That's really nothing new - mass-activating using stolen keys is theft. Besides, the OEM:SLP activation used on MDL (Windows Loader) is offline (no MS servers involved) and uses shared keys known publicly. Different matter altogether.
ahh okay i am formatting and reinstalling all the time so i was wondering about this. i normally never use the loader unless i have to i do the bios mods whenever possible.
Yah I'd have to agree with Carlos that these people are likely using leaked Volume MAK keys to "steal" activations from another business's licensing agreement.
Hey could you please explain this? I'm still learning a lot about windows activation. Wouldn't Windows notice the changes the loader made? I assume in the bios? Also, if the keys are known publicly, aren't they blacklisted by now? Thank you very much, I'm still learning.
So far i never even heard they sue 'stupid' users for using that kind of stuff ... they normally want to get the ones in background who are trying to earn money that way.
Windows does indeed notice changes the loader makes and it tags the system as legitimate and activates it because of what it detects. The question is can Microsoft detect the actions of the loader. I'll leave the technical answer to that to others, but apparently not since it does its thing before Windows loads. Look at the Microsoft code label on any commercially sold computer with Windows pre-installed. On that label you'll find a Windows 25 digit code. It may or may not be of any use to you, but it's both publicly known and not blacklisted. Blacklisted codes are those Microsoft has determined to have been "pirated" and "abused" as they define the terms.
They could detect the Loader for sure, but needed to do so reliably. As they can't do that without causing collateral damage for legal users (and a massive s**tstorm) they only try to limit Loader distribution (guess why it is a Torrent link now). No it is NOT publicly known. The code on the COA is not the OEM:SLP one, but a replacement code in case the user needs to re-install. The COA code is unique and has to be activated with Microsoft the normal way. Many of them even require phone activation.
@ zahnoo, still disagree the COA sticker is not for public display most are on underside of laptops some are even in battery compartment and desktop ones used to be on the back of the case so they are not in public view unless you man handle the computer to view the COA: sticker and they are unique to each machine and need activation by calling MS they done away with normal activation years back for just that reason members of the public copying down COA keys. Just search for Microsoft Closes Activation Loophole.
Knowing an OEM:SLP key is legal, using an OEM:COA or OEM:NSLP key without owning the license is theft.
OEM CoA Labels sticked on what computer ever, means nothing else than that the OS that label shows, is legally installed on that computer (only), to whom may concern about that. Even if that label is displayed in public, means that anybody could take advantage of the information and use those for his/her own use. That's simply illegal and a criminal act, called Software Piracy in terms of Computer Software. If the Software, that CoA is bound too, is deleted, removed or moved to any other computer, those Label has to be removed as well and in case of used on an different machine (of the same brand if that OEM software is bound to an brand like HP, Sony or whatsoever) that Label has to be attached to that machine.
In general the EULA of most software producers (MS, Adobe, AutoCAD) prohibit the transfer od the licence from one computer to another. In their view the software lives and dies with the machine it was installed on. Should you try to make a living selling on software from businesses that have gone bust you will find your self talking to their legal department. Is it legal? Who knows unless you have the money to burn in the courts fighting with the big guys. No one has tried it yet.
I think that's to prevent brokering. When I worked at Boeing they used to have X amount of licenses and a license server. I don't know if they still do it that way or if they changed terms so that companies didn't have to do that stuff, but that's how they did it like 15 years ago.
According to some Court cases in Europe an other areas, it is allowed to move the License and their Software from one machine to an other and that include the CoA Sticker. In case that the Software is Brand bundled, it could be moved within the same Brand only. Those cases are quite old fro, the Windows 98 or even 95 times! In 2004 we moved an Windows Server 2003 Web-Edition include the CoA Sticker, which were un-branded, from an older sever 1 CPU to an new one 2 CPU's (different Brand)and were getting just 1 day after that move an "Visit" from BSA in my customers office were the changes took place. Also that wasn't such a change, my customer even bought that old server from 3. party, means that OS wan't even registered to my customer. Fortunately all was don under normal business procedures with all required paper work and the BSA had no obligation after they talked with MS Thailand on phone about that changes. Finally my customer was fined with Thai Baht 160.000.00 for the use of Adobe Photoshop without license, but the use of Microsoft Server 2003 Web-Edition!
"Public" doesn't mean "easy" it simply means it's been placed in the public domain and can be viewed without restrictions created by the maker. You may have to look, but having to look does not remove it from the Public Domain. But no matter, it is what it is and if you want to see it you can.