grace Period in Windows Vista and Server 2008
Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 has free activation grace period which allows user to install and use the operating system for 120 days and 240 days without product key or product activation completed.
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8.6.2008 Windows 7 beta on MSDN?
Just as many are waiting for the Windows 7 beta to be announced at CES, we have a Microsoft blog saying its available on MSDN!
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8.1.2009 MSDN Opens Up to Firefox, Opera
MSDN announced last week that it had tweaked its subscriber download site in order to make it compatible with both Firefox and Opera. There are some issues, such as extra work needed in installing the File Transfer Manager, however developers are working on a new version of the FTM that should correct final problems.
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Microsoft Releases MSDN Wiki
Microsoft has released its Microsoft Developer Network Wiki for developers.
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9.12.2006 Windows Vista RTM appears on MSDN
Microsoft Date/Time Posted: 2006-11-16 21:56:18 (UTC).
File: en_windows_vista_x86_dvd_X12-34293.iso ISO-9660 DVD Image
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16.11.2006 XP SP3 Integrated Images on MSDN
Microsoft is pleased to make available integrated retail and volume license installs of Windows XP SP3, to MSDN and TechNet Plus subscribers.
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3.5.2008 Online Windows 7 event: MSDN Unleashed
On February 28, Microsoft organizes an indepth Windows 7 event in Irvine California.
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22.2.2009 Windows 7 To Surface on TechNet/MSDN This Month
We’ve received word from a trusted source close to GeekSmack that Windows 7 will be on TechNet/MSDN before the end of the month, so those of us with a premium TechNet/MSDN account will be able to get the official RTM build about 2 months ahead of when Windows 7 will hit store shelves on October 22nd.
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3.7.2009 Download Windows 7 RTM from MSDN & TechNet
Microsoft today has announced the availability of the final version of Windows 7 (RTM Build 7600.16385) for Microsoft Connect, MSDN and TechNet Plus subscribers.
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6.8.2009 Windows Vista Iso BillGates to MSDN patch 2
Second Little path for BillGates ISO of Windows Vista RTM to transform this release into legit MSDN release.
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18.11.2006 Collection of published Vista SP1 API changes from MSDN
Microsoft might choose not to tell its enthusiasts anything about Windows Vista Service Pack 1, but they can’t afford to keep it a secret to the development community. Thanks to pacpis for this article.
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22.7.2007 A short chat with a MSDN Concierge about Vista SP1
Not long ago, Microsoft has hinted towards the availability of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 on MSDN if not before the public beta. I wanted to find out if this was the case and who better to ask than the MSDN Concierge - open 24 hours, talk about great service. Thanks to pacpis for this news.
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18.8.2007 Windows 7 RC now available for download on MSDN, TechNet & Connect
Microsoft made the first release candidate of Windows 7 available for free download on Thursday. In an unprecedented move for the company, the software will run on a user's PC for more than a year.
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30.4.2009 Windows 7 RTM Available for Download via the MSDN Academic Alliance
Windows 7 RTM Build 7600 is currently available for download via the MSDN Academic Alliance. The past week, starting with August 6th, 2009, Microsoft began offering the gold bits of Windows 7 to MSDN and TechNet subscribers.
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10.8.2009 Download Windows 7 RTM Wave 3 via MSDN and TechNet
Get ready to access the third wave of Windows 7 RTM downloads from Microsoft. Today, August 21, 2009, the Redmond company will make available for download Windows 7 RTM wave 3 for its developer and IT professional audiences, through their respective portals.
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21.8.2009 Windows XP Mode RTM via MSDN and TechNet
Having released Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC to manufacturing at the start of this month, Microsoft is currently offering the two Windows 7 features for download.
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8.10.2009 Microsoft Office 2010 beta available on MSDN and TechNet
Today Microsoft has made the official Office 2010 beta bits available on TechNet/MSDN, so those of you who have subscriptions to either service may now get your hands on it before the official unveiling on November 18th.
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16.11.2009 Office 2010 Beta Available for Download via MSDN and TechNet
The Beta bits of Office 2010 Beta along with Office Web Applications are now up on MSDN and TechNet Plus.
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16.11.2009 Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 RTM will on MSDN within days
Rumors have been flying everywhere that Microsoft's Visual Studio 2005 will be RTM (Released to Manufacturing) and on MSDN in a matter of days. Orginally thought to be on MSDN for download on October 14th, the release supposedly got slipped because the final RC build failed a regression test.
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Windows Vista Iso BillGates To Legit MSDN PATCH
Little path for BillGates ISO of Windows Vista RTM to transform this release into legit MSDN release.
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13.11.2006Windows Server activation flaw negates activation requirement
A flaw in how Microsoft Windows Server 2008 calculates the time remaining until it must be activated could enable users to potentially run the server
for years before activation. The defect is a consequence of Microsoft failing to assess its virtualization strategy, says an analyst...
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18.02.2009Hackers Find New Vista Activation Crack
With all the talk about
Microsoft's stepped up
efforts to curb piracy through
Vista's new activation
methods, it may all be for
naught after some crafty
hackers figured out a way to
crack the Vista Activation
Server...
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09.12.2006Product Activation for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008
All editions of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 are required to complete activation within the first 30 days of use. This bulletin helps
customers and partners better understand the technologies used by product activation for editions distributed through retail, original equipment
manufacturer, and volume licensing channels. Also discussed is how the hardware hash component of the installation ID is created and the scenarios in
which a copy of Windows may have to be re-activated due to a substantial hardware modification.
winbeta.org -
07.11.2007IE Automatic Component Activation Now Available
Jefferson Fletcher: The IE Automatic Component Activation (IE ACA) update is now available as part of the
April 2008 Internet Explorer Cumulative Update. The
"click to activate" behavior, formerly required for ActiveX controls embedded in some webpages, is now permanently removed from Internet Explorer.
For detailed information on IE ACA, see our
blog
post from last November announcing this update.
This update replaces the IE ACA previews released in December 2007 and February
2008.
neowin.net -
09.04.2008Product Activation Changes and Impacts on Windows Server 2008
Today the Windows group announced some changes in their increased efforts against piracy and new steps being taken to protect Windows Vista (see
here for details). These changes are coming in
Windows Vista SP1 (due out in Q1 2008). Along with disabling some of the known exploits that counterfeiters are using, changes are being made to
product activation. Specifically, the Reduced Functionality Mode (RFM) is being replaced with new notifications to let customers know that their
systems are not genuine when they do not activate or when their systems fail validation.
So what does this mean for Windows
Server 2008?
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04.12.2007Microsoft third-party licensing and activation server set to RTM
In July, Microsoft announced its intentions to deliver a number of licensing technologies to third-party vendors interesting in deploying
Microsoft-like activation and licensing in their products
One of those components, the
Software Licensing and Protection
Server (SLP), is likely to be released to manufacturing (RTM) on August 31, according to a Microsoft blog entry by a member of the SLP team.
The SLP server will allow third-party software vendors to host their own servers and create software licenses machine-based,
time-based (for software subscriptions and trials), user-based and/or feature-based for their products. The server will generate a key, which users
will use to activate their software, via a digital license. ISVs will be able to turn on different features and different SKUs for different markets
without having to go back and tweak the code for each version. Microsoft plans for the SLP Server will come in two versions: Standard and
Enterprise.
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31.08.2007Microsoft Responds to Reported OEM BIOS Hacks
The WGA team have finally
provided a written response to
the reported OEM BIOS Hacks
regarding Vista:
I
know many of you are aware of
reports of hacks that attempt
to exploit our OEM BIOS based
activation. We're aware of
this type of hack and I wanted
to take a minute to describe
how these work and how we plan
to respond.
First, what is OEM BIOS
based activation?
Here's a little more
information on how OEM BIOS
based activation works. This
form of product activation is
also known as OEM Activation
or just OA, which is how
Microsoft refers to it and how
I will refer to it in this
post. Back at the launch of
Windows XP when Microsoft
introduced Windows Product
Activation, we recognized that
as easy as end-user activation
is, it still represented an
extra step.
neowin.net -
12.04.2007Windows Server 2008 KMS Setup Demonstration
This video demonstrates how to implement the Key Management Service (KMS) in your organization. KMS is a local activation service, and is the
recommended method of activating volume license editions of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 in organizations where most computers are
consistently connected to the network. This demo shows how to set up the KMS host on a Windows Server 2008 computer, how to activate KMS clients with
the KMS host, and how to review activation status using the slmgr.vbs command.
winbeta.org -
06.02.2008How to run Windows Server 2008 for 240 days without activation
Microsoft
published an article that describes in detail how to automatically
extend the evaluation period for Windows Server 2008 to 240 days.
Now we only have to wait for a public download of Windows
Server 2008.
Happy testing!
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12.02.2008Windows Server 2008 R2 Release Candidate
This software is for evaluation and testing purposes. Evaluating any version of Windows Server 2008 R2 Release Candidate software does not require
product activation or entering a product key. Any edition of Windows Server 2008 R2 Release Candidate may be installed without activation and
evaluated for an initial 30 days. If you need more time to evaluate Windows Server 2008 R2 Release Candidate, the initial 30 day evaluation can be
extended to March 1, 2010 (at which time the OS will become inoperable) by entering the product key below for your selected edition.
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05.05.2009Windows Home Server will not be made available for MSDN Subscribers
MSDN Subscriptions WebLog: Several of you have been asking about if and when Windows Home Server would be available on MSDN Subscriber Downloads. My
last post on this indicated that discussions were still underway, but that it looked promising that it wold be added.
Unfortuntely it is not going to be made available for MSDN Subscribers at this time, based on additional discussions between the Product Group and
the Subscriptions Teams.
I don't have any first hand knowledge of what went into this decision, but understand several of you
will be disappointed by the decision. As you are aware, it might be added in the future, but it is not being included at this time.
winbeta.org -
15.01.2008Windows Server 2008 Application Compatibility Labs Released
Neil Hutson: Jason has just finished the first four labs in a series of Windows Server 2008 Application Compatibility labs have been released on MSDN.
You can find them as follows:
- MSDN Virtual Lab:
Windows Server 2008 -
Access Rights, Impersonation - MSDN Virtual Lab:
Windows Server 2008 -
Impact of Code Signing - MSDN Virtual Lab:
Windows Server 2008 -
Installer Detection - MSDN Virtual Lab:
Windows Server 2008 - Session 0
Isolation There will be more labs in the coming weeks. Stay tuned and enjoy!
winbeta.org -
01.05.2008The Windows Vista Activation Forum
Do you have questions or issues regarding Windows Vista Activation? Then the
Windows Vista Activation forum is the thing
for you. The forum offers a new dedicated resource to assist in answering both technical and licensing questions regarding MAK, VAMT, KMS, planning,
deployment, operations and other aspects of Volume Licensing Activation v 2.0 in Windows Vista.
winbeta.org -
23.09.2008Troubleshooting KMS Activation - Part 1, the client
Windows activation is simple and straightforward if you understand the components. I have had a few customers that stumbled when getting a KMS online
and in every case it has been an issue with name resolution, network connectivity, or they simply did not understand how to use the keys.
Activation is designed to help you with deployments and sustain your environment even in the event a key gets lost. KMS is the simplest
of all the activation methods because you only need to worry about putting a key in one machine. You can then deploy new machines without having to
ever worry about keys unless your device will be off the network for more than 6 months.
This is the first of a two part series
to break down KMS troubleshooting in to a process that should help identify exactly what is at fault. I don't want to mislead or instill fear to
those who are just starting out - the process is normally simple by design. However, for those who have run in to trouble, I'd like to publish a
guide that will help you isolate and correct the issue you've encountered without spinning your wheels. Part 2 will be published next week with a
focus on troubleshooting the server.
winbeta.org -
08.10.2007iPhone Activation and Syncing Video
Besides announcing rate plans
today, Apple
has
also posted a video
demonstrating how to activate
and sync the iPhone.
The iPhone is activated
through iTunes. Activation
works for both existing and
new AT&T customers, and allows
users to transfer their
existing phone number to the
iPhone.
The syncing
portion of the video
demonstrates how to sync email
accounts, address, safari
bookmarks and more...
winbeta.org -
27.06.2007Official Way to Use Vista without Activation 120 Days
Official Way to Install and
Use Windows Vista without
Activation for Free for 120
Days
By default,
Windows Vista can be
installed, used and run
without any license, product
key or the need of activation
for 30 days grace period, for
purpose of trial or
evaluation. Although Microsoft
initially stressed that users
should purchase a license with
valid product key before the
trial period expires, or else
Windows Vista will lock into
Reduced Functionality Mode.
However, a "rearm" method
has long since been discovered
to be able to extend, or reset
the remaining time for
activation to another fresh 30
days, for up to 3 times.
Now Microsoft has
confirmed that Windows Vista
can be used and run for 120
days or 4 months ( 3
rearms ), and extending the
activation grace period is not
a violation of the Vista End
User License Agreement (EULA).
All versions of Vista include
Windows Vista Ultimate allow a
30-day free period without
activation, except the
corporate-oriented Vista
Enterprise, which supports
only a three-day trial.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
22.02.2007Vista Update Fingers Activation Cracks
Microsoft has announced an update available to consumers next week which will detect two cracks commonly used to activate pirated copies of the
operating system. One of the cracks refered to as Grace Timer, extended Vista's activation grace period, upto 2099. The other called as OEM BIOS,
modified system files and the PC's BIOS to mimic the product activation done by computer-makers at the factory. If the sniffer detects an
activation hack, it will pop up a warning that includes a link to the removal tool. Although SP1 will block these two cracks, " it's important
to note that this update does not disable the exploits it finds, " says
Alex Kochis. " It
simply alerts customers that exploits exist. " However, MS will release a separate crack-removal tool at the same time that it rolls out the
detection update.
neowin.net -
23.02.2008MSDN Development Center for Windows Server 2008 Is Now Up
Bruce Kyle: I wanted to let you know that the MSDN Developer Center for Windows Server 2008 is now live. You can find it here:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...px.
The site provides infromation about
- The latest beta of Windows Server 2008.
- A developer training kit
- How to use the features of Windows Server 2008 in your applications.
winbeta.org -
31.10.2007Another Vista Activation Crack Appears
Buzz about a Windows Vista
zero-day vulnerability is
troubling enough (although
probably overblown). Now,
there appears to be a second
product activation hack, this
one designed to fool the
activation timer into not
counting down. The activation
hack is quite different from
the first one, which involved
setting up a Key Management
Service server. Microsoft also
released an update blocking
hybrid testing/final Vista
"Monster" code that could
bypass product activation.
"Recently it has been
reported that activation of
Microsoft's Windows Vista
operating system has been
compromised," a Microsoft
spokesperson said in a
statement in response to a
Microsoft Watch inquiry.
"Microsoft is investigating
this reported activation
breach; however, there is no
concrete evidence that this
breach has been automated to
the point that it is widely
deployable." The not "widely
deployable" statement, while
likely true, isn't denial of
an actual activation breach.
I've read
instructions, which I won't
link to, and comments from
people successfully trying the
so-called Time Stopper hack; I
haven't tested it and
wouldn't because of possible
security breach when applying
a downloaded crack as part of
the process. As the Microsoft
spokesperson acknowledged,
there are reports about the
crack, which requires setting
a computer's BIOS clock to
2099. The hack does work on
32-bit Windows Vista
installations but not
necessarily 64-bit versions.
The process requires some
other Windows changes and
eventual clock reset from
within Vista leading to a
perpetual state of 30 days to
activation.
neowin.net -
28.12.2006Microsoft to ease XP activation with SP3
Microsoft Corp. will change how users activate Windows XP when Service Pack 3 launches in the first half of 2008, a company white paper said.
New installations of Windows XP SP3 will give users the same 30-day grace period currently offered to Windows Vista customers before they're
required to enter a product activation key, the 25-character code that proves the copy is legitimate.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
28.12.2007
