It was reported on the 12th of November that Windows Vista was cracked. The version of Vista that is floating around on torrents and P2P Networks, dubbed the “Bill Gates” Version can be enabled using this crack, but a crack it is not. A hack to get it working would be more accurate. The time that it is operable under this hack is limited according to a Microsoft statement.
First up Microsoft has claimed that the “Bill Gates” version is not the final code. In addition they claim that this version may have been tampered with and should be avoided (as you would expect them to say).
Second the “crack” that has been used to activate this version of Vista alters the code from the operating system with those from the pre-release version, or the various release candidates. The user is then able to activate the version with a pre-release product activation key. As I predicted these pre-release keys are temporary, they will be blocked using Microsoft’s Software Protection Platform on the expiry date, which has not been disclosed. Enjoy it while it lasts.
In time I am sure that there will be another hack, crack or whatever for Vista. It remains to be seen exactly how Microsoft handle the further attempts to pirate their operating system.
Rooster's Rail 
November 23, 2006 at 6:02 am
It’s nice to use it while it’s still unavailable, it seems to fly along and certainly does look like the final build… too bad it’s only gonna last till July 07… will probably end up buying a copy anyway…
November 30, 2006 at 5:05 pm
Yeah May 31st 2007 is the expiry date of this cracked version
that’s when the beta key’s stop working.
if you run winver
it will show you when it expires
December 3, 2006 at 10:37 am
I’m never surprised to see cracks and hacks on Microsoft products on the internet. When you’re one of the largest closed-source software companies, you also have the largest target for time spent on getting around security controls. One of the reasons I have been using Firefox for more than 4 years now 🙂
December 9, 2006 at 12:08 pm
It does not surprise me that it is cracked, what does surprise me is that anyone would use it. Why would you lay out hundreds of dollars for a OS when you can go opensource and get a system without the licencing hassles and restrictions. Example, Vista you go and purchase from a store, you install on your home computer. Three years down the road you decide it is time to upgrade to faster computer to play the latest games, Vista will allow you to do an installation on that machine. That will be the last time you can install that OS. It will only allow you to install it on one upgrade. Does not matter if you try to stay in strict compliance and format the drives on the other machines. Two install and go and purchase another copy. Then people ask why use Linux? Can you when I want, how I want and as many times as I want, no corporation restricting my rights as a user.
Thanks for reading, have a nice day 🙂
January 10, 2007 at 6:14 am
i not to sure bout these cracks but i no i hav vista running and fully activated which will not run out in july.i hav the ultimate versions and was easy to activate.so these people with betas are wasting there time the full version is a lot better.so when i got my copy i put it straght on to dvd.enjoy vista
January 10, 2007 at 6:15 am
i hav it also running on more than one pc and it let me install and activate