Microsoft to Modify Windows XP Product-Activation Policy
Microsoft Watch alerts us that Microsoft to Modify Windows XP Product-Activation Policy
Product activation, which Microsoft first introduced with Windows XP in 2001, is Microsoft’s way of requiring new Windows users to authenticate their copies of Windows. Microsoft has required users not covered by volume-license agreements to register their XP copies via the Internet or phone using their unique product keys.
As of next week, however, Microsoft plans to curtail the number of users relying on the Web to activate their copies of XP.
As of February 28, Microsoft will disable Internet activation for all Windows XP product keys located on Certificates of Authenticity (COA) labels that are distributed by the 20 top worldwide PC vendors. Microsoft will be relying on these PC makers to do the activation for users.
How will this work? Avarian Mordo posted a copy of the alert that went out to the sales force which describes what’s going on:
Direct OEMs of Microsoft (large multinational OEMs that that have a direct signed license agreement with Microsoft) usually preinstall Windows software using System Lock Preinstall (SLP), which is a direct OEM�s method of legitimately bypassing Product Activation on behalf of their customers.
One form of piracy occurs when Product Keys are stolen from Certificates of Authenticity (COAs) that have been placed on direct OEM machines where the Windows software was preinstalled using SLP. Pirates take the Product Key from these COAs and sell them to resellers or customers who then use them to activate a hard disk loaded copy of Windows.
To reduce the illegal trafficking of these OEM product keys Microsoft will “disable” the ability to activate these direct OEM Product Keys over the Internet. When a customer or reseller tries to activate using a Product Key found on the list of “disabled” Keys, the online product activation wizard will instruct them to call Microsoft where a customer service representative can assist them further. Call center operators receiving these calls will only issue an override key to customers who correctly answer a series of questions which manually verify them as legitimate.
The question that seems to be the burning one in my mind is “Will this be a good change?” And the answer, at first glance, appears to me to be in the affirmative. If you have a copy of XP that was installed by an OEM which is allowed to use SLP then you did not need to activate XP anyway. If you have an illegal copy that you’re trying to activate then you really deserve what you get.
And those instances in which you need to do a complete format and install using your recovery disks? Well, you already have to phone those activation requests in anyway. No harm, no foul.
Will this end the piracy of Microsoft’s popular operating system? Undoubtedly not. People will still find ways around it. For reasons nefarious or just merely curious.
But the new system seems designed to allow customers who have been swindled to be educated and reduce some undue stress on Microsoft’s existing system.
MickC @ February 24, 2005