XPost: comp.os.linux.advocacy, alt.comp.os.windows-11   
   From: nobody@haph.org   
      
   Lawrence =?iso-8859-13?q?D=FFOliveiro?=    
   news:10cfguc$19c0g$3@dont-email.me Sun, 12 Oct 2025 06:13:32 GMT in   
   comp.os.linux.advocacy, wrote:   
      
      
   > Now, you *do* know that Microsoft is moving towards requiring a   
   > Microsoft account in order to activate Dimdows, right? Which means an   
   > Internet connection will be mandatory.   
      
   You must not be familiar with what they used to call VLK keys then. No   
   activation required with them. The scope of VLK changed with Vista. XP   
   didn't require activation if a VLK key was used. Or if you had it   
   configured to look for a specific marker string in the system BIOS. Dell   
   HP, etc. So called 'branded OEM' discs.   
      
   You could also change a few files around on the original ISO and convert   
   it to/from a specific OEM brand that would activate with a matching string   
   in the system BIOS - Dell for example. A small collection of files on the   
   original MS CD home/pro determined what you had and how the product   
   activation would go.   
      
   MS also released so called 'combo' ISO discs via technet subscriptions.   
   The same ISO had both flavors and you could do the same with them as I   
   wrote about above. Copy the original to an ISO - extract a few files, make   
   some slight changes, rewrite the ISO and install with it. Poof, home to   
   pro or back, oem or non oem. VLK or not.   
      
   For the military and other places where internet isn't allowed on   
   workstations, they're most likely activating in this manner:   
      
      
   KMS: Key Management Service   
   KMS uses a client-server model, where a KMS host computer within the   
   organization activates other machines on the local network.   
      
       Activation process: A KMS host server is set up and activated with a   
       special KMS key from Microsoft. Client computers are configured with a   
       Generic Volume License Key (GVLK), which tells them to look for a   
       local KMS host for activation. Clients automatically discover the KMS   
       host via a DNS entry and activate against it. Network requirements:   
       Devices must be able to communicate with the local KMS host. They do   
       not need to connect to Microsoft's servers after the host is initially   
       activated. Activation count: A KMS activation is only valid if there   
       are enough clients on the network to meet a minimum threshold (for   
       example, 25 for Windows client OS). The KMS server tracks the number   
       of activations, but the number is not finite like a MAK. Activation   
       validity: KMS activations last for 180 days. Clients automatically   
       attempt to renew their activation by contacting the KMS host every   
       seven days. If a client cannot reach the KMS host after 180 days, it   
       will enter a grace period. Best for: Large organizations with a stable   
       network environment and a large number of computers that are   
       frequently connected to the corporate network. It is highly scalable   
      
   for large deployments and prevents individual machines from needing to   
   connect to the internet for activation.   
      
   > Do you see the problem here?   
      
   I don't see a problem...I understand why you did, though. Hopefully this   
   reply fills in some blanks in your understanding of how it works?   
      
      
   --   
   Liar, lawyer; mirror show me, what's the difference?   
   Kangaroo done hung the guilty with the innocent   
   Liar, lawyer; mirror for ya', what's the difference?   
   Kangaroo be stoned. He's guilty as the government   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)