This story just keeps going and going but I've found some more info on the Windows/Office XP Keygen @ G256.com. Here's what they're saying:
I do have a copy of the KeyGen now. What's interesting is that you can modify a non coporate editions setup files to allow corporate keys. Then use the keygen to create a corporate key, bypassing the product activations. Maybe you actually paid for your copy (cough), but don't want to call home to Pappa Gates ever time you change a HD. The corporate edition is the same as all the other versions. The only difference between all the editions is which keys the install program will accept when you run it. You can modify this in the setupp.ini file according to a web site that I can't name off the top of my head.
Using a volume license key (corporate key) will disable product activation during the installation. It's still there, it's just set to "activated" by the time you start Windows for the first time.
Windows still checks for activation every time you start, but since it was already set in "activated mode" to begin with, you are never prompted to activate. In the event that Microsoft blacklists the VLK in SP1, all those devilsown or any other version which uses that key will become "deactivated." The key we are talking about here is FCKGW-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX. I can almost guarantee that anyone who is running a corporate version (or any version that doesn't require activation without patches) is using this key. ... Kingnothing
If you have some time to kill, this 2 page forum thread from XP-Erience.org has some really good pieces of infomation in it.
I do have a copy of the KeyGen now. What's interesting is that you can modify a non coporate editions setup files to allow corporate keys. Then use the keygen to create a corporate key, bypassing the product activations. Maybe you actually paid for your copy (cough), but don't want to call home to Pappa Gates ever time you change a HD. The corporate edition is the same as all the other versions. The only difference between all the editions is which keys the install program will accept when you run it. You can modify this in the setupp.ini file according to a web site that I can't name off the top of my head.
Using a volume license key (corporate key) will disable product activation during the installation. It's still there, it's just set to "activated" by the time you start Windows for the first time.
Windows still checks for activation every time you start, but since it was already set in "activated mode" to begin with, you are never prompted to activate. In the event that Microsoft blacklists the VLK in SP1, all those devilsown or any other version which uses that key will become "deactivated." The key we are talking about here is FCKGW-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX. I can almost guarantee that anyone who is running a corporate version (or any version that doesn't require activation without patches) is using this key. ... Kingnothing
If you have some time to kill, this 2 page forum thread from XP-Erience.org has some really good pieces of infomation in it.
