SLP3.0: The bios contains a SLIC like SLP2.0. Additional to its public key and marker it consists of a signature field. Signature field: 9Ch bytes, read from different places at the EEPROM area, where the bios is stored (FFFFFFFF-biossize), encrypted and stored as signature field at bios. The signature field has to be at a defined place, since it cannot be a part of the area to read those bytes. The bios maps the signature field to the SLIC at Acpi namespace. Each OEM knows about the algorithm. So after a new bios is programmed, every OEM has to create a bios specific signature table and to add it to the bios to the defined place. Since every bios is different, every signature table will be different. Windows7 has implemented this algorithm, reads those 9Ch bytes from the EEPROM (bios) at the same addresses, encrypts them (builds the signature) and looks if they match to the signature field of SLIC. If not windows7 won’t activate. Result: Since you don’t know how to create a valid signature (algorithm unknown), you cannot make a valid signature filed for your bios (mod.) You have to get the tool, the algorithm…………. Don’t be shocked!!! Fortunately this is just my idea, my invention how I would do it……..I don’t know what’s about M$. Feel free to write your comments……..
so how would the oem upgrade program work,please correct me if im wrong but i was under the impression m$ were going to offer an oem upgrade to w7
I'm talking about a idea of SLP3.0! There is nothing known about a official 3.0 version (yet). To upgrade means another kind of licensing, SLP = SystemLockedPreinstallation and is nothing about an upgrade license. It comes officially with a new PC preinstalled.........
Yen - I think that this would render the old SLP 2.0 obsolete ? And OEM's can't just do that, cause of the (possible) upgrade issues from Vista -> Win7 ? Well... hopefully anyway... I have a modded bios by myself and you scared the s**t out of me
That was my intention SLP3.0 will be an upgrade, an extension to SLP2.0. A SLP3.0 SLIC could still activate Vista using right cert. and key........ But IMO M$ will just release new certs and keys, nothing more..... no new SLP version.......
Yep I'm hoping for this too (free and *cough* easy *cough* upgrade *cough* with just one key change and a cert *cough* Win7 ) However that _could_ be possible in the next iteration - Win8 ?
Come on Yen, Nothing is impossible to you all you have to do is add a space in impossible and you get this IM POSSIBLE.
With Vista, the OEM upgrade consisted of a copy of the retail installation Dvd for vista and your own key and certificate of authenticity valid for one installation, same as retail keys.. not a OEM installation dvd with certs and oem key.. At least with my oem upgrade cds, My oem manufacturer had already updated the bioses with slp anyways, though
I think that next semester many OEM manufatures are going to offer the possibility to up grade from Vista to Windows 7 so they are going to be using a new cert with a new key that matches the same slic inside the bios or maybe have to upgrade the bios with a new slic we will see.
So if I'm currently using, say ABC notebook model 123 with Vista preinstalled, even if ABC release a Win 7 recovery CD for 123, it won't be possible for me to use it to upgrade my notebook right? Do you think if a BIOS upgrade released by the manufacturer will work?
I expect at least a new SLIC, otherwise everyone with an OEM machine will easily upgrade for free without even a bios flash. way too easy, MS will never allow that. At least if you require a bios hack/flash that probably eliminates 80% of the casual users. But that introduces another problem, what happens when a model carries over to Win7 from Vista, how do they license both if they require different slic? unless they introduce something different. You folks are way too hopeful if you expect the status quo...
It worked for me with Vista.. I can't see it being so easy next time.. But they continued selling the same model with Vista afterwards, the new bioses needed the SLIC.
Have to be easy becuse is a comercial bussines if they make dificult to upgrade they don't sold the machines!! For end of the year they would propose upgrade for free in the same machine to sell more if not the people don't buy or wait to windows 7 is out. So will be easy maybe as I said a bios upgrade is enough.
As I said, at least for me, when I recieved the upgrade dvd, it was a retail dvd without any cert other than the certificate of authenticity with a retail serial number, did not require the bios with slip cause it was a retail serial number and disk and required "normal activation" when installled..
Yes probable because you upgrade from XP to Vista no slic inside the bios. Now Vista to Windows 7 is almost the same. They all have slic and the ones we mod too!!
Exactly, microsoft would be making a major mistake if they made it that easy, don't believe it for a minute, at the least the slip will have to change, and the certs too, At the very least you will need new slip... Otherwise everyone that has oem vista will upgrade to Win7 for free, see MS won't allow for that... PS I got slip through bios update and had vista long before I recieved the upgrade disks..
First off: very nice to have you back, yen! i missed ur witty posts, really secondly: nice idea of yours that is, truly! But i have had my tries already and all i can say is that windows 7 accepts slic and cert the same way as it does in Vista. So all we are lacking right now is an OEM Key... unless Microsoft decides to implement a major change shortly before release this will mean we will not have any problems to activate with the modded bioses we have. A major change of this nature shortly before release is highly unlikely if you ask my opinion. so much for now. Hope u r all well my friend! cya somewhere sometime... [EDIT] As much as i understand the process of emulating the slic i believe it should be possible to also emulate signature field by providing false information about the bios and board used by installing an emulation driver. so even if ur idea came true it doesn't do much to my understanding since it could still be emulated. not patched though