M$ blocks some VLK's as of yesterday

bldegle2 · Apr 1, 2009

M$ blocks some VLK's

Just a heads up, but some of the more common VLK's floating around have been blocked at M$ updates now, just happened sometime in mid/late March....

For example, the XP Pro Corp student version has only a couple of keys that are used on thousands of sold legitimate copies, now they have effectively blocked those keys, at least for now....the onrush of phone calls is gonna be something to follow...

It is what it is....

laterzzzzz...................

Old Thrashbarg · Apr 2, 2009

the XP Pro Corp student version has only a couple of keys that are used on thousands of sold legitimate copies, now they have effectively blocked those keys, at least for now....the onrush of phone calls is gonna be something to follow...

Ooh, hold on, lemme go grab the popcorn, this oughta be good. So, just to sum up, what students get out of this, is that they learn to pirate Windows rather than buying it, because they'll get treated the same and save $99? Fantastic move, MS.

bldegle2 · Apr 2, 2009

since XP Pro Corp offers to activate without registering, there are going to be thousands of legitimate users blocked from Windows update....and I am sure M$ is farming informations from those who respond (come on now), register and get a new key issued....

it was one of those loopholes that went ignored for many years, just part of the cat and mouse game, youknowwhatimeanjellybean????

laterzzzz.................

Archer0915 · Apr 2, 2009

What do you expect they cant make any money with pirates (Goose in TOP GUN sneez effect: Bull *****) stealing their software. I sent an e-mail yeas ago telling MS to avoid piracy all they had to do was a subscription service with new encryption codes for the software and a card that must be present to keep windows running (card recieves firmware update from the software and is then linked to MS for verification). It would not be worth the money to use a cracked version as on a regular basis windows would become useless.

SniperXX · Apr 2, 2009

Is there a link to this? I wanted to read about it, etc etc. I think MS is finally learning. I remember the last time I heard them block VLKs was back when SP1 came out. I knew a few people who were caught off guard by that, lol.

oakstave · Apr 2, 2009

Archer0915 said:
What do you expect they cant make any money with pirates (Goose in TOP GUN sneez effect: Bull Sheite) stealing their software. I sent an e-mail yeas ago telling MS to avoid piracy all they had to do was a subscription service with new encryption codes for the software and a card that must be present to keep windows running (card recieves firmware update from the software and is then linked to MS for verification). It would not be worth the money to use a cracked version as on a regular basis windows would become useless.

That would work... I wouldn't use it, but it would work. I'd never use an OS that had a subscription. If I can't buy it, I wouldn't use it. This whole concept of 'you don't own your computer, you just lease it from us' is offensive to me.

I'm guessing to others as well, or this would have been implemented a long time ago...

Last time I checked, M$ was making LOTS of money btw.

Old Thrashbarg · Apr 2, 2009

Well, MS already closed up the VLK 'loophole' with Vista. (And the mandatory WGA is a big reason why I'll never go anywhere near Vista.) I understand you can still somehow get around activation with a BIOS patch or something, but it's not as straightforward as it was with XP.

And I'm not sure if I'd call screwing thousands of legitimate customers, 'learning'. It's not like SP1 and SP2 where it was a small number of corporations that had to get and deploy a new key, we're talking a bunch of individuals here. Individuals in a group that's generally not too concerned about copyrights, and who were computer-savvy enough to buy a standalone copy of Windows. I'd bet many of 'em are also savvy enough to queue up a torrent, too.

So what do you end up with? Yeah, you cut off a bunch of pirates, but only for a couple days until they find a new key. You also cut off a bunch of legitimate users, some of whom will inevitably get fed up and just grab a new pirated key. All to protect an OS that isn't even on the market anymore.

Archer0915 · Apr 2, 2009

oakstave said:
That would work... I wouldn't use it, but it would work. I'd never use an OS that had a subscription. If I can't buy it, I wouldn't use it. This whole concept of 'you don't own your computer, you just lease it from us' is offensive to me.

I'm guessing to others as well, or this would have been implemented a long time ago...

Last time I checked, M$ was making LOTS of money btw.

Let me clarify I my original email to MS I stated that if they would take monthly Homage that they could offer constant updates and new OS DL for a small monthly fee while securing a steady source of revenue this would be an option not mandatory. I also told them that I was running 4 copy's of pirated XP and if they had a problem with it send me an email to give me lic #'s for the 6 XP oem copy's I had. I guess they figured that they had no need to pursue that as I did have legitimate copy's I just couldn't use them.

Subscription (nonpaid) for any MS os to prevent piracy as outlined in the above scenario in my first post to this thread.

dicecca112 · Apr 2, 2009

So what it sounds like is they are closing the pirated versions. And there is a problem why? Guarentee you call them, and they will reactivate for you in about 5minutes tops. So people are taking advantage of a loophole, and MS fixes it, and it makes them the bad guy? That makes no sense, and since there is no link or proof, why should we believe you?

oakstave · Apr 2, 2009

^Oh, I get you now. Thanks for the clarification Archer.

@ dicecca112... are you asking what's wrong with being accused of being a software thief when you paid for a product and are using it legally?

What's wrong with being arrested for shoplifting as long as they release you afterwards after they've searched you and found no stolen goods?

What's wrong with getting pulled over for nothing so the police can snoop around just in case you did something wrong?

You know, if they only detained you for 5 minutes or so...

If you treat your paying customers as criminals, they will either respond by taking their business elsewhere, or by becoming criminals just to spite you. It's human nature.

Archer0915 · Apr 2, 2009

There shouldn't be a problem but some users are tired of reactivating and from what I understand (I never had a problem reactivating Vista) some people cant get Vista reactivated after a hardware upgrade. I also never had a problem with XP as I heard of some of the nightmares. I think the major complaint is headaches and bs so IMHO MS is FOS and I think they are doing this as a way to force an upgrade. All of my software now has legit lic.

shadin · Apr 2, 2009

oakstave said:
If you treat your paying customers as criminals, they will either respond by taking their business elsewhere, or by becoming criminals just to spite you. It's human nature.

That deserved to be posted again. When Spore came out and my girlfriend just had to have it, I sent EA customer service a photo of my sealed, purchased copy beside the copy I was actually using to install it with.

I will never, ever call a company to get permission to reinstall software that I have purchased.

Mr.Guvernment · Apr 2, 2009

Archer0915 said:
What do you expect they cant make any money with pirates (Goose in TOP GUN sneez effect: Bull *****) stealing their software. I sent an e-mail yeas ago telling MS to avoid piracy all they had to do was a subscription service with new encryption codes for the software and a card that must be present to keep windows running (card recieves firmware update from the software and is then linked to MS for verification). It would not be worth the money to use a cracked version as on a regular basis windows would become useless.

No it wouldnt, you dont think it would be cracked to bypass that card and be emulated, just as all software is and other more complex activated software is easily by passed. How long did it take Vista to be by-passed using "emulated OEM" bioses.

it can be made, it will be broken, period, always has, always will.

problem was with corprate versions is anyone can use them, MS had no way to confirm if the original purchaser was the owner, all MS had to do was make sure that all those student copies had unique keys and once activated cant be used again, period.

MS can easilyl just make anyone who has the newly blacklisted keys simply have to contact microsoft to register and provide where they go their copy from...MS likely has massive databases tracking each key and what or how many systems it has been installed on.

Archer0915 · Apr 2, 2009

Mr.Guvernment said:
No it wouldnt, you dont think it would be cracked to bypass that card and be emulated, just as all software is and other more complex activated software is easily by passed. How long did it take Vista to be by-passed using "emulated OEM" bioses.

it can be made, it will be broken, period, always has, always will.

problem was with corprate versions is anyone can use them, MS had no way to confirm if the original purchaser was the owner, all MS had to do was make sure that all those student copies had unique keys and once activated cant be used again, period.

MS can easilyl just make anyone who has the newly blacklisted keys simply have to contact microsoft to register and provide where they go their copy from...MS likely has massive databases tracking each key and what or how many systems it has been installed on.

That is why it must be subscription and the OS and HW linkup will not be a cheap crack. It can be done what I am speaking of would be hard to emulate and maintain as I am speaking of the code changing in sectors randomly and must be verified at every boot by the card an at intervals by MS. The firmware on the card will be encrypted and the encryption will change regularly and it will access the OS and make changes and if it is found to be non legit bad things happen.

SniperXX · Apr 2, 2009

Archer0915 said:
That is why it must be subscription and the OS and HW linkup will not be a cheap crack. It can be done what I am speaking of would be hard to emulate and maintain as I am speaking of the code changing in sectors randomly and must be verified at every boot by the card an at intervals by MS. The firmware on the card will be encrypted and the encryption will change regularly and it will access the OS and make changes and if it is found to be non legit bad things happen.

Crackers will still find a way around it. Its like the same thing with sat tv. If people want it bad enough, they will find a way.

Archer0915 · Apr 2, 2009

But usually you gotta pay and the only way to crack it is either monthly crack updates or rewriting the code and that may not work either.

dicecca112 · Apr 2, 2009

oakstave said:
^Oh, I get you now. Thanks for the clarification Archer.

@ dicecca112... are you asking what's wrong with being accused of being a software thief when you paid for a product and are using it legally?

What's wrong with being arrested for shoplifting as long as they release you afterwards after they've searched you and found no stolen goods?

What's wrong with getting pulled over for nothing so the police can snoop around just in case you did something wrong?

You know, if they only detained you for 5 minutes or so...

If you treat your paying customers as criminals, they will either respond by taking their business elsewhere, or by becoming criminals just to spite you. It's human nature.

Why are you getting mad at the company when they have nothing to do with the piracy. Get mad at the pirates. People today are to apt to blame the company, or other people when they don't want to take responsibility. Sorry but 5 minutes to Validate your software != being pulled over by the cops.

Dapman02 · Apr 2, 2009

dicecca112 said:
Why are you getting mad at the company when they have nothing to do with the piracy. Get mad at the pirates. People today are to apt to blame the company, or other people when they don't want to take responsibility. Sorry but 5 minutes to Validate your software != being pulled over by the cops.

yea, but than you have legit users, like me, who reinstall often and than have to call Microsoft and get reactivated. The process takes 20-30minutes and is excruciatingly stupid

dicecca112 · Apr 2, 2009

Why does it take you so long, you call up, enter the Key via Keypad, you answer a question, and they give you the new activation code

oakstave · Apr 2, 2009

I think the real question is, why should I spend ANY minutes re-validating software I already purchased. I'll allow them to validate it once, after that any efforts to police piracy is on THEIR time, not mine.

But I will admit dicecca112, that the analogy between arrest and validation is extreme.

But it demonstrates the sentiment perfectly. Why is Microsoft wasting MY precious time because THEY have a piracy problem. Not my issue, I'm using purchased software, so go away Bill Gates!

If M$ wishes to purchase my valuable time to help with their piracy issues, my rates are very reasonable, but I expect them paid in advance.

M$ blocks some VLK's as of yesterday

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