How many people use an illegal copy of Windows?

Sleipnir

[MOD EDIT: Go on then. But this isn't an invitation to discuss your hax0ring skills, post product keys or link to appz sites!]

Just out of curiosity, I wonder how many people use illegal copies of Windows OS's? G'wan, It's all just in the interests of research.
I used to I have to say, I think the last illegal copy I had was Win98.

Dr. Loon

You should have made this a poll.

deckie27

Kananga

Poll

Jokah

Problem with illegal software nowadays is that you cannot get service packs say for Operating Systems. I have not used illegal software b4.

Two ways to get cheap legal software. Get a student to buy it for you at the knockdown price or get to know someone in Microsoft.

dahamsta

Originally posted by XPThink
Problem with illegal software nowadays is that you cannot get service packs say for Operating Systems.

Is this new in XP? It certainly isn't true of <= W2K.

adam

Sleipnir

course you can get service packs. Logon to the download section of Microsoft and you download a full copy of them all.

maxheadroom

XPThink - that's not entirely true, you just need to be a bit more creative.

maxheadroom

Originally posted by dahamsta
Has this been added in XP then?

SP1 won't install on XP if it recognises a dodgy licence key.

dahamsta

Errr, I think we'll drop that line of discussion now.

adam

Jokah

I have seen someone use Illegal software, windows XP for example. They have tried to download all the relevant updates for the machine only to be told that they cannot do so.

The quote (not actual quote) from the website is "if you think you are using an illegal copy of X please contact the relevant authorities.

If you use illegal XP you cannot get service packs.

I condone the use of illegal software.

Sleipnir

yeah I heard that too. Microsoft came across a load of license keys that people were using illegally and blocked them from using SP1. But I'm sure somebody found a way around it.
Nobody's polling, guilty conscience?!?

Jokah

Im sure someone has found a way around it.

Oh yes and one other note. I bought XP professional and i was wondering, now I own the actual CD and license Key, can i install it all my computers. I have 3 computers on site.

Anyone know anything about this. The sales assistant didn't.

Sleipnir

No, you can only install it on one PC. You get a sticker with a license key which you afix to the machine.
Had a problem with this last week; got a new laptop for a guy in the office and installed XP Pro on it, attached the license sticker to the machine. The bloody Laptop was nicked over the weekend so now i have an XP Pro CD, but no license key!

deckie27

Should make with current dodgy OS

zAbbo

If you have XP, you can change the product key to be service pack one complient.

start > run > oobe/msobe /a

Then select the activate via phone option, then change the product key. way2ez

Jokah

"Laptop was nicked over the weekend. So now i have an XP Pro CD, but no license key."

Thats rough dude, very rough. I keep my key locked in a safe just in case. Cos ya never know.......surely you can buy a multiple site license for the copy? or can you not contact microsoft or the vendor you bought the copy from and show them receipt of payment etc and get a key for the CD? Surely there has to be something in place for this kind of thing.?

Sleipnir

ah here BazH, that's hacking I do believe, come on, I just think it would be interesting to see how many people use illegal OS's.
This is not a place for you to post how to get around licensing as Dahmasta has said!

zAbbo

its not hacking, its just a mehod to activate windows xp, if you have misplaced your key, or have a dodgy os, but bought a proper key. Instead of renistalling you can just input the correct one there. Nothing slighlty hax0r about that.

You can read more on it in the windows help , search for "activate"

DiscoStu

1 legit xp home, one legit 98se, one "borrowed" 2k and one "borrowed" corp xp.

rabbitinlights

Legit 98se

Not so legit Corp XP PRO

Using Illegal windows is fine, I dont agree with paying for illegal copys though, if that makes sense?

Rabbit

Dr. Loon

Originally posted by maxheadroom
you just need to be a bit more creative.

I think you need to be a bit creative and get another avatar!
I don't think I've ever bought an OS! No.... actually I have, bundled with the PC's I've bought.

dahamsta

Originally posted by XPThink
I have seen someone use Illegal software, windows XP for example. They have tried to download all the relevant updates for the machine only to be told that they cannot do so.

Ah. This would have been through Windows Update, right?

If you use illegal XP you cannot get service packs.

I think you might need to rethink using absolute statements.

I condone the use of illegal software.

Sure you don't mean "condemn"? Or are you being ironic?

adam

Lemming

All of my windows software is legit

95, 98se, win2k Pro, office 2k developer, Vis.Dev Enterprise version 6.0, .Net Developer Enterprise, etc.

The joys of having contacts in certain *ahem* companies

jimhenson

Microsoft have a blacklist of serials i.e. those available from warez sites etc. that will not allow you to install any service packs.

However there are some keygens and activation progs available to bypass this. The blacklist isnt very extensive.

Jokah

I agree. If you have contacts with certain users in certain companies the sky is the limit.

I was being Ironic.

Are there other ways of getting service packs without going through update? I have looked hard and not found any.

Lemming

Originally posted by XPThink

Are there other ways of getting service packs without going through update? I have looked hard and not found any.

the microsoft website

Jokah

How through the website?

Woden

legit win 95 and the copy of win ME which came with my computer

legit XP pro

copied win 98, corporate (i think) win 2k, corporate (i think) win 2k server, corporate XP pro and office XP

i run the legit XP pro and 98 on the old box

Jokah

I ritually burned my copy of Windows ME.

Probably the worst software in the world.

jimhenson

http://www.labmice.net/WindowsXP/articles/changeID.htm

Woden

its not even a proper copy of ME it only runs in a fujitsu computer

Jokah

Windows ME were the worst days of my life.

It came with my computer also. I bought a copy of XP Pro and killed the dam thing.(Windows ME that is.)

Now my computer is stable. ME just had a lot of bad habits.

sceptre

Originally posted by XPThink
Are there other ways of getting service packs without going through update? I have looked hard and not found any.

You can grab the full SP1(a:rolleyes: ) for WinXP from the MS website - it's listed in their downloads section. If you do have a dodgy copy with a blacklisted serial you'll still have the same problem though - it won't install. Same thing when they blacklisted all copies of Office 97 for O97SP2 with a serial code beginning with 'A' a few years back. You don't pay, you don't get to play, I suppose.

Obviously there are ways around it (jimhenson's link has info that's freely available to all on the Microsoft site so that's OK IMHO but that's as far into naughtiness that this thread will probably go)

I have in my possession a very dodgy copy of Windows 1.03

Sleipnir

Wow! about 3 quarters of the people that polled use illegal operating systems. That's pretty amazing. I wonder could you take it from that that approximately 75% of software on computers in Ireland is installed illegally?

I will say that I think software is WAY to expensive, everybody needs an OS and if you think about it, really how much development takes place on a 'new' operating system?
Win95 was, admittedly, a break-through at the time it was released, but 98 was just built on top of the same basic OS, so was ME.
XP was built on the same basic OS as Windows 2000 and that from NT 4 back to 3.51
So really, when you think about it, all of the current OS's are upgrades, or 'feature packs'

It's just not cricket.:mad:

Jokah

"It's just not cricket."

I use that expression the whole time,

Woden

Originally posted by Kananga
Wow! about 3 quarters of the people that polled use illegal operating systems. That's pretty amazing. I wonder could you take it from that that approximately 75% of software on computers in Ireland is installed illegally?

i doubt that percentage is accurate as if you consider the type of people who use these boards they are probably more probable to know about dodgy o/s and where to get then and have them installed themselves etc. the average joe soap with a computer gets it from p.c world and nevers worries about it as long as they can check there email and stuff.

Sleipnir

I'd say that it's probably true that the people who use boards.ie would have a greater knowledge of where to get illegal software, but then you could infer from that that about 75% of software on the computers used by boards.ie users, is illegal. Now, I realize that we haven't got the number of votes that would be required to make an propper judgement but interesting nontheless.
From the Business Software Alliance

"From 1994 to 2002, the piracy rate of Western Europe fell 17 points, from 52% to 35%, third best of all the regions. Ireland improved the most, moving from 74% in 1994 to 42% in 2002, a drop of 32 points"

po0k

There are lies, damned lies and statistics.

I paid for Win98SE when I bought this machine ~3 years ago.
I've since "aquired" 2K pro for the same machine. I consider it a replacment for faulty product. It's a far far better OS, and is at least fit for it's purpose. By rights everyone who ever bought Win98FE and ME should demand a refund as they were not "fit for purpose".

Course, dual-booting Debian is the cream on the cake

Shamo

Legit Win98 (came with the computer)

Not so legit, WinME (damn thing needed a format every month), Win2k Pro, Corp XP Pro.

Dun

I was fiddling round with a friend's laptop, running XP Home, and the i386 folder fell onto my blank cd that I'd put in for no reason

Windows 98 SE came with my computer (if I'd got it a month or two later, it would've come with ME :eek: ), and as was said before I didn't think it fit for the purpose. I would feel like I should buy it if it wasn't so extortionately priced. Sure, they need to make a living, but they're making a bit too much imho. If they brought down the price by at least half, I'd buy XP.

tman

i installed a copy of xp on a mates pc a couple of months back, he's been on holiday since i did it...
i've got a horrible feeling that i fuxored up when running the crack (the keygen didn't come up with a working serial)
chances are he'll come back to an expired copy of xp:rolleyes:

Ryo Hazuki

Have Less than legal Copies of 98 Second Release, Me, 2k Professional, and running WinXP Professional.


I have a ligit Copy win98!

Which Ive loaned to people several times...

nadir

I dont use windows, but I always like to dual boot a warez version of the most decent MS OS available, just for playing some games through wine. Forking out so much cash for something I only install and never use is what i consider to be 'unfair'. Hopefully soon enough more games companies will support other OS types, and ill be able to stop 'breaking the law'.

MrPinK

Paid for XP home when I bought the computer (had no choice in the matter, they wouldn't sell it without), but they didn't give me the disks for it. When I needed to format and reinstall, I just borrowed an XP pro rather than pay a visit to the vendor.

gerire

Have legit 95 came with a very old dead box and it is literally a coaster for my coffee now.

Legit 98, however it may well have found its way onto a few other machines in its days alive. Dual booting on this machine.

Dodgy 2k, also on a few other machines than this. The other half of the dual boot.

dodgy XP pro. Have the CD and it works fine on other machines and it upgrades to service packs as do all the other Windows I have.

Just got Longhorn, dunno what the story is with it as I have no machine yet to try it out on yet. Just waiting till I have to build another PC son and Ill try it out.

<edit: doh not software question just os>

Dalamar

A legit copy of Win98, still running some after 2 years, and one complete moval to a new hard drive, which actually fixed a USB problem somehow.

A 'back-up' copy of Win2k, which i use about once a week as it's on a small partition.With almost no software installed to.

dahamsta

Less of the talk about serialz and warez and the like now please. The BSA is watching. I'll report ye all!

adam /there's no justice, there's just dahamsta

aclane

Dogy XP Pro on 2 PC's:D

Dogy Win98se on one PC

Dogy Y2K Pro 2 PC's:D

Ste-

Used to run legal ME (Came with machine) now on legal XP Home also dual booting Mandrake so all is good.

LastIrishMonkey

i have 2 copys one copy is real copy of windows xp home but i lost my cd so Doh ! but i have a friends copy of xp pro witch i suppose is illegal :rolleyes: and if i update is it crashs

ando

wow, 67%

no wonder microsoft are getting so frustrated