How to know if your windows 7 is pirated/illegal copy?

Hmmm, I just ran Windows Update, there was nothing regarding activation, could not find that update with the number Greg posted. Maybe for x64 systems it comes later?

Now, more on the topic - I guess if you buy your PC or OS through regular channels you don't have to worry. If you have done something illegal then you know you did. So, the only people in doubt would be those who buy second-hand PCs.

In that situation, it would probably be very useful to have some way of verifying that the license key you are getting with the PC has not already been used someplace else.

Same would apply to people buying keys on eBay, but then I guess the question is - why would anyone do that? Is it really that much cheaper to be worth all the trouble? And if you find it say 10 times cheaper than the best deal you can get from Microsoft or Amazon, do you really think it would be legit?

Just because you can access windows update, or pass the WGA stuff, doesn't mean your copy of Win 7 is valid.

There are many illegal ways to get around those things that I won't go into details about.

The best thing to do is Google your serial key and see if anyone else has it listed in the search results. A lot of times these serial keys will be posted in public.

i cant help feeling that the introduction of this "fix" for the cracks was a clever marketing ploy.... get millions f pirates to download windows 7, crack it then hit them with "deactivation" once they have settled into using it.... that is of course if the WAT actually works.... so far the "hacktivated" edition i used in my earlier test is still fine and passing WGA....

- Nothing wrong with a company trying to protect themselves from people who steal their software. It's not like Microsoft is busting down your door, or reporting your illegal use to your ISP.

I dont think MS was allowing anyone to pirate their software, its just not preventable. They probably did everything they could think of to keep it to a minimum, but hackers get through these defenses quite quickly. MS just needs to innovate now and think up a new security measure to prevent it. They probably have in-house hacktivated machines running to find out how to de-hacktivate them.

As for MS's policies on how to prevent people from using hacked products just look to the 1million Xbox modders who's systems and accounts were taken off X-box Live. it is gonna get crazy when MS finds a way to perma-ban hacked copies of win7

Best to get clean because it's likely coming.

The rule of thumb with cracks is that they don't last.

Browse the 237+ page thread at Digital Life where the hackers are panicking over MS update. They think MS is developing some kind of BIOS hash that foils their mods, don't seem to realize that MS is reading their posts and prob using their own ideas.

i have 1pc and 1 lappy legit win7 and I wont be using ms wat on them ,.I have already activated them once and that should be it , so no phoning home in 90 days to check again. if ms wants to find pirate copies then fine , but do not keep checking on legit users .