llegal XP owners beware, Microsoft has quite a suprise planned  	
Posted by: orig
07/20/2002

Microsoft is planning what could end up being quite a shock for the Windows XP warez 
world, and what currently looks to be one of the most amazing moves made by Microsoft 
since Windows Product Activation was introduced.

Currently, Microsoft is in the works of completely rewriting the algorithm for the 
way Windows XP Corporate keys are generated, and is rewriting the code for Windows 
XP to recognize this new algorithm. This new code will be an added ‘feature’ of Service 
Pack 1 due out later this year.

At the present moment, an upgrade to Windows XP SP1 from Windows XP with no SP installation 
will not give any problems or errors about an invalid CD-Key on a corporate version 
of Windows XP. This is because the new algorithm feature has been switched off in 
SP1 upgrades. To get to see this new feature, you would have to slipstream SP1 into 
the Windows XP installation media and setup Windows. Once you’ve reached the CD-key, 
no current Corporate Windows XP key (none of the 75 that we’ve tried) will work, 
as they are all invalid. Even if a corporate key is managed to be found, the chances 
of it working when SP1 final comes out are slim to none, as Microsoft is rumored 
to ‘still be working on the algorithm for SP1 for Corporate customers’.

So why is Microsoft keeping this a secret? To put it mildly, they are a bit perturbed 
that warezers have been able to exploit the corporate edition of Windows XP to completely 
bypass WPA. They are planning to keep it a complete surprise until SP1 final has 
been released and shut down as many warez users from using Windows XP as possible. 
They know if it’s made widely known what they are planning, nobody will upgrade to 
SP1 until an appropriate patch has been made.

And as far as patches go, as far as we can guess right now the only patch that is 
going to work will be the ever popular "Reset" patch. If you slipstream a corporate 
version of Windows XP as you’re supposed to do, it will upgrade the algorithm. Note 
that the slipstream patches the DLL files which generate the CD keys, it doesn’t 
replace them. This is why you cannot slipstream a non corporate version of Windows 
XP and drop the corporate files in and expect the installation to work properly. 
Windows also checks for the DLL files version numbers and if they don’t match, errors 
will be created during install. It could be possible to find these DLL’s, replace 
the version numbers with those of SP1, and put them back into the installation media, 
but you’d also have to find a way to replicate the Microsoft signature on the DLL’s 
as well as the CAB files for setup to actually copy the files to the hard drive.

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about this is that the current Corporate 
users of Windows XP are going to have to get a new CD-key reissued for their versions 
of Windows with SP1. Microsoft has decided that the cost of current corporate customers 
having to get a new CD-key is less that what they are losing in the market of Windows 
XP being distributed as a corporate installation amongst warez users. Microsoft is 
also planning to warn those with corporate editions of Windows XP to not let the 
CD-keys slip into the mainstream. The EULA is going to be rewritten to fit a new 
type of ‘Corporate release’ and it’s been rumored that if a customers key is to get 
into the market, Microsoft may take legal action against those consumers.

Another rumor that is running rounds at Redmond is that Microsoft may actually include 
a type of “Phone home” feature in the corporate versions of Windows XP only. This 
feature would connect to a Microsoft server upon connection and deliver the IP address 
of the connected computer and what the Installation ID is. Before privacy advocates 
begin screaming, realize that if Microsoft was to want to do this, they could very 
easily make provisions in the EULA that they (Microsoft) have included a feature 
that makes sure the Corporate edition of Windows XP is not installed on more computers 
than it’s contract is made out for, and the computers IP address and the Installation 
ID may be transmitted to a local Microsoft server thought 128-bit encryption. No 
more information would be transmitted to the servers, and for more information, see 
the Microsoft Privacy Statement. It’s a possibility, as corporate versions of Windows 
aren’t exactly tailored for use by home and everyday users, so the EULA could very 
well be expanded to include such a feature.

As far as activation goes on a legal copy of Windows XP, we slipstreamed our copy 
and it installed and activated without any problems. The algorithm for normal customers 
will stay the same apparently. So far, only the corporate version of XP gets the 
new revamped algorithm feature. It’s one less feature I can do without personally.

It is important to note that BetaONE does not support the use of illegal software, 
the patching or cracking of such software, or the unlawful distribution of single-licensed 
products. Please, if you want software, just buy it.
	 
	

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sound familiar?
:)    werner

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