The recent release of Windows Defender for XP, Microsoft's free antispyware software, may have brought to many users'
attention the requirement to validate their installation of the XP
operating system before being permitted to install the new software.
This is part of the Microsoft Product Activation policy to ensure that
their software is legitimately licensed, and is not a pirated version.
It applies to both operating systems and other software.
Product Activation works by verifying that a software program's product
key has not been used on more personal computers than intended by the
software's license. When the product key is used to install software it
is then transformed into an installation ID number. An activation
wizard provides the installation ID number to Microsoft and a
confirmation ID is sent back to your machine to activate the product.
The installation ID number includes an encrypted form of the product ID
and a hardware hash, or checksum. The confirmation ID is simply an
unlocking code for the Windows XP installation on that particular PC.
When XP is installed Windows uses ten categories of hardware to create the hardware hash needed for activation.These are:
1. Display Adapter
2. SCSI Adapter
3. IDE Adapter (effectively the motherboard)
4. Network Adapter (NIC) and its MAC Address
5. RAM Amount Range (i.e., 0-64mb, 64-128mb, etc.)
6. Processor Type
7. Processor Serial Number
8. Hard Drive Device
9. Hard Drive Volume Serial Number (VSN)
10. CD-ROM / CD-RW / DVD-ROM
From these it then calculates and records a number based on the
first device of each type that was found during setup, and stores this
number on your hard drive.
The hardware is subsequently checked each time Windows boots, to ensure
that it is still on the same machine. WPA asks for ‘votes´ from each of
these ten categories: ‘Is the same device still around, or has there
never been one?´ Seven Yes votes means all is well — and a NIC, present
originally and not changed, counts for three yes votes! Minor cards, like sound cards, don´t come into the mix at all.
If, on Windows startup, there are not the required seven Yes votes, the
system will continue to boot normally for three days, during which time
you will be able to contact the activation centre via the net.
Activations on the same PC using the same product key are unlimited.
This is very much a simplified explanation of the process taken from a comprehensive article by Alex Nichol, MS-MVP, and available at http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm.
This is a logical progression from product activation, and is where
Microsoft determines whether your installation of XP is legitimate
before allowing updates, or downloads of some software like Windows
Defender. Periodically Microsoft will require you to run a validation
program that creates a match between your PC's hardware profile and
your 25-character Product Key, which Microsoft stores and checks
against future activation and validation attempts.
Initially this will require that you download and run a file named
GenuineCheck.exe or legitcheck.hta, which installs the program on your PC and, if
successful, authorises you to proceed with the download. Or it will be
a Wizard that walks you through the steps. And it is also available as
a Windows Update (KB892130).
Advantages of validation are:
* Free downloads from the Microsoft Download Center.
* Free updates for Windows from Windows Update.
* Special offers, including free downloads, special promotions, and discounts.
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