Microsoft to modify WGA for SP1 Final, might kill OEM BIOS MOD

"Vistaloader" works in Vmware with SP1 Release Candidate

Using a Vmware, I installed a standard Vista RTM and applied the "Vistaloader" crack. After installing SP1 Release Candidate (v.668), Windows is still activated, and the Genuine Advantage online check still works. Can someone confirm this with a "real" installation?

 

The current release candidates do not have the new WGA code implemented. It wont appear until the betas early next year.

 

Just Installed SP1 RC and OEM BIOS MOD-activation is still working.
Performance is increased, especilly with file operations.

 

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I doubt this, they have to check for checksums or something like that, can they keep track of every bios produced for Vista (and it's individal updates)?
So far i've noticed not 1 bios from a random manufacturer is identical, for that i doubt MS is going that way.

True,but i agree with you, doubt they are going to go this way!

Who's fault that is, do you think? (feeling guilty yet?)

My 2 cents....Use a valid COA key (Grab one from a demo pc in your local computer store) and Ghost your system for future sake

 

It's official- SP1 beta killed my bios mod. Reduced functionality mode, the lot.

Info: Asrock mobo (modded), Asus oem activation.

I'm going to try reinstalling from an OEM DVD and see if having a SLIC table helps. Will report back with my findings.

 

he means installing with the slic present....obviously installed the first time without it and updated bios aftwards

 

That's it exactly Tommiy. New install is working ok, but I won't be installing SP1 again in a hurry...

 

try Gkend’s method of 1b module (AMI),

for me it is ok on Asrock mobo

 

yeah its sp1 that results in requiring reactivation after s3 sleep. Can just uninstall sp1 and everything returns to normal as well....wonder whats going to be in the final sp1....

 

I can't possible see them pulling this through. (Killing the BOIS mod)


I'm quite sure I't would make Dell, Asus, Hattelco, HP and many more pretty angry.

Their support phones would be red glowing.


But, it is Microsoft.


Luckly I've got a XP Corp, if the BIOS mod breaks.

Not so lucky, the XP drivers for my laptop aren't good enough, so bluescreen is a problem. (Quite opposite of the usual problem )

 

I think you're confusing two issues. Some people have speculated it may be possible to detect bios mods from authentic OEM bios and MS may implement this. This is not going to affect OEMs unless Microsoft majorly screws up. OEMs don't use modded bioses.

The other suggestion is that Microsoft may disable the OEM SLP and require the COA SLP. This means OEM PCs will require the CD key from the COA to be inputed. However as many people have pointed out, this is extremely unlikely since the OEMs will simply never allow it.

Let's consider things for a minute... While I know some people like to think MS are very stupid I personally doubt they were stupid enough not to realise OEM bios mods were going to happen. After all if I'm not mistaken it was already happening with XP although not common since there was little point. Furthermore, it's been widely speculated that one of the reasons MS did seperated the Enterprise/Business versions from Home and even Ultimate is so that these versions would not have to support KMS. So why would they leave so a gaping whole in their security model as to allow OEM SLPs in the first place? Very likely it's because OEMs simply would not have it any other way. The reality is, if they wanted to require COA SLP they had to do this from the beginning. Suddenly changing now will be a disaster for MS and for OEMs. As many people have already mentioned can you imagine the volume of support calls from people who are confused why their computers suddenly stopped working? Remember that most of them are not going to have any idea how to change the CD key and no information has been provided to them. If the OEMs were going to do this, what they would probably want would be something so that on first bootup it asked for your CD key (similar perhaps to the way it shows the EULA screen). While still confusing, this would be far less of a problem particularly since it they could provide clear instructions with the laptop/PC on what to do. But suddenly requiring people to change CD key when their computers have been working fine that's surely a recipe for disaster. Even if MS implements a prompt this will still confuse many people. Not only that some people may be scared they have a virus or something. Not to mention implementing a gradual changeover is probably going to be tricky in itself. All in all changing to COA SLP at this stage seems very, very unlikely to me. This is not going to happen until the next OS if ever.

 

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I'm surprised people haven't made more of a deal about this. It seems they're basically going to resort to nag screens instead of actually forcing you to activate but preventing you from using the OS. While it fits in with their strategy of only going after large scale sellers particularly people whose customers don't realise they aren't getting a genuine license it seems to me this will greatly reduce the need to activate among those who don't want to or are unable to activate for whatever reason. Depending on how often these nag screens are, I can see many people putting up with them. One key issue of course is whether you can get all updates or only essential ones.

 

one thing is probably most certain...is that Microsoft will eventually scan components to determine what jives..for instance..a Computer with a ASUS board...ASUS SLIC Certificate and ASUS Vol OEM key will probably get by...its the ASUS Certificates on a DELL Computer Bio's with ASUS OEM Key that will raise eyebrows...I know for a ASUS board using Award Bio's 6P that there are two methods to use to mod it...4A (/ISA Iasus.bin) and then 4B (/Slpkey bbpubkey.bin)....method 4B is OEM Mapped and will be hard to do anything about.

 

No.

What I'm trying to say is that there is always something not working the way it is supposed to.


Lets say their checking if the producer given in somewhere in the BIOS equals to the one given in the SLIC table.

Now, lets say ie. Dell made a typo, so it reads "Del" and "Dell".
Not equal.

Stupid example, i now. But WGA has screwed up before, and labeled customers as pirates. I don't think Micosoft want to risk it to happen again.

I'm 100% sure they knew SLIC insertion where going to happen, them guys aren't exactly stupid.

As they said, their intention was not to stop every mad scientist,but those profiting selling computers with illigal installations.


Also, I don't think the BIOS modding is to usual. All my friends call me stupid not using the softmod, or timestop.


And, if they do this, requiering every Vista customer to enter their key on the back of their computers, wich many lost, they will make all the OEM producers quite unhappy. Because only retail customers are the actual customers of MS.

OEM customers must call the producer of their computer for support.


In these days where Linux is groing more for every day I don't know if they want to risk Dell (and others) selling even more Ubuntu boxes.