Windows XP activation algorithm cracked, keygen now works on Linux

[timeshifter]

Windows XP activation algorithm cracked, keygen updated

The unkillable OS rises from the grave… Again

www.theregister.com

"It's possible to activate new Windows XP installations, safely and securely, without a crack, offline."

 

[GTP]

"It's possible to activate new Windows XP installations, safely and securely, without a crack, offline."

Why?

 

[phaZed]

Why?

It's more relevant than you may think. Lots of embedded devices use XP (Think car diagnostic scanners, Medical diagnostics, etc) - the devices work just fine - and in the case of cars, for example, sometimes there is a special programmer that works for a certain Model/Year of car. Some Oscilloscopes were built on XP... so there's still a use when these devices' hard drives fail or whatnot. Lots of industrial controls use whatever OS of the era they were built.. and they don't go upgrading their embedded systems every time a new Windows comes out. Etc, etc.

It also potentially makes it real easy to use XP in a VM now for software compatibility and whatnot.
On the "security" side, there is always something to be gleaned from previous security implementations, as it usually still has some relation to current security measures; usually an 'evolved' codebase and not a new one... debatable, considering the focus and shift in security since XP up to now.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

...."safely and securely"? Was I in danger if for some reason I felt like trying to crack or hack or trick an activation before?

That just kinda cracked me up.

For some reason an old memory surfaced, in the Windows 9X days, there was a generic code I actually had memorized for installing Office 97 Pro. Activated it every time. Sorta was widely known back in those days.

...and...trying to activate WinXP is about as relevant as that to me now...so enough thought on that.

 

[putz]

...."safely and securely"? Was I in danger if for some reason I felt like trying to crack or hack or trick an activation before?

That just kinda cracked me up.

For some reason an old memory surfaced, in the Windows 9X days, there was a generic code I actually had memorized for installing Office 97 Pro. Activated it every time. Sorta was widely known back in those days.

...and...trying to activate WinXP is about as relevant as that to me now...so enough thought on that.

IIRC, prior to the XP days there was a lot of MS software that could be activated simply by entering all "1"'s as the product key.

 

[britechguy]

Has anyone got an XP SP3 (I think it was XP that had 3 service packs, maybe that was 7, much water under the bridge) ISO? I doubt I'd ever use it anyway, but it never hurts to have such "on file."

 

[NviGate Systems]

Has anyone got an XP SP3 (I think it was XP that had 3 service packs, maybe that was 7, much water under the bridge) ISO? I doubt I'd ever use it anyway, but it never hurts to have such "on file."

I did at one point but I did some major cleanup of files so unless it's tucked away on one of my seldom used drives..no.

 

[Larry Sabo]

It's here.

 

[Philippe]

Has anyone got an XP SP3 (I think it was XP that had 3 service packs, maybe that was 7, much water under the bridge) ISO? I doubt I'd ever use it anyway, but it never hurts to have such "on file."

It's also in the OP article...

 

[Philippe]

"It's possible to activate new Windows XP installations, safely and securely, without a crack, offline."

VLK (Volume Licensing Key) ISO never needed activation

 

[Sky-Knight]

Yes I still have XP SP3 media, along with many other aged MS OSs. I don't use them, but they're in the archive.

 

[GTP]

It's more relevant than you may think. Lots of embedded devices use XP (Think car diagnostic scanners, Medical diagnostics, etc) - the devices work just fine - and in the case of cars, for example, sometimes there is a special programmer that works for a certain Model/Year of car. Some Oscilloscopes were built on XP... so there's still a use when these devices' hard drives fail or whatnot. Lots of industrial controls use whatever OS of the era they were built.. and they don't go upgrading their embedded systems every time a new Windows comes out. Etc, etc.

It also potentially makes it real easy to use XP in a VM now for software compatibility and whatnot.
On the "security" side, there is always something to be gleaned from previous security implementations, as it usually still has some relation to current security measures; usually an 'evolved' codebase and not a new one... debatable, considering the focus and shift in security since XP up to now.

Thanks for the enlightenment Aaron. I hadn't considered it from this perspective, only thinking in terms of "security."
I just did a search for "what devices still use Windows XP" and yeah, there are a lot of devices out there.

 

[nlinecomputers]

It's here.

Broken link

 

[Philippe]

Broken link

Scroll down the OP article, there is a link to dl XP SP3...

 

[britechguy]

Thanks to all who've responded with regard to sources for XP SP3. One of our own reached out to me privately very early on offering his archived copies, so I snagged them.