Could be dead for new activations, but not sure if it will suddenly stop working for existing activations unless as sam and others remarked, one has kb.. or sp1 installed. sp1 final is many a months away. KB97... is an optional update and even `install updates automatically' does not install kb... One has to tick (make a conscious effort) to install kb9... I am not sure if paymyrent method of token restore will work if the key is blocked. One can activate (even if the activation count is 0) but the problem of KB.. and SP1 will remain. Key is good but Daz and some of the other tools are as good. I have read in recent posts that newest Daz beats SP1. SP1 includes KB97... and Daz was beating KB.. a long time back also (perhaps from 1.7... onwards). So no worries and even with the tools already available, one can safely expect to use windows 7 for free forever, if one wants to.
It is actually hard to say but I know the activation servers are set to auto-blacklist keys automatically if it gets so many requests per hour on the same key. When it hit's that threshold it will blacklist. That is why it probably will blacklist. The leaked HP MAK did, why not this one too? That is how I look at it.
Request equals new activation request. AFAIK, MAK is one time activation in perpetuity unlike 180 days for KMS. For an existing activation backed up, what would be status. You said KB.. and SP1 may cause problems on existing activations. FYI, my brother in UK got a virus yesterday (Monday afternoon in UK) and had to build up his laptop again. His image backup also failed. Had to format, install vista from recovery, and then reinstall win 7. The key worked. I did tell him your advice: no WAT or SP1. If he wants that, he should make a backup pre-WAT and SP1. It also worked for me on Sunday. I installed on a HDD and felt a reinstall better than migrating existing image. It worked for me then. Read here that a version of SP1 without KB.. is in the works.
I know it is a one time activation vs the KMS, all I am trying to say is that when 1000 ppl activate that same key at the same time then it will probably blacklist. That system is in place to prevent such leaks from going nuts in the first place lol.
I know but I remember as someone who personally used that HP leaked MAK key that it too did not disappear until the activations left almost hit 0.
There are many MAK keys on google but very few work and if you have found one you are lucky. Check with VAMT 2.0 as to its status and remaining activations.
If you share it with one person you have shared it with everyone on the internet. Just keep it to yourself and the key won't get blocked. Also, the original owner won't get screwed over.
This is 100% correct. Just as the internet is a network, so is the MAK key. Post it in a forum or share it with many and soon all activations completed or key leaked and then blocked. Also to preserve your activation for future, make a system image of activated OS and also use PAYMYRENT method for activating on clean installs.
6.340 activations left on that key. Strange that MS has not blocked it yet. But as always, there will be lots of people complaining about their Windows 7 Enterprise suddenly goes "non genuine". People think if their activate now, and it's genuine now, they always will stay genuine. But, as thousands of people discovered when MS blacklisted MSDN/Technet accounts some months ago, you're never safe using a non legit key. It's not legit if it's on the internet. But use it when you can, and have a backup plan when the keys gets blocked. And not come here and complain over the non genuine situation.
I do not know why but my desktop own build PC has no problems with the key, but my younger brother's Dell laptop of end-2007 (originally Vista) has problems in activating with that key.
Read the thread, and you get a clue. Then you use Google to find it. It's very simple. Page 1 and 2 can be a hint...