Run Windows Vista for a year without being activated

[NoobyDoo]

Link

The same one-line command that postpones Vista's activation deadline to 120 days can be used an indefinite number of times by first changing a Registry key from 0 to 1.

This isn't a hacker exploit. It doesn't require any tools or utilities whatsoever. Microsoft even documented the Registry key, although obtusely, on its Technet site.

 

[ViRGE]

2 thoughts:
1) Can you use Windows Update with it? I'd consider it moderately useless without the ability to install security updates.
2) How long until MS changes this behavior through a patch?

 

[MDE]

Originally posted by: ViRGE
2 thoughts:
1) Can you use Windows Update with it? I'd consider it moderately useless without the ability to install security updates.
2) How long until MS changes this behavior through a patch?

I've used the postponement command and Windows Update functions perfectly.

 

[nerp]

Why not activate?

 

[MDE]

Originally posted by: nerp
Why not activate?

For me, it's because I may or may not move this copy of Vista to my laptop and get a copy of Home Premium for the desktop to have Media Center for my Xbox 360. I just don't want to deal with the hassle of calling Microsoft and explaining why I'm moving licenses around.

 

[corkyg]

This is all quite true, and Microsoft has done it deliberately to facilitate deployment in quantity environments. This is designed to give the IT managers time to deploy Vista to possibly hundreds of systems, and it will not be changed.

 

[Noema]

According to the article it's not only legal; it complies with the EULA and Microsoft themselves have documented it.

The article also raises an interesting point:

"...dishonest PC sellers could use the procedure to install thousands of copies of Vista and sell them to unsuspecting consumers or businesses as legitimately activated copies. This would certainly violate the Vista EULA, but consumers might not realize this until the PCs they bought started demanding activation ? and failing ? months or years later."

 

[Evander]

Can this been done for XP as well? Link?

 

[Shawn]

Unlike XP, Vista will install updates without being activated.

 

[Wolfsraider]

Originally posted by: Shawn
Unlike XP, Vista will install updates without being activated.

For now lol