Windows Home Server – The Pirate Copy
Well it didn’t take long. Windows Home Server has only been out for a month and a pirate copy of the final RTM OEM version has been leaked out onto torrent indexing sites The Pirate Bay and Demonoid.com.
The 1.54 GB torrent package even includes scans of the installation DVD, connector, restore and OPK CDs and a front package cover scan alongside the full ISO’s of the Installation DVD, connector, restore and OPK CDs.
Although the download does not include a serial key, down loaders have left comments at both sites providing serial keys to actually install the product with a genuine key, although trying to activate will not be successful because the key has already been blocked by Microsoft. But since Home Server is based on the Windows Server 2003 code base crackers are using a utility called AntiWPA3 v3.4.6 to bypass activation.
So now, those that have the know how, can download the full version of Windows Home Server, install it with a genuine serial number and not worry about it deactivating after 30 days since it doesn’t need activating in the first place. Now I’m sure that those that have downloaded this already have never had no intention of ever buying a proper licensed copy, but my research shows that this bypass activation utility has been around for over 2 years and nothing was done or changed on Home Server to prevent utility’s like this giving others a free ride when we have paid good money for our Home Server.
But then again I’m sure the pirate underground scene is never far behind or indeed in front of the software producers. That’s why company’s like Microsoft hire the hackers.
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Still Doing a test with a normal version of windows server 2003 enterprise edition and will keep you all informed.
For those having problems with Vmware installations like Brian and others..
Disable the FDD when you get the blue installation screen or even before you start the VM machine.
Hope it helps.
By Disable i mean to disconnect/poweroff the virtual FDD by the way.
Ok, installation went smooth, yet got a 60 days activation warning at the end
Conclusion: VLK files and key must be used for this to work.
Sigh.. clueless me on what to do now, anyone wanna spare vlk files and a key? lol
I don’t know why…..why so many people had so much trouble with this. The reason I guest is….YOU GUYS ARE GETTING THE WRONG INFO FROM THE WRONG PEOPLE IN THIS THREAD.
Look elsewhere where people know what they talking about.
Here is ALL I did:
1) Download WHS evaluation copy (PP3) from Microsoft website & “Generic Antiwpa-2.3-WinXP-2k3″ (old version).
2) After Installation, use antiwpa, then updates, DONE !!
* Test: forward your system clock to 1 year or whatever !!
** The only thing bothers me is the watermark…that’s why I am here !!
Cheers !!
got a watermark remover for you caontack me
@Newbie
I already tried couple tools like the one you mentioned, and another called “Activator” or something, and am pretty sure that you gonna hit a wall after some time, be it a sudden activation warning msg. out of nowhere, watermark come and go, updating problems, connector doesn’t work..etc
The method outlined here is 100% guaranteed as long as follow the steps exactly as written, and you have to do it just once to have a fully working iso.
I managed to get myself a vlk copy of server2k3 ent. edition (torrents ftw :p) and everything worked pretty well with 0 issues up to this moment..
Thanks abunch KarrAvon and everyone else who worked hard to get this out for all of us.
ps. I’ll probably buy myself a legit copy if things continued as great as it is now, so should do anyone else imo.
Still
Newbie – Antipwa can be defeated by Microsoft countermeasures – any updates to WPA may cause your installation to expire or be unusable later. The VLK solution is not susceptible to this because the system will be properly licensed.
Thanks Still. I tried the install on VMWare without the FDD and it worked fine and did not stop at the Blue Screen waiting for the SBS Install Disk. Guess this makes sense as none of my physical machines had one either..
)
Hello
Excuse me for my bad English
Would someone be kind and upload the Windows Home Server ISO file where the files “hivesys.inf” and “install.cmd” is edited. Does not work for me =)
Thank you very much
/ / Joakim
I recently discovered that WHS 2010 Codenamed: Vail, is out, and i was wondering if this process wold be possible with an Server 2008 R2 vlk or private key? And if you know when will the official RTM build would come out?
It is going to be a slightly different process – as Vail is based on Windows 2008. Plus – VLK licenses are different in 2008 and 2008R2. I’ll examine it when the product is released.
Hi there all, first thanks KerrAvon for takin the time to get all this right and answer everyone’s questions.
You’re a real star.
I’m on Anti-WPA and NoTimeBomb right now, my swift response to the shock of getting a 30-day limited trial when following a link for what SHOULD have been 120-day.. And finding out i’d have to do it all again 30 days later if I liked it (assuming i had the time to test it properly in 30 days??? It’s not an IPhone app ffs!) Thanks Bill.
I toyed with the Vail alpha a little, and hopefully something useable will be out before The Man breaks my current server with an update, if not I’ll be 100% doing it the right way – yours ;D
Just a little heads-up for the next phase – as you correctly point out, Vail is 2008 stripped down to her undies, then dolled up and sent out to work the streets (read Media Centre integration etc..)
The best protection circumvention in 2008, as in Windows7, is linked to SLIC tables in the computer BIOS. (You can even use this for current WHS – a decent alternative to KerrAvon’s method giving you a fully licensed box – have a search on MyDigitalLife forums)
For Windows7 and 2008 you need SLIC2.1 table inserted in your BIOS, and all current versions of 2008 can be installed cleanly, no patch, no hack, no fuss, IF U HAVE A BIOS THAT CAN BE ‘MODDED’ TO INCLUDE THE CORRECT SLIC2.1 TABLE.
Again, a quick search of the MyDigitalLife forum will get you what you need, start here:
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/forums/15-Windows-Server
Using this method is utterly futureproof – The Man cannot risk wrongly disabling legally purchased boxes. It’s also ridiculously easy, far more so than any of the methods used up until now, not a fact to be sniffed at.
It is unlikely in the extreme that Vail will be any different – you will simply have to wait 2 seconds after the RTM reaches China for a OEM SLP key to hit the net (there will probably be leaked keys earlier, but resist the urge to touch them!) and once these are published, it’s game over.
My 2 cents for a happy future: buy popular motherboards, or if you have to buy an OEM box, by the looks of it make it a Dell…
My Windows 7 Ultimate EEEPC and Windows 7 Ultimate workstation built on a popular Asus board, as well as my Lenovo X200 Tablet (now upgraded to 64-Bit Ultimate Windows 7 – it already had the right BIOS) are all legal and licensed ad infinitum, and stand testimony to the folly of the Man.
Happy hunting, and thanks again for working so hard on th current stuff!
My understanding of VAIL activation is that because it is based on SERVER 2008 then DAZ’s loader will work as this currently works on Win7, Server 2008 etc. Please correct me if I am mistaken.
Windows Home Server n 2003 WaterMark removal
In Display Properties, click on the Customize Desktop button on the Desktop tab. On the Web tab, check the Lock desktop items checkbox and click Ok. Should Just Disappear
[...] Windows Home Server – The Pirate Copy : 老外很早就研究 Windows Home Server, 若要了解 WHS VLK 激活方法的由来, 那就得好好看看这篇文章的评论, 很长的哦. [...]
I have Vail beta v2 with DE activated with an OEM SLIC2.1 and OEM cert and key. What are the disadvantages of continuing to run this version with DE instead of moving up to RC or RTM WHS2011? I am downloading the RC version now to test but can anyone speak as to the main differences or advantages of RC over VAIL?
[...] Windows Home Server – The Pirate Copy : 老外很早就研究 Windows Home Server, 若要了解 WHS VLK 激活方法的由来, 那就得好好看看这篇文章的评论, 很长的哦. [...]