[Overclocker]

Hi guys..
I'm a new member and this is my first posting in this forum where I would like to ask a little help on how to disable 'product activation' under my Windows XP build 2465.Thanks.

[BladeRunner]

Very easy, run Product Activation - this will send the required information about your hardware setup to Microsoft and will enable you to use the OS until either:

A. The time limit runs out.
B. You do a major upgrade to your system (By major I mean Motherboard, CPU, RAM & Video card all at the same time) in which case you'll need to run Product Activation again.

If you wanted to know how to continuously use your OS without first registering/activating it via Microsoft then I'm afraid that would be considered 'hacking' the OS and shouldn't be discussed on these boards.

[Los Pescados]

heh, well there is one way that technically isn't hacking the O/S and will cause you a fair amount of inconvenience.

Re-install XP every 4 weeks :P

Mike

[EddiE314]

crack it man

[NaughtyNu]

The last build that the little infamous zip file that actually did deactivate XP from *****ing at you was 2475 I think. Since the 80s and up it doesn't work.

So it's either hope MS makes another build that you can get your hands on (which is probably why nobody really bothered to check when the activation gives you 2 weeks and there's a new build available after 1 week) or reinstall it.

*shrug*

[AndyFair]

[invisigoth]

I use Windows XP RC1 builds 2499, and 2505 and I have had no problems with them, the product activation crack does work, as does the 180 day beta limit crack, all is kosher...

[Anita]

Windows XP Activation Changes


We spoke with Microsoft about how it is addressing user concerns over XP's inflexibility toward hardware upgrades.

Microsoft has revealed that it plans to change its antipiracy measures in Windows XP to respond to the beta testers' concerns of that XP's product activation system wasn't tolerant enough of typical system upgrades. Windows product activation (WPA) is a method of tying the serial number to a specific system's hardware. Windows XP prompts the user to "activate" Windows in the first month of installation, and once the serial code is used for one configuration it cannot be used to activate Windows XP on a different hardware configuration. However, savvy users have been concerned that incremental hardware upgrades would be enough to cause WPA to lock Windows from use. Microsoft has indicated that the final version of Windows XP, set for release in late October, will modify the activation procedure to allow for a certain number of hardware changes within an unstated amount of time.
A German company recently revealed how WPA generates its hardware fingerprint from 10 hardware components, including the model identification codes for the processor and graphics card, as well as the hard drive's serial number and network card's MAC address.
GameSpot spoke with Allen Nieman, technical product manager for Windows XP, to get more information on how product activation will work.
GameSpot: Tell us a bit about the changes to Windows product activation. What now triggers the prompt for reactivation?
Allen Nieman: What triggers the prompt for reactivation hasn't changed. What has changed is that we have addressed feedback from power users participating in the beta that the need to reactivate by telephoning can be a hassle. Therefore we have made changes in the way those reactivation requests are handled to allow it to be done over the Internet based on the amount of time that has passed since the last time that product key was used to activate Windows XP. As we've always said, we are trying to strike a balance between our desire to reduce piracy and our desire to ensure a positive customer experience with Windows XP.
As far as what changes will prompt for a reactivation, we plan to provide the user community with more information on this in the next couple of days.
GS: You mention that the changes have to do with the amount of time since the key was last used, presumably for either the initial activation or one due to hardware changes. How long are we talking about?
AN: The amount of time is based on initial activation. If you make changes to your PC--changes that would normally prompt a need to reactiviate--120 days from the time you initially activate the product, it will automatically do it online for you.
GS: What's the process for reactivation if the upgrades do exceed the new limits?
AN: As before, the user still has the opportunity to contact Microsoft via telephone to obtain another confirmation ID.
GS: Does the activation system need access to the Internet after the initial activation to confirm hardware changes with Microsoft?
AN: No, there is no ongoing access to Microsoft or "phone home." The only time a user may have to reactivate is when a substantial hardware change occurs such that the PC appears to Windows to be a completely different PC. This is to protect against hard disk cloning piracy.
GS: Thanks, Allen.

By Sam Parker, GameSpot PC [UPDATED: 07/20/01]

[EddiE314]

hard disk cloning....LOL, MS comes up with some dumb excuses for sh1t, i'm running 2505 with no problems or Activation Reminders

[fallguy]

I too have 2505 RC1, and used the crack. However, it says upon boot up that I need to register it within 4 days now. No matter if I choose yes or no, it does nothing. So can I assume the crack worked?

I ran a little prog called wininfo, and it tells me that the expiration date is Jan 16 2002 @ 12:12am.

I was told it would be ok... maybe Im just looking for a bit more confirmation.

[Greg S Trouw]

This is their suggested scheme. They'll allow 4 upgrades (CPU counts as 2 however) within an as of yet unspecified amount of time....based on 10 IDs they follow. A snapshot is taken at time of activation and compared. This whole scheme is a bunch of BS and uneeded.

1. If they wanted to see whether it was the same computer or different, then forget taking a snapshot at time of activation, forget comparing to a snapshot taken at this time....and forget taking the rather dictatorial approach which ends up controlling how many upgrades a person is allowed to make within a given amount of time. I can only hope that 2 things result:

a. Customers get perturbed when inability to upgrade due to activation restrictions ticks them off because they demand better levels of performance with new next gen programs. The burden then is placed on Microsoft to provide miraculous levels of software optomization to make old hardware one can't currently upgrade (too many already) deliver next gen performance. People start becoming extremely voicterous about the amount of bloatware MS provides, and starts counting wasted CPU cycles to the extreme....and if MS doesn't give satisfaction....they get some seriously negative PR and a new unshackeable reputation as a result. This, how much additional memory, disk space, and every other computer resource this and that new feature takes is scrutinized....because new restrictions don't allow one to make the upgrades that would make these insignificant. If MS releases bloatware (all the former jokes about Wintel...and how one releases new faster hardware to run all next gen software, and the other releases software to make one have to upgrade, etc) and then puts any restrictions on allowed upgrades.....getting some negative feedback and reputation is well deserved.

b. Hardware companies feel the pressure as people can't, under liscence sell as much hardware. This results in a slump in PC sales among Microsoft's partners, who get together and decide to put pressure on Microsoft to cease activities which could have some negative consequences on hardware sales. Perhaps, if feasible, stop putting hardware IDs in their products, and making it impossible for an OS to ID them, so as to make any kind of hardware profile at all. Perhaps also tell Microsoft, they will only return to putting identifiers in their hardware, only after any system such as WPA has been removed....with the incidental negative effects it could have on hardware sales.
----------------------------------
Anyway, if all that was really involved was seeing if it was the same machine or not...the following would work.

1. Each time the machine boots, take get the hardware profile info
2. Compare it to the info retreived at the time of the *last* boot, not time of activation.
3. At shutdown, save the config retrieved from hardware at time of boot, so that it can be used for the next comparison.

It is the number of upgrades BETWEEN reboots that is significant, not that from some time of activation, however far back.

[Tapek]

i been using XP since 2462 (that version is still my fave cause its only one where i can use opengl half life) and have been cracking it before and after installation so it pisses the activation off - when it officially comes out i will prolly end up buying it it is that good and even owning it i will still crack the biznitch, i never have and never will register anything i have bought.

the os is great and the cracks are as well - together they equal what the OS should be to start with

thats my 2cents

[Brian Frank]

Well, not saying I agree with the product activation at all--I hate that crap--but when I upgrade my motherboard, I do a clean install anyway. I do like the suggestion about having XP compare the configuration over the last boot up rather than when it was activated last.
Absolutely right! MS shouldn't be limiting you to how many things you upgrade. That's the thing that not everybody may know about XP, since the whole world isn't full of geeks like us;)
XP is great, but the activation is it's achilles tendon if you will.
Granted, the average joe schmoe doesn't usually upgrade a zillion parts per day, however, I would like to know how long the period of time is before you run into the upgrade limit. I'd also like to know why the hell a cpu counts as 2.
My biggest complaint about XP is the activation: It's hitting the majority of users who are legitimate customers who have bought their OS. It's also saying that MS doesn't trust it's customers to do anything right and that we're all crooked.
I for one do like XP, and you can be damn sure I'll use cracks around it, on my store-bought copy of XP Pro.

[Yearout]

I cliped this from Aug 10

"Microsoft Waters Down Activation"

"According to Nieman, the company has plans to offer a "time-based clean slate."

A grace period of 120 days between activations will open a window for power users to install Windows on a separate PC than the machine initially activated. This means power users can perform substantial hardware changes without worry. Nieman pointed out that customers are still bound by the End User License Agreement (EULA) and cannot install on more than one PC at a time.

Admittedly, this grace period does provide for a watered down version of WPA. Nieman told BetaNews, "What we are doing here is further fulfilling our strategy of erring on the side of the user - even to the extent that our effectiveness might be reduced. Microsoft firmly believes in striking that balance."

The Redmond giant has also decided to allow OEMS to ship pre-activated PCs directly to customers. The plan to offer pre-activation has been in the works over several months and requires BIOS information to be constructed in a specific manner. Nieman predicated that mainly large and medium sized OEMs will be able to participate given that constraint.

Because the dependency of pre-activated machines rests on BIOS information rather than a hardware hash, the prospect of defeating WPA through installing Windows on machines within the same brand name was raised. Nieman dismissed the idea, stating that the different BIOS information among target PCs would make it unfeasible.

The publishing of the technical details behind WPA follows a whitepaper by Fully Licensed GmbH detailing the process. Microsoft had always planned to clarify activation, but believed it would best to wait until final changes were complete. "

[DosFreak]

I can imagine bios hacks with the activation feature coming out but I wouldn't want extra buggy code in my bios. I'll stick with my SELECT vers and the cracks.

[Brian Frank]

I'm with ya on that bios thing. That is one thing I don't want to mess with--putting in a buggy bios. If you've got a bad bios, things could be in the crapper before 2 long--a matter of seconds.
I ain't that desperate for getting around PA, the kamakazie nerds can do that.

[Tledon]

Hi every one I am new to this forum, so thought a hi would be in order. I am among the few who had to make that call to Microsoft a few times. They gave me no hassle about reactivating my OEM version of XP Home, but still I figure I should not have to do that every time I get a wild hair and upgrade my PC. So I did some research and found that after activation all I had to do is go to the system32 folder and copy the wpa.dbl and wpa.bak files to an external disk, I can copy those files back instead of calling to reactivate. So far I have had no problems with the OS and upgrading with Microsofts web page has not been effected.

On another note, if any one is getting as tired of Microsoft as I am there is an alternative OS. Xandros 3.0 is a free linux based OS and its GUI is comparable to that of Windows. The biggest draw back to this OS is hardware compatibility especially video cards. But if you check out their support page they have an HCL , as well as a link to computers that have Xandros pre-installed. Plus their is Linspire AKA Lindows, but they have the same HCL problems as well as the two versions I tested could not network to my windows network. These are options I thought are worth mentioning, and the Xandros is one I am seriously considering. Plus Xandros offers a way to install and run windows programs, so it might be the one way I can get away from the Big Brother Microsoft.
Check out www.xandros.com

[thatsteveguy]

LOL
guess you didn't notice that the last post before yours is over 4 years old!!

S

[felix]

If this solution still works, I don't mind that much.
However on that line, Phillip, is there anyway to automatically lock threads that have been inactive for 6+ months?