[Nuke]

you could reuse xp oem keys, and the os would even activate 99% of the time. newer windows oses, idk, too much phone home nowadays so i doubt it.

[S-99]

What is considered "re-using". As long as that license isn't in use by anyone don't worry. If that product key came from dell, hp or whatever, different story.

[Nuke]

bios hax if you are one of those people who knows how. besides i dont ever buy proprietary rigs.

[jr2]

bios hax?  bios hax emulators via bootloader, as well, mmm!    Much easier, although if you re-install Windows (or re-write the bootloader), you will have to re-install the hack's bootloader.  This also gets around using OEM keys.  Not sure if we are still on the right side of the red line here, however...

[Nuke]

i mean dumping the rom to disc, disassembling it and tweaking it, reassembling it and sticking it back on the chip and booting.

of course its only a matter of time before you have to agree to an eula for all your firmware (like thats ever stopped a haxxor).

[S-99]

HACK THE EULA!!!!

[Nuke]

ive done that before.

[S-99]

Do it on the order this russian guy did with his bank.

[Nuke]

win

[MP-Ryan]

Do it on the order this russian guy did with his bank.

That is beautiful.

[jr2]

Do it on the order this russian guy did with his bank.

That is beautiful.

QFT

[deathspeed]

Honestly, the way I usually do it, I buy the license, leave the disk in the box shrink wrapped, and install 'pirated' in other words, 100% Genuine Windows with the evil Validation stuff defeated or removed. Much less hassle.    Hanging around My Digital Life Forums might be handy there.. Just be sure you actually do have a license, otherwise, well, I guess that's really up to you, but it definitely isn't legal to use software if you haven't paid for it.

Thanks for the pointer toward MDL forums - found what I needed there!

[jr2]

 

[The E]

Honestly, the way I usually do it, I buy the license, leave the disk in the box shrink wrapped, and install 'pirated' in other words, 100% Genuine Windows with the evil Validation stuff defeated or removed. Much less hassle.    Hanging around My Digital Life Forums might be handy there.. Just be sure you actually do have a license, otherwise, well, I guess that's really up to you, but it definitely isn't legal to use software if you haven't paid for it.

Thanks for the pointer toward MDL forums - found what I needed there!

Just as long as you remember that instead of putting all your data at the mercy of a big corporation that can be held accountable for its actions, you're now putting your trust in random posters on the internet.

(Personally, I think it the height of stupidity to use an operating system from an untrustworthy source)

[Nuke]

in other words get your iso from microsoft and not tpb.

[deathspeed]

Good advice!  I still have the original Windows 7 disc; I just lost the Product Key.  If I did download, I would definitely check the hash against what is provided by msdn to make sure I had an unaltered ISO. 

I was more concerned about the *cough* workaround, but after googling for a while, I found lots of people say that it worked for them and did not find any negative comments about malware, etc.  It activated fine, and is recognized as genuine windows.

[jr2]

As far as getting your .iso from tbp... MD5 sums don't lie.  Check yours, MDL posts the official MS MD5s somewhere. 

[The E]

As far as getting your .iso from tbp... MD5 sums don't lie.  Check yours, MDL posts the official MS MD5s somewhere. 

This statement of yours kinda doesn't go together with this other statement you made earlier:

Honestly, the way I usually do it, I buy the license, leave the disk in the box shrink wrapped, and install 'pirated' in other words, 100% Genuine Windows with the evil Validation stuff defeated or removed. Much less hassle.    Hanging around My Digital Life Forums might be handy there.. Just be sure you actually do have a license, otherwise, well, I guess that's really up to you, but it definitely isn't legal to use software if you haven't paid for it.

Note the part about you mentioning a version of Windows "with the evil validation stuff removed". That says to me that the OS is no longer trustworthy. An MD5 of the image used to install it will not match the official MD5s; and if you're going to use an image that is identical to the one MS hands out, why not use the official MS servers to get it?

[jr2]

Torrents are usually faster than single server file transfer.

And, as far as downloading a modified .iso, you have to trust the source (uploader) -- read the comments, check how many seeders, etc.  Sort of like buying on eBay.  You will always get one or two (its a viris no wrk waaaaa) comments, but if it's a trend and/or a relatively new uploader, beware.  If it's a trusted uploader with multiple successful uploads and 300,000 seeders, and 99% positive posts, it's fine.

However, for those paranoid, you can always find an uploader with an unmodified MS .iso -- which is useful if you lost or scratched your install medium and wish for a fast download compared with MS servers. (Although, using download managers capable of downloading multiple file segments from the same server, it's possible to approach torrent speeds if the MS server load isn't too great).

[The E]

Torrents are usually faster than single server file transfer.

Which, at least for me, is not an issue if I want to install an OS. I'd rather have correct data than fast.

And, as far as downloading a modified .iso, you have to trust the source (uploader) -- read the comments, check how many seeders, etc.  Sort of like buying on eBay.  You will always get one or two (its a viris no wrk waaaaa) comments, but if it's a trend and/or a relatively new uploader, beware.  If it's a trusted uploader with multiple successful uploads and 300,000 seeders, and 99% positive posts, it's fine.

And I do not have the time or inclination to evaluate these things. Torrent sites are untrustworthy and commenters on torrent sites are untrustworthy. If I am going to install a piece of software that I have to trust, I am not going to take my chances with them.