How to isolate my windows 8.1 from Microsoft servers

Discussion in 'Windows 8' started by Corleone, Sep 5, 2013.

  1. Corleone

    Corleone MDL Novice

    Nov 15, 2012
    6
    0
    0
    Hi, so I see people struggling to activate their copy of windows 8.1, even those who legally purchased windows 8.
    I just don't want windows to connect to microsoft servers and check if the version was genuine, I don't want any updates, just the copy as it is after a fresh install and before activation.
    so is there a way to kill windows genuine check or whatever it's called?
     
  2. Windows user

    Windows user MDL Senior Member

    Sep 11, 2012
    444
    101
    10
    You can never fully isolate Windows from the M$ servers...until of course if you stop using the internet :p

    You can disable Windows updates if you want though
     
  3. rrohela

    rrohela MDL Expert

    Sep 1, 2009
    1,610
    1,408
    60

    Yes... Remove NIC from PC if inbuilt disable it...Last use firewall to block all incoming & outgoing...
     
  4. Corleone

    Corleone MDL Novice

    Nov 15, 2012
    6
    0
    0
    while keeping internet access...
    like how it's done with PC games, they can't be activated unless you have a genuine copy yet still people can make the single player mode playable and it never connects to the game server.
     
  5. Windows user

    Windows user MDL Senior Member

    Sep 11, 2012
    444
    101
    10
    #5 Windows user, Sep 5, 2013
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2013
    If he does that he wouldn't be able to access the internet at all....

    Coz that game is a program that runs within Windows..that's why you can deny internet access to that game using a firewall....the only way to completely disable Windows from communicating with M$ servers is by disconnecting the internet permanently :D
     
  6. rrohela

    rrohela MDL Expert

    Sep 1, 2009
    1,610
    1,408
    60
    later he can manually make hole for internet only...
     
  7. nitins60

    nitins60 MDL Junior Member

    Apr 9, 2010
    74
    356
    0

    Who told you that. I purchased my Windows 8 copy and activated windows 8.1 successfully with clean install. Atleast tested with 3 copies.
    Unless you didn't buy legally, you got to live with that.
     
  8. secretromeo

    secretromeo MDL Addicted

    Mar 30, 2011
    501
    232
    30
    'Atleast tested with 3 copies' means? You used that same key to activate 3 copies of Windows 8.1 on 3 different machines?
     
  9. nitins60

    nitins60 MDL Junior Member

    Apr 9, 2010
    74
    356
    0
    Nope. 3 Different licenses on 3 different machines. I got them during Windows 8 Promo offer.
    In my machine, I activated Media Center and Office 2013 too. So it's working perfectly
     
  10. secretromeo

    secretromeo MDL Addicted

    Mar 30, 2011
    501
    232
    30
    Alright. Can you tell me how Windows 8/8.1 key activated Office 2013?
     
  11. murphy78

    murphy78 MDL DISM Enthusiast

    Nov 18, 2012
    7,389
    11,614
    240
    Retail keys activate still. Only KMS and VolumeMAK don't make transition from 8 to 8.1
     
  12. PaulDesmond

    PaulDesmond MDL Magnet

    Aug 6, 2009
    6,979
    7,149
    240
    he does not say that he activated office with W8 key
     
  13. nitins60

    nitins60 MDL Junior Member

    Apr 9, 2010
    74
    356
    0
    Are you feeling sleepy? I told you, I activated Windows 8.1 with legal/genuine Win 8 key and used Media Center key to add/upgrade features.
    Installed Office 2013 and used office key to activate. I am just letting you know that Legal/Genuine keys work always more or less perfectly
     
  14. secretromeo

    secretromeo MDL Addicted

    Mar 30, 2011
    501
    232
    30
    My fault. I misunderstood. Thanks for mentioning.
     
  15. kpedersen

    kpedersen MDL Junior Member

    Jul 18, 2008
    50
    26
    0
    #15 kpedersen, Sep 5, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    Because I despise online updates and other useless packets, regardless of the operating system (or whether it has been activated or not) I tend to always set the Windows firewall to the following.

    Code:
    ALLOW firefox.exe (outgoing)
    ALLOW putty.exe (outgoing)
    ALLOW Core Networking DHCP (outgoing)
    ALLOW Core Networking DNS (outgoing)
    BLOCK ALL (incoming)
    BLOCK ALL (outgoing)
    
    Then I like to turn on Windows updates and watch it cry ;)

    I do similar with older operating systems which don't have a program level firewall (Windows XP / 2000) using an old (non-bloated) product called Sygate Personal Firewall.

    Ironically Linux and BSD don't have program level firewalls (they are frowned upon by purists) which is a real pain. For example Windows update uses port 80 so if you enable that (i.e so you can use the web browser) then the update requests would come flooding in if you didnt have program level access.
     
  16. MSDNAA

    MSDNAA MDL Senior Member

    Aug 6, 2013
    449
    228
    10
    There is a good way - use Windows XP and disable automatic updates.
     
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
  17. DummyPLUG

    DummyPLUG MDL Novice

    May 31, 2008
    43
    10
    0
    also remember remove all those ipv6 bridge (such as teredo), most default connect to MS.
    p.s. no activation? great, then rearm it and see it fall later :biggrin:
     
  18. kpedersen

    kpedersen MDL Junior Member

    Jul 18, 2008
    50
    26
    0
    #18 kpedersen, Sep 5, 2013
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2013
    Hmm, I would still have this feeling that the OS is sending data. It is sad that I simply don't trust that Windows (and Microsoft) isn't out to get me. I spent a while testing the default Windows firewall was actually doing its job using Wireshark. I was actually (pleasantly) surprised that Microsoft didn't put a clause in there to always allow ports to Microsofts servers to stay open. This is why Sygate PF is so good. It wasn't made by Microsoft so I almost trust it lol.

    As for ipv6, some of it comes under a separate entry in the firewall Core Networking DHCP (ipv6). I leave this blocked because frankly we will all be long dead before ipv6 support is actually needed on client machines ;)
     
  19. panchop

    panchop MDL Senior Member

    Jul 26, 2009
    365
    463
    10
    #19 panchop, Sep 5, 2013
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2013
    oh no, not another thread about conspiracies and stories about what makes microsoft. This we have read it several times here, that something so farfetched and exaggerated
     
  20. Humphrey

    Humphrey MDL Expert

    Dec 13, 2011
    1,466
    990
    60
    I have disabled my IPv6 entries and tunnels from the device manager. Not only is it not needed but could be a undetected entry path to the system.
     
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...