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 WGA and OGA Servers Down
According to Ars Technica, the servers responsible for activating new installs of Windows and Office are currently down due to an unspecified reason.
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20.7.2008 Vista Downloads Maxing Out Its Servers
Order the DVD instead, Microsoft says, as downloads of Windows Vista Beta 2 cause the company's servers to experience extremely high demand.
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13.6.2006 Intel inside again for new Google servers
Intel, armed with a custom-designed motherboard, has reclaimed Google as a server customer after a year watching the search powerhouse give its business to Advanced Micro Devices, CNET News.com has learned.
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27.1.2007 Microsoft WGA servers are fixed, but..
no word on what went wrong. Microsoft has fixed whatever caused a massive worldwide outage of its Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) system that seemed to last just under 24 hours.
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26.8.2007 Microsoft starting to win over Linux servers
Microsoft is showing some early signs of success with a version of Windows geared for a technical computing market that Linux dominates today.
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10.4.2007 Intel 2-way servers to get 45nm boost in 4Q
The 2-way server market can expect a boost of holiday season cheer in the fourth quarter as Intel is lining up to launch 12 new processors based on its latest 45nm designs, according to sources at server makers.
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1.9.2007 Reduce the Load MSNBot Delivers to Servers
Microsoft is currently rolling out a range of improvements to its Windows Live platform of services and applications.
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21.4.2008 Hundreds of Thousands of Microsoft Web Servers Hacked
Hundreds of thousands of Web sites - including several at the United Nations and in the U.K. government -- have been hacked recently and seeded with code that tries to exploit security flaws in Microsoft Windows to install malicious software on visitors' machines.
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28.4.2008 Microsoft Ships Early Betas Of 'Cougar' And 'Centro' Servers
Microsoft has released early beta versions of its "Cougar" upgrade of Small Business Server and "Centro," a new integrated server suite for midsize businesses.
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3.1.2007 Windows VISTA Activation!
This small program allow us to activate the 30 day 's trial of windows Vista, Vista is well known for its "High Security" ( as microsoft said).
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1.1.2006 Windows 7 Seven Activation CRACK
Here are 3 versions Windows 7 Seven Activation CRACKs for you - Time stop crack..
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28.12.2008 Windows 7 Activation Keys
It really looks as if the only topic left to discuss on this blog is Windows 7 LOL! Again, I’m here with another Windows 7-related post, which I think will be loved by all who have been trying to get their hands on a Windows 7 activation key.
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1.11.2009 Windows 7 - the End of 2009
As much as Microsoft is trying to make the availability date for the next iteration of the Windows client ambiguous, officially pointing to a development process scoped for 2010, Windows 7 is actually dropping at the end of 2009, were we to believe Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer.
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28.5.2008 Windows 7 Available on September 1, 2009
As Microsoft is making its way to the release to manufacturing milestone of Windows 7, the company confirmed that the gold build of the operating system would be made available to customers months ahead of October 22, 2009, the official launch deadline.
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14.7.2009 Windows VISTA 5342 Activation!
This small program allow us to activate the 30 day 's trial of windows Vista build 5342, Vista is well known for its "High Security" ( as microsoft said :-)
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29.3.2006 Windows Vista Volume Activation 2.0
Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) isn’t the only Microsoft anti-piracy scheme that might raise the hackles of future Vista customers. Volume Activation 2.0 is worrying some Vista testers who’ve had a chance to dabble with early versions of that technology.
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3.10.2006 About Windows Vista Volume Activation 2.0
Computer professionals come across the word "Software piracy". It is related to copying, installing and making use of the software without legally purchasing the software.
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27.12.2006 Windows Vista Activation Problems
Windows Vista has had everything but an easy ride since it hit the shelves in January 2007. The operating system was plagued by a luxuriant variety of problems from hardware and software incompatibilities to lack of support and poor performance and reliability.
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23.11.2007 Pirates navigate around Windows 7 activation again
Pirates have put together tools to remove and disable Windows Activation Technologies (WAT) in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, and also take care of all the side effects.
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11.11.2009 Windows Live Messenger 2009
Due to a request from Microsoft, this download has been removed temporarily. However, Windows Live Messenger 9 will be available for download here as soon as it is oficially published. Check back often to ensure you don't miss it!
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19.11.2008 Windows 7 RTM in October 2009
Windows 7 will be released to manufacturing in 2009, more precisely in the third quarter of this year, with information from a leaked product roadmap pointing to the first half of October 2009.
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25.2.2009 How to skip the Product Activation in Windows XP?
A new system in Windows XP, intended to curb software piracy, requires every Windows XP user to call Microsoft (or connect via the web) to obtain a long product activation key for each installation. As though the 25-character CD key on the back of the CD package in previous versions of Windows wasn't enough, now users are expected to make a phone call to ask Microsoft's permission to use Windows XP.
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7.1.2006 Windows XP Activation Social Crack
Nik Cubrilovic write this pretty smart "cracking method" :-) I just upgraded to the latest BETA of parallels desktop for Mac (it just keeps getting better, this beta version is awesome - but more on that in a later post) and because there are so many new features (better USB support, device support, etc.) when I restarted Windows XP, it asked me to activate again.
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5.1.2007 Common Errors during Windows Vista Activation
Thanks to Matt for this super article! The following error code or error message may appear when users try to activate Windows Vista: An error has occurred.
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21.2.2007 Currently the BEST and EASIEST Windows Vista Activation Cracks
There are quite a lot of Windows Vista cracks around the Internet nowadays. You wouldn't know which one actually works. There's a crack from DR CHANG and it has screenshot proof that his crack works. However, Microsoft very quickly retaliate by releasing an update on "Windows Update - Vista Validation" which makes DR CHANG's crack unusable. Here are a few methods of activating Windows Vista based on what I read on forums and websites.
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20.3.2007 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 Windows 7 Activation Tool Kit BETA 1.8
Orbit30 releases a Windows 7 activation tool and a Windows Vista / 7 tweaker. - Windows 7 Activation Tool Kit BETA 1.8 | 25.4 Mb
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23.7.2009 Collection of Windows 7 RTM Activation Cracks
New Win7 activation toolkit. This time it’s combined Orbit30 And Hazar’s methods into one crack. Just get yourself Windows 7 releases from GRP or WZT, choose one of the activation methods and you’re good to go. Read instructions first.
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1.11.2009 Keep Windows XP Until 2009, Analysts Tell Microsoft
Microsoft may have pushed a too-aggressive XP transition schedule because of how long it took to release Vista, an analyst suggests.
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9.2.2008Windows 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...
winbeta.org -
18.02.2009Microsoft cites human error in anti-piracy malfunction
Last week's malfunction of Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage anti-piracy mechanism was caused when new software code was accidentally put on the
servers running the system, before those servers had been made ready for the code, according to
a post last night by Alex Kochis, WGA senior product
manager. Kochis writes:
"Nothing more than human error started it all. Pre-production code was sent to production servers. The production servers
had not yet been upgraded with a recent change to enable stronger encryption/decryption of product keys during the activation and validation
processes. The result of this is that the production servers declined activation and validation requests that should have passed."
Kochis
explains in the post that the problem made some computers fail the anti-piracy validation and activation processes, causing them to lose advanced
Windows features and get a "This copy of Windows is not genuine" message, until the WGA system was fixed and people were able to properly activate
and validate their computers.
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29.08.2007The 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.
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23.09.2008Hackers 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.
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07.11.2007Official 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 -
22.02.2007'WGA' no more: Microsoft puts new spin on anti-piracy tools
Microsoft is dropping the "Windows Genuine Advantage" name from its product activation and validation technologies as it prepares for Windows 7's
release. The company
said this morning that
it will instead use the name "Windows Activation Technologies" for the anti-piracy tools in Windows 7 and the existing Windows Vista operating
system.
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07.05.2009Microsoft changes 'Windows Genuine Advantage' name
Microsoft will be changing to name of it's activation and validation system from "Windows Genuine Advantage" to "Windows Activation
Technologies" according to a report by Mary-Jo Foley. However, the "Genuine" brand isn't completely disappearing. A press release states that
Microsoft will continue to deliver genuine updates and notifications for XP users. The program has been criticized for its punishment tactics and
false-positive results, even though Microsoft has fixed some of these problems in Vista SP1. According to Microsoft, Windows 7's activation will
be built on the same software protection platform that was part of Vista, with some minor tweaks made for Windows 7.
Read full story.....
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08.05.2009Microsoft 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 -
28.12.2007WGA and OGA Servers Down
According to Ars Technica, the servers responsible for activating new installs of Windows and Office are currently down due to an unspecified reason.
The issue became apparent after several users attempted to activate Office 2003 with no avail, even as early as this morning, and a Microsoft
representative confirmed that the servers were offline. Fortunately, this seems to be simply a case of prolonged downtime, rather than an actual
activation error, as was this case in August of last year, when the Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) software acidentally labelled legitimate installs
as pirated versions. Users affected by this issue can still take advantage of the built-in 30-day grace period until the servers are brought back
up.
neowin.net -
19.07.2008Volume Activation 2.0: Another Potential Vista Gotcha?
Windows Genuine Advantage
(WGA) isn't the only
Microsoft anti-piracy scheme
that might raise the hackles
of future Vista customers.
Volume Activation 2.0 is
worrying some Vista testers
who've had a chance to dabble
with early versions of that
technology.
Potential false positives -
Microsoft labeling legitimate
copies of Windows as
"pirated" - akin to those
which have been documented in
WGA by Windows expert Ed Bott
and others, are just one
problem business users are
anticipating with Volume
Activation 2.0. Increased
costs resulting from the
management of Volume
Activation systems is another,
they say.
For those
who've yet to hear about it,
Volume Activation is a new
digital-license activation
technology aimed at
businesses. It's part of the
larger "Software Protection
Platform" that Microsoft is
constructing to combat piracy.
In short, Microsoft is not
going to allow enterprises to
operate on an honor system,
when it comes to proving how
many copies of Windows
they've paid to license. Just
like it does with individual
Windows users, Microsoft is
going to start requiring
companies to authenticate
their new versions of Windows
within 30 days of
installing.
neowin.net -
03.10.2006Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows 7
The Windows® Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) is a set of tools and documentation that support the configuration and deployment of Windows®
operating systems. By using Windows AIK, you can automate Windows installations, capture Windows images with ImageX, configure and modify images using
Deployment Imaging Servicing and Management (DISM), create Windows PE images, and migrate user profiles and data with the User State Migration Tool
(USMT). Windows AIK also includes the Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT), which enables IT professionals to automate and centrally manage the
volume activation process using a Multiple Activation Key (MAK).
winbeta.org -
07.08.2009Microsoft releases activation exploit detection update
Microsoft has released an update for Windows Vista designed to detect activation exploits that bypass product activation and that interfere with usual
Windows operation. This update is tagged as KB940510.
According to Microsoft "when the update is installed, no functionality of your
operating system will be affected. If no exploits are detected, the update silently exits. If exploits are detected, you will be provided a link to a
Web site that describes how you can remove the exploits. When the exploits are removed, you may be asked to use a valid product key to activate your
copy of Windows. If you do not want to remove the exploits, Windows may disable the exploits and then ask you to use a valid product key to activate
Windows."
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27.02.2008Windows Automated Installation Kit for Windows 7 RC
The Windows® Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) is a set of tools and documentation that support the configuration and deployment of Windows®
operating systems. By using Windows AIK, you can automate Windows installations, capture Windows images with ImageX, configure and modify images using
Deployment Imaging Servicing and Management (DISM), create Windows PE images, and migrate user profiles and data with the User State Migration Tool
(USMT). Windows AIK also includes the Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT), which enables IT professionals to automate and centrally manage the
volume activation process using a Multiple Activation Key (MAK).
winbeta.org -
05.05.2009Product 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?
winbeta.org -
04.12.2007iPhone 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 -
27.06.2007Microsoft 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 -
12.04.2007Another 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 -
28.12.2006Troubleshooting 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 -
08.10.2007Microsoft blames human error for WGA glitch
Microsoft blamed human error for a Windows Genuine Advantage problem that identified legitimate Windows users as pirates last week. According to Alex
Kochis, Microsoft senior product manager for WGA, new software was accidentally loaded onto the live servers running the system. Between Friday
evening through Saturday afternoon, some users incorrectly failed the validation process, leaving them unable to use certain features. Affected users
also saw a message in the corner of their screen that said "This copy of Windows is not genuine." While Microsoft quickly noticed the problem and
rolled back the changes within a half hour, the problem continued to affect the validation service although the activation process was fixed in that
time frame, said Kochis.
The company is implementing some changes to make sure a similar incident doesn't happen again. It is improving
monitoring in order to find out sooner if there is a problem, he said. Microsoft is also adding checkpoints that should prevent accidental changes to
the servers. It's troubling that someone can accidentally load wrong code into a live environment. Kochis clarified that an existing policy will
automatically validate all users if the WGA servers are down but that in this case, the servers weren't down, so that policy didn't kick in. Maybe
Microsoft should have taken the servers down while working on the problem?
neowin.net -
30.08.2007
