Using Same Serial # On Multiple Copies Of Windows

[iGuest 3]

whether os is pirated or not

Using Same Serial # On Multiple Copies Of Windows

 

Please give your opinions that, how to find whether the installed OS is original or pirated through command prompt.

 

-question by T.Saju

[KILLthemALL 0]

LOL microsoftr n00bs are idiot they are of no useif were that genious there wold be no crack

[docduke 0]

You can use the same serial on multiple installations, if you have a corporate edition and the proper amount of licenses.

I'm not sure about that. Not every piece of hardware is the same, even if it has the same name, some internal number might have changed.

You can learn probably more than you want to know about the elements of Microsoft XP activation here: How Microsoft Product Activation (WPA) Works in Windows XP and Windows Vista. Basically, it takes a shapshot of your hardware when you first install it, and checks every time you restart it, to make sure not "too much" has changed.

 

"Too much" is quantitatively measured by the XPInfo executable. I can tell you from personal experience that XPInfo works on XP 32, but does not work on XP 64. However, it makes very clear what Ms is looking for. The items it checks are: Processor model, processor serial number, RAM size, Graphics adapter, IDE controller, SCSI host adapter, Harddrive, CD-ROM drive, Volume serial number and MAC address. I just read those items off my screen. Incidentally, one reason I use AMD CPUs instead of Intel is that they do not have serial numbers!

 

This is some of the information I remember from reading in various places, but can't document at the moment. (1) the MAC address gets multiple votes, so if your Ethernet chip dies, that is almost enough to force reactivation. (2) The Volume serial number counts, so if you use the Linux dd command to backup and clone a copy of the XP partition, both VSNs will look legitimate to XP, but if both are visible in the same machine, the running OS may become confused, since it sees two partitions with the same VSN, which it normally uses to identify a partition. (3) Since RAM size matters, install all the RAM you plan on using before activating. (4) I have read, but haven't verified, that if you have multiple hard drives and multiple Ethernet connectors, the validation software looks at all of them, and only one of each has to remain to get the relevant "vote." The person who recommended that suggested that as a precaution, you should get a cheap Ethernet card, and put it in your computer before activation, so that if the one on the motherboard dies, you still have those multiple votes covered.

 

This may sound nasty. However, it is claimed (again, I have not verified) that you can reactivate the same license up to 10 times essentially automatically. After Ms has seen the same license come through 11 times, it wants to know more about exactly why you need to activate it again.

[xboxrulz1405241485 0]

You can learn probably more than you want to know about the elements of Microsoft XP activation here: How Microsoft Product Activation (WPA) Works in Windows XP and Windows Vista. Basically, it takes a shapshot of your hardware when you first install it, and checks every time you restart it, to make sure not "too much" has changed.
"Too much" is quantitatively measured by the XPInfo executable. I can tell you from personal experience that XPInfo works on XP 32, but does not work on XP 64. However, it makes very clear what Ms is looking for. The items it checks are: Processor model, processor serial number, RAM size, Graphics adapter, IDE controller, SCSI host adapter, Harddrive, CD-ROM drive, Volume serial number and MAC address. I just read those items off my screen. Incidentally, one reason I use AMD CPUs instead of Intel is that they do not have serial numbers!

This is some of the information I remember from reading in various places, but can't document at the moment. (1) the MAC address gets multiple votes, so if your Ethernet chip dies, that is almost enough to force reactivation. (2) The Volume serial number counts, so if you use the Linux dd command to backup and clone a copy of the XP partition, both VSNs will look legitimate to XP, but if both are visible in the same machine, the running OS may become confused, since it sees two partitions with the same VSN, which it normally uses to identify a partition. (3) Since RAM size matters, install all the RAM you plan on using before activating. (4) I have read, but haven't verified, that if you have multiple hard drives and multiple Ethernet connectors, the validation software looks at all of them, and only one of each has to remain to get the relevant "vote." The person who recommended that suggested that as a precaution, you should get a cheap Ethernet card, and put it in your computer before activation, so that if the one on the motherboard dies, you still have those multiple votes covered.

This may sound nasty. However, it is claimed (again, I have not verified) that you can reactivate the same license up to 10 times essentially automatically. After Ms has seen the same license come through 11 times, it wants to know more about exactly why you need to activate it again.

AMD CPUs don't have serial numbers? My processor box has a paper with the serial number printed on it =S.

xboxrulz

[iGuest 3]

Yes it can... Volume licensing.But if MS finds out that the Key is being extensively used for piracy, it might ask its customer to use a new key, and mark the old key as pirated, and do nasty things to computers using this key through windows update.Its just a scenario though... Thats what I would have done if I was the boss of MS.

[iGuest 3]

Windows XP ActivationUsing Same Serial # On Multiple Copies Of Windows

I have 6 computer all running off the same key and passed genuine advantage and downloading updates. It was not easy though and took some time, Every 2 months Microsoft clear the activation records so when you activate the key again it will re register, but the other computer has already passed so its ok. 

-reply by Andy

 

[iGuest 3]

Only way to use multiple installs of of windows with same keyUsing Same Serial # On Multiple Copies Of WindowsWell with all of you saying you can install multiple copies of the same os your definately wrong, except for a few situations. I install the same Operating systems on several machines with the same key, but these are MSDN copies. MSDN copies are copies Schools, and large companies usually buy which is supposed to be used as training tools. However you can register as many copies as with the same key as you want. I Work as a network tech and we have almost any software microsoft has ever made with a MSDN key. I have over 15 Operating system installs with the same keys and all are registered because my company has MSDN access. I have XP MCE on many virtual PC's as well as a few instances of server 2003 r2 and a few others. I can install these as many times on as many different machines as I want to. All computers have different hardware, and they still activate. However you have to be connected to someone who has a buisness that pays Microsoft Thousands of dollars for these. You can look at the MSDN site to get a better idea. However this is not something a standard user would have unless they had connections. I install these on other peoples computers I am working on (Friends Family) I have never paid for an OS and I have copies of everything from SQL servers, to exchange servers, to xp pro, to vista, to anything you can possibly think of made by Microsoft. So unless your connected to someone with volume licensing, or an MSDN account, then your out of luck with installing on more than one computer.-reply by Brian

 

[yordan 10]

you can register as many copies as with the same key as you want.

As many copies as you want provided that the total amount of copies does not exceed the total number of computers for your MSDN license. Same problem with the site license, the owner of the site license has to pay for each computer on which the software is installed, and if the number of installed computer exceeds the number of paid licences some problems will occur.

[Atomic0 0]

Volume licensing keys don't usually have limits if it was purchased by a large company or educational organisation, but once piracy is detected, the key would be removed from normal use and marked as pirated.With volume licensing keys, the hardware configuration does not need to be the same for all the computers using that key, but for a normal individual license, the exact same hardware must be used. For example, you could install the individual licence on another partition on the same computer and still be able to activate it, as it is essentially the same hardware. However, activating the licence on another computer with the same hardware configuration is unlikely the work as different hardware is used.

[docduke 0]

AMD CPUs don't have serial numbers? My processor box has a paper with the serial number printed on it =S.

 

xboxrulz

I believe only Pentium IIIs have machine-readable serial numbers. That was a deal between Intel and Microsoft. When AMD refused to play that game, Intel also dropped them, for competitive reasons.

 

If you check out XP-Info, you will see that one of the "votes" that M$ uses to determine whether you need to reactivate is the Processor serial number, but in most cases today, that item will be greyed out (and checked).

 

So even if you change from one serial-number CPU to another, that only counts once against you. You have to get four unchecked boxes, as I recall, to require re-authorization.

[akashi 0]

I want ask something related to this thread. I have XP installation CD bundled with my Dell Notebook. AFAIK, it doesn't have serial CD like yours guys. Is it possible for me to install it on another machine?

[yordan 10]

I want ask something related to this thread. I have XP installation CD bundled with my Dell Notebook. AFAIK, it doesn't have serial CD like yours guys. Is it possible for me to install it on another machine?

There are two ways bundling to your Dell Notebook, depending from when you bought it.1) Emergency restore CD : it will re-install everything like when you bought your Notebook. This will boot only on your own Notebook, or another Notebook exactly identical to yours.
2) A couple of years ago, there were no piracy problems. At these times, some Notebooks were delivered with a genuine Microsoft Windows installation CD. This was a fully standard installation CD, which asked you your serial number. Simply the serial number was not on the installation CD crystal box, it was pasted on the Notebook itself, so if you removed it you lost it.
And, of course, if you install this CD on another computer, you must remove it from your own computer. Else, when connecting to Microsoft for updating, the update server will see that a home Edition license was on two computers, and this serial number will be flagged as a pirated one. And you will have to contact Microsoft in order to prove that you paid your software and that it works on a single computer, the one you paid for.

[fermin25 3]

Yeah you can use the same serial number on multiples copies of Windows. But there are some problems that this could generate when you do this. Firstly you need a business or corporative serial number because if you use a personal serial number the Windows will be block when you connect to Windows Update.But If you have this problem there are some solutions:1. If you don´t have the money to buy a Windows original copy. Don´t connect the computer to the Windows Update, disable the Automatic Update option and download the most important updates...There are a lot of programs that have the recently windows main updates, I dont remember the names of these programs, but if you search on Google or in Softonic you will found them.2. If your computer is blocked. Maybe the most logical solution is format the hard disk and reinstall the operating system and follow the instructions in the solution Number one. But there are other posibilities you can download some cracked WGA programs that convert your illegal and blocked copy of Windows in a legal copy. There are a lot of forums with these programs, but I PERSONALLY DONT RECOMMEND THIS. NO TO THE PIRACY.3. If your computer is not blocked but don´t permit you update the Windows, be pacient and save some money and buy your original copy of Windows or Mac.Well these are my recomendations to this big problem. I hope this post help you.REMEMBER STOP TO THE SOFTWARE PIRACY.Regards.

[iGuest 3]

Hi there what is all the hussle with Windows.Surely you have heard of Linux. 

There are so many of them out there and they are FREE.

You can install them to as many machines as you can own.

I recommend FreeSpire. You google search for it.Download it

Burn it as an iso image.Then boot it from the cd after setting your Bios

to boot from cdrom.This is callded live CD.Does not touch your hard disk.

If you like it just double click the install icon on desktop.

Don't let Microsoft enslave you.

Enjoy. 

-reply by Martin Tan

 

[iGuest 3]

can I use pirated windows vista?? but I have OEM licensed key on the back of my laptop... I have no copy of windows vista DVD they didnt give me anything when I purchased my laptop...I need to reformat my laptop... Thanks...

-question by cronuz08