I take it the results txt file was from your real machine and not the virtual machine? Without bios modded in that virtual machine it will not activate. Use VMware and mod bios and it will activate then. The virtual bios must be modded for what ever manufacture first before doing install for oem activation to occur. Note: I have a bios dump tool to dump any needed bios info for win 7 if we ever need it. Dumps key, cert and bin. This is for real oem machines to get needed info for the project.
Thanks for the information. Another thing, the iso file must be OEM right? Im not sure if I'm using the right iso. Where can I download windows 7 oem .iso for the project? I'll try again on Sunday, no time today. Have a good weekend.
I can provide assistance on explaining windows licensing and office licensing stuff if need be. I'm going to be busy for the foreseeable future on testing the project I got rolling but I'll try to help.
Thinking of eliminating all the keys and certs (possibly the whole ini file) included in the project for they are not needed with another method I am thinking about. This would make the project more flexible and would not have to hunt for keys and certs for vista/win7 anymore. This would also make the project acivate any oem machine not just the ones included in the ini file (branding is another story for only the included oems would brand correctly thus this would need updating as we find more oems but oem activation would work on any oem machine). In the end, we would only have to update branding from time to time. This would make life easier on me and give me some free time. Something I will work on for the future maybe. Thought I would share my proposal with members here in this thread and get some feedback. Note: Using this new method would turn M$ attention else where since no keys or certs would be included. This would protect myself and mdl site as well. Some tend to think I am pissed off and closing the source and that isn't the case but instead thinking about legal repercussions instead. Let me reiterate, I am not pissed off and I am not making this closed source but protecting my butt and the mdl site. Plus I have plans on reducing the overall size of the project without any loss, makes some happier. Let me say this before ppl start rushing me...I will do this in my spare time thus it might be a while before releasing. I do have things in real life I have to do. lol
Reducing the Project footprint would definitely be awesome as it would make it much less unwieldy for low bandwidth people. I'm genuinely curious what the footprint size of the project. Would you be compressing the contents of the projects into modules? (spit-balling) I agree with your thinking on this fully as I have chosen not to take projects to their ultimate end on the forum side given the amount of depth some of my stuff goes into on the Windows side. Legal repercussions should always be considered ... Everyone has stuff in real life to do hehe. I have a few ideas for future stuff as well.
I am thinking of compressing the whole project except of course for the oobe....if open source becomes an issue I can solve that by adding one line of code to lock it down which everything would be encrypted (thus no one could touch the included files without proper decryption, even if end user removes code in oobe it still wont run). This is just a last case resort if open source becomes an issue. With the new method I am considering the project should be down to around 100 megs or less....even if I include encryption on the included project files. I would like to keep it open source "but" if it becomes an issue then I will implement the encryption. I have been thinking about everyones suggestions and also the legal end. This would be a good solution to address everyones concerns.
That sounds like a good plan. I have been busy piecing together a Smart Script for Multi OS recognition in the form of Powershell. I'm interested in looking into adding this as a module. Encrypting the content would add a level of security along with making it possible so that areas cannot be modified by the outside user. In this case I think that would be a good idea so you don't have rogue OEMs being created by people. I personally would keep it open source but can see why it would be a good plan for you to take it into the closed source or encrypted realm.
I'm more concerned and happy at the same time as reducing the size of the project will reduce the overall size of an iso file, sometimes this is fundamental.
Like I said it is just a last resort so to speak. I really don't want to but on the security end for end users it would make it safer for no one could add anything malicious. It has a up side and a down side. Last resort is all...it will be included but end users wont see it so if I need implement it, I can in the future in a matter of seconds. If anyone likes I can make a CASE diagram showing the flow so ppl will understand better. Visuals always help in explaining the theory. @ Mr.X, don't be concerned my friend...this is just a last resort but it does add a level of security to the project like Smorgan said. The main thing I want to implement is getting rid of the keys and certs....that is the main objection here more then anything.
In fact I will tell everyone what I will do so no one is in the dark about what I have planned and how to implement it. I will create a formal proposal with CASE diagrams and everything to make explaining and address those concerns that most have since I brought up this subject of a new method simpler. Will that work for everyone? Update: The keys I cant get rid of but I can encrypt it and hide it so it doesn't show to users or anyone else for that matter. The certs I can do without including them but keys are a must for vista/win7. They are shared keys anyways which you can find just by googling but since certs are not included, shared keys are no good without the cert to oem activate. Since with the new method there will be no certs included this should not be too much of a problem, legally.
Thank you for your help with this, I appreciate that. Do what you think is best for you! All the best!
I will have results in about 30 mins and if it works in VMware but not in your virtual pc then it is with your virtual pc and not the project. If it fails for me then it is probably a typo in the cert file when added to ini file. I will post results in a while. Stay tuned... I'm sorry you are the ginnie pig.