Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

littlebitofcode.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 268 posts

Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

#31

Post by nailer »

sciurus wrote: post #24

If you already have a windows license but lost your installation media, you can download it without resorting to piracy. The link below has the URLs for the retail ISOs hosted by Amazon. http://www.mydigitallife.info/windows-7-iso-x86-and-x64-offi...

Microsoft Store officially tells you that your download time has expired after you purchase a Windows license, and wish to re-download / re-install more than 3 months after your purchase.

The official solution is to buy an additional copy of the Windows license which will provide you with a new download URL.

I knows this because I complained to the @microsoftstore twitter account: after purchasing 2 copies of Windows (the crapware-loaded OEM version, the clean one from MS store) I had no intention of purchasing a third.

For some reason they simply couldn't allow me a second download, and sent me a physical disc, which arrived about 6 weeks later, by which time a pirated Windows 7 was working fine.

However

Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

#32

Post by Natsu »

jiggy2011 wrote: post #5
joebadmo wrote: post #4

While I'm entirely sympathetic to the author's DRM plight, buying the software and getting the pirate's cleaner experience are not mutually exclusive. If you want the best experience and a clean conscience (I'm assuming here you think piracy is wrong, since you've bought so many other copies of MS software), buy the software, then install a pirated a copy. I usually do this with new PCs that have Windows pre-installe…

Would this still be legal though? You are still using an unlicensed copy regardless of whether or not you happen to additionally own another copy. For all they know you might install your licensed copy on another computer later and not remove your unlicensed one.

IANAL, so talk to one if this information is of more than theoretical interest to you, but the Psystar case makes me believe it would not be legal. Courts seem to take a copy-centric view of things, so an illegal copy can only make more legal copies and a legal copy can only come from a legal copy.

So the pirate version would always be pirated in the judge's eyes, even if you had paid for a license for a legit copy as well. They won't let you use the legal license you acquired to cover a pirate copy. Or something like that, anyhow. There are always lots of funny little details that can make a big difference when dealing with law.

Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

#33

Post by gm »

csomar wrote: post #16

Huh, seriously? I purchased a laptop with a genuine Windows 7 version because of this particular issue. I'll spend weeks to find a relatively good Windows copy. The average seeded copy of Windows on the pirate bay or the likes is crappy. Cracks sometimes doesn't work. Sometimes the copy comes with a load of crappy software. Sometimes the cracker changes the Windows theme (not sure why he is doing so). And sometimes e…

True. There comes a point where the time investment is more expensive than just buying a legal copy and installing it. And activating it.

I've never had as hard a time activating stuff at the OP, though. When I buy a new machine I always order the restore disks (why do Mfg's think it's ok to not include these and charge customers for obtaining them?), and I've yet to run into restore disks that automatically install the crapware that came on the hard disk.

Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

#35

Post by davidcollantes »

davidcollantes wrote: post #15
jiggy2011 wrote: post #3

I don't use pirated versions of Windows so I don't know the answer to this but I would assume it's a bad idea because: Your trusting a .ISO image from a random website, how do you know there is not time bombed malware pre-installed? Do you still have access to Windows update? If so for how long, I assume it can't be difficult for Microsoft to figure out who is using it illegitimately since some versions must be using…

[...] "You're trusting..." [...] I agree with that line, correction added. :-)

To the two minuses (and the potential others): love you too. :-)

Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

#36

Post by frankwiles »

eli wrote: post #13

I wouldn't recommend you try this at your startup. Some day, a potential investor or partner is going to audit your licenses and it'll be pretty embarrassing if you're way out of compliance.

Might seem like I just hate MS, but honestly I would be just as upset as a potential investor or partner that they were running Windows in the first place. Licensed or not. Unless of course your startup was focused somehow on Windows development, users, etc. where it would obviously be necessary.

Startups are hard enough as it is, no need to make them harder.

Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

#37

Post by gm »

jcnnghm wrote: post #14
powertower wrote: post #10

If you're activating MS products by entering "100-digit" activation keys into your telephone, you're already doing something wrong... Or are a complete edge/outliner case.

Says the guy that doesn't have any family members that persistently fubar their systems, necessitating enough reinstalls to trip the activation limit.

Just curious: What activation key is "100" digits long? I've never run into such a one from MS.

The really long activation keys I've run into are not from MS and are ones you can cut/paste (ie, not the ones used to install the OS fresh).

Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

#38

Post by kermitthehermit »

jiggy2011 wrote: post #5
joebadmo wrote: post #4

While I'm entirely sympathetic to the author's DRM plight, buying the software and getting the pirate's cleaner experience are not mutually exclusive. If you want the best experience and a clean conscience (I'm assuming here you think piracy is wrong, since you've bought so many other copies of MS software), buy the software, then install a pirated a copy. I usually do this with new PCs that have Windows pre-installe…

Would this still be legal though? You are still using an unlicensed copy regardless of whether or not you happen to additionally own another copy. For all they know you might install your licensed copy on another computer later and not remove your unlicensed one.

If you've bought a Windows 7 kit and your DVD got damaged, you could copy a friend's disc or use one downloaded from work off technet / software assurance / msdn.

The point is that it's OK from a legal point of view, as long as you use your original serial number for the same windows edition.

I 'swapped' discs back when Windows 7 SP1 came out. I got the update off SA and the updated ISOs as well.

Should you have to prove you actually bought a license of that OS, you should have

a) the invoice & warranty papers of the computer it came preinstalled on and being used on - if preinstalled; possibly the restore disc as well if there is one b) the invoice, the original (damaged or not) disc and the box of the original windows kit - if bought separately as a windows install kit

Those are required to prove that you're the rightful owner of that Windows kit. I don't know if you can resell a PC with Windows on it.

Microsoft is very silly to make people jump through so many hoops. Especially when the pirates enjoy a better service.

Also, they should offer downloads to people who got the OS preinstalled on their machines. Apple is giving people this serice under the form of network restore since 10.7.

Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

#39

Post by sp332 »

powertower wrote: post #10

If you're activating MS products by entering "100-digit" activation keys into your telephone, you're already doing something wrong... Or are a complete edge/outliner case.

I did this with WinXP about a dozen times. 11 years is much too long for the default 3-activation limit.
Post reply on HN