Differences between windows 8 Leaked version and MSDN version (Still don't get it)

From what I understand, the difference lies in a digital signature file. It's actually possible to convert the leaked version to be fully equal to the MSDN version, there's an xdelta patch out there that'll take care of it. Search TPB or Google for the Windows 8 xdelta patch and you should find it.

 

Its a digital signature. It doesn't effect any usage of the Operating System.

 

32 bytes different to be exact ! Your loosing nothing !

 

You are sure right. I didnt even think to write the amount of bytes, lol!

 

Microsoft adds an identifier to it's ISO's to identify which organization (internal or external) leaked a copy. The WZOR version has this "identifier" cleverly zeroed out. But it is still unique and generates a different hash than the MSDN version. Once installed as a working OS, both WZOR and MSDN are identical.

So, long story short: The difference is in the ISO's, but there is no difference between the working Windows 8 installations installed from those ISO's. So relax, you're good.

 

Everything right but one small thing: MSDN's ISO is the one that has the 32-bytez zeroed-out, the leaked version actually has some data there.

 

Thanks, got it!

 

Just to let you know, you're fine if you use it. Theirs nothing in it thats gonna affect you

 

People are turning to the MSDN version due to they think that the leaked copy is embedded with malware, not knowing its just a digital signature.

 

Well I for example always try to get the MSDN version of everything. When I want an iso of some MS software I go to the MSDN download page and check if the hash of the download matches. You can't always be sure that if it doesn't match it's clean, sometimes the download is just corrupted also.
Now in this case it doesn't matter, but there is an xdelta patch to convert the WZT one to the MSDN one. Since it's small and easy it's no big effort to make the original iso.
So now I have almost all MS software on my drive identical to the MSDN ones. It's easy verifiable also. If someone is looking for a file and I give it, they can easily see for themselves I they have the clean one.

So the main reason to having original stuff is: why not?
You can choose to either have:
- All original.
- Not all original, with this iso differing in that 4 byts (which doesn't matter), that iso differing in these 6 bytes (which doesn't matter)...
Maybe later on you forget about what is different and stuff, while there won't ever be any confusion when you have original files.

The only "non-original" isos I have are some winXP oem images that aren't available on MSDN and therefore not verifiable.

 

is like this RTM has 3 versions the Internal, the Campus, and the OEM/MSDN/Public. the wzor one is the campus version that is to be used for Microsoft Redmond Campus by Microsoft Employees

Public: To be used by OEM and everyone else
Campus: To be used in Microsoft Redmond Campus by Microsoft Employees
Internal: To be used in Microsoft Windows Build Test Labs

 

here's a screen capture of the 32bytes difference
between win 8 install.wim files x64 bit edition
wzt leaked version and msdn official version

 

Hi guys,
For the leaked version and activation if we never activate and are not bothered by the watermark to activate will it keep working for good? Lots of people seem to be saying there are limited re-arms and activations etc? Just want some clarification on this.

Cheers,
M

 

By what we know now: yes. But this might be changed by MS.

Of course there are also some other limitations: the Personalization can't be completely done, but there are solutions for that: e.g. if you go to c:\windows\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe and open that file (msoobe.exe - probably necessary as Administrator), then you are able to do the Personalization all over again, like in the very beginning when you installed Windows 8.

So thus far: no real problems by continue using Win8 unactivated!

 

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Anyone recognized any differences between the installers?

First time I was using WZT Pro x86 and started the iso from Virtual clone drive, the installer didn't looked the same as the MSDN version. Differences between the installers perhaps or WZT used the installer in the root when started from the emulator. Next run was made from a real DVD inside Windows so I guess it used the installer in the source folder instead when tested the MSDN version.

MSDN seemed to be more finished, colors, appeared more clearly on screen, WZT had a small dark flash-screen which I couldn't see on the MSDN version.