Vista SP1 still vulnerable to activation hacks

Oops. One of Microsoft's big goals in releasing Vista SP1 is the closure of a pair of known Vista activation exploits. While the OEM BIOS hack and grace timer hacks are now indeed useless in the face of SP1, a third remains. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes over at ZDNet tracked down a hack that required "a few seconds in the command prompt" to trick Vista SP1 into thinking it was genuine. Now that SP1 is riding the torrents, we can't say we're surprised.

[Dustin Frazier @ Feb 11th 2008 7:29AM]

I tried this with a hacked vista ultimate when SP1 leaked to bittorrent. It was an OEM hack and SP1 didn't deactivate it. I tried it again with the pre-RTM released through windows update. It still didn't break the hacked copy.

[Alex @ Feb 11th 2008 7:39AM]

They are referring to activating a full OS of "Vista SP1", not just activating the service pack?

[Andy @ Feb 11th 2008 7:41AM]

I don't get it. I'd read about the "fix", but I installed the SP1 final patch, and my Vista on my test PC is still activated. No problems whatsoever.

[hitmanjustin @ Feb 11th 2008 10:50AM]

When will they ever learn, there will ALWAYS be someone who can hack it, ALWAYS, like I say "whatever is made by man, can be destroyed by man"

[NTchrist @ Feb 11th 2008 8:02AM]

if vista sp1 is already RTM, why isn't it already on windows update? are they waiting for the service pack to be on shelves and pre-installed on computers or something?


unrelated, has anyone installed this on a laptop yet? I want to know if there are many battery-life improvements or startup/shutdown/hibernate speed differences.

[Matt @ Feb 11th 2008 8:17AM]

There are problems with certain hardware drivers not working with SP1, which they are hoping will get sorted out before the proper release: http://www.istartedsomething.com/20080206/more-vista-sp1-drivers-issue/

(apologies if a blank reply by me appears before this one!)

[shawnmos @ Feb 11th 2008 8:00AM]

Uhh, the BIOS hack works fine. Or did you mean the boot loader?

[Moorio || peacebyanymeans @ Feb 11th 2008 8:01AM]

Cue the Prince is Right losing sound.

[Moorio || peacebyanymeans @ Feb 11th 2008 8:01AM]

Cue the Prince is Right losing sound.

[Moorio || peacebyanymeans @ Feb 11th 2008 8:02AM]

Cue it this time for me. :(

[Andir3.0 @ Feb 11th 2008 8:07AM]

You mean the Price is Right?

[James Ollier @ Feb 11th 2008 8:07AM]

Man, that face is annoying

[rockrerun @ Feb 11th 2008 8:06AM]

no problems with the OEM bios crack on my end. I've been using the same one for nearly 11 months now.

[moonmen @ Feb 11th 2008 8:10AM]

What is this suppossed new hack called? How does it work? A little more info wold be nice. I could have made this story up on my own with no proof too...

[Ghen @ Feb 11th 2008 8:49AM]

Come on now. You expect them to just coddle you as you hack an OS? It IS kinda illegal you know. Either buy a copy or learn how to use google / torrents.

[Maestro @ Feb 11th 2008 8:11AM]

No way this was one of the "Big Goals" of SP1...

[justus87 @ Feb 11th 2008 8:27AM]

No way it Wasn't...

[boolean22 @ Feb 11th 2008 8:31AM]

They just can't win.

Things made by humans can be bested by humans.

They could, altho, release "only" Ultimate (a one 4 all solution, let's say) for around 150 bucks, and quit complaining about how much they spent on R&D!!

The freaking software would be a blockbuster, and only few would crack it...

Microsoft: LOWER YOUR PRICES! B4 IS TOO LATE!

[Ghen @ Feb 11th 2008 8:50AM]

hmm, good point. At $150 for a no restrictions copy I'd bite with my new computer.

[Randomness @ Feb 11th 2008 10:46AM]

@Boolean22, $150 bucks you say? Well, how about $169.99? That's the price of a full version OEM from NewEgg right now.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116213

[mcjoshuav1 @ Feb 11th 2008 8:45AM]

when will this be available for a regular d/l? and where do i d/l it at?

[Ghen @ Feb 11th 2008 8:52AM]

"Service Pack 1 will be available to current Windows Vista users mid-March." (wikipedia.org)

Probably will be a link at www.windowsvista.com (redirector)

[System48 @ Feb 11th 2008 9:18AM]

Google pirate bay, search for the Vista x86 or 64-bit download. Will have SP1 and RTM in the name, about 2.87GB. You should be able to run the install from "sources/spinstall" folder.

[kganna @ Feb 11th 2008 9:10AM]

itis crazy how microsoft thought that this was a less-hackerific version of windows. i like legit copy of vista home premium.. but i think imma downgrade to Xp due to lots of network difficulties im having.

[Fed @ Feb 11th 2008 9:42AM]

pff whats what MSDN is for. Oh wait some people have to pay for MSDN huh? Sucks for them heh..

[Crap @ Feb 11th 2008 10:03AM]

HOLLY COW - M$ spend a year on fixing cracks and very little on all the problems in Vista. M$ produced a polished turd after 5 or 6 years as it took them that long putting DRM and other crap.

[Zeus.:God @ Feb 11th 2008 10:21AM]

Your name describes your comment well.

[Mark @ Feb 11th 2008 10:58AM]

What concerns me is Microsoft said they "fixed" this issue and it clearly hasn't been. What else in the service pack do they claim to have resolved that hasn't been?

[boe @ Feb 11th 2008 11:27AM]

MS worrying about activation hacks for Vista would be like me putting padlocks on my garbage lids - ain't nuttin' worth stealing. While XP was a pretty good OS, Vista must have been written by kids whose parents at MS got them jobs for the summer -kids who were in the MS daycare center that is.

[Tom Oliveri @ Feb 11th 2008 10:53PM]

oh damn,i got the OEM one, so does this mean don't upgrade?

[HotStuff2 @ Apr 10th 2008 7:58AM]

Puh-lease. I can fully activate ANY version of Vista in about, oh, 20 seconds. SP1 included (already tested and works, no problems.) There are SEVERAL ways to get around it, but the method I use is untraceable by Microsoft, period.

Sucks to be them!