are free windows activators ilegal

[FuzeLight]

so there are these free activators for windows i tried one named microsoft tool kit and it worked it activated windows so im wondering are those legal and that

[Froggo56]

yeah kinda, but windows wont do a whole lot about it

[BaconLord222]

They're definitely illegal. These activators usually use some sort of exploit inside windows to trick the OS into believing that it is registered, when in fact it is not.

[Turtle Rig]

3 minutes ago, BaconLord222 said:

They're definitely illegal. These activators usually use some sort of exploit inside windows to trick the OS into believing that it is registered, when in fact it is not.

Yes it will say Windows is not Activated but yes it is illegal.

[dgsddfgdfhgs]

3 minutes ago, BaconLord222 said:

They're definitely illegal. These activators usually use some sort of exploit inside windows to trick the OS into believing that it is registered, when in fact it is not.

what if you can then link it to ms account?

[XR6]

Yes, they're illegal.

[Sylvie]

technically, yes. although I doubt Ms is looking to punish literally every software pirate ever. just don't go around advertising it. 

[goto10]

the activators use a technique that is activate a license from a server that contains licenses

 

is the same as when a company pc joins a domain, the domain company server apart from allowing access to the network provides a windows license

 

that windows license has been bought to microsoft to be used this way, legally, for example, a volume license key to be used by 1000 pcs, if they buy more pcs, the buy another license or a extension of the previous license and keep adding pcs to their network

 

the illegal tool you mention doesnt use a domain, just a server with licenses, but those are fake licenses, no one is paying for those licenses to microsoft, so they are definitively illegal

 

the tool it seems that also leaves your pc at risk of a attack, it leaves a service running, so you can end with your pc being part of some sort of botnet, as a mining pc for someone else or worse, who knows what that tool does apart from using a fake license server to "activate" your license, that is a temporary license, it probably works as the ones form the company, if the pc doesnt connect to the server the pc starts a countdown to disable the license, usually os 1 or 3 months

 

you can read more on google by searching for illegal windows activators

 

for example this link, explaining how the kms server with licenses is used in more depth

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/windowsreport.com/windows-10-activator-malware/%3famp

 

if you dont plan to buy a license, just use the pc without the license or the activator, the screen will have a nice watermark in the lower right corner reminding you that you dont have a license and that you should buy one, my laptop has been like thos for 2 years so far, nothing major to report here

[mr moose]

8 minutes ago, goto10 said:

 

if you dont plan to buy a license, just use the pc without the license or the activator, the screen will have a nice watermark in the lower right corner reminding you that you dont have a license and that you should buy one, my laptop has been like thos for 2 years so far, nothing major to report here

This,  I have a 7 PC the same, it was legit and I replaced the motherboard (original borked) I am entitled to reactivation but couldn't be arsed and just left it running inactivated.

 

If you don't want to pay for a license (for whatever reason, I don't personally care), then at least just run non activated and avoid the issues that might arise from dodgy activator apps and buying OEM licenses from 3rd parties.  

[TetraSky]

You're getting a paid product for free, of course it's illegal.

Not all activators are made equal. Some do what they say they are made for and just that. While others can install a trojan/keylogger and/or backdoor so deep in the OS that it's near impossible to detect or remove without formatting.

Your Operating System is the single most important piece of software on your computer, by using an activator that you have no clue where it comes from, who made it, what's the underlying code of it and what exactly it changes on your computer, you've decided to compromise it and the safety of your personal information right from the get go because you didn't feel like buying Windows. It's literally $5 on a grey market website. Heck, if you're a gamer, Linux is a perfectly viable OS these days as well.

[Yummychickenblue]

2 hours ago, TetraSky said:

You're getting a paid product for free, of course it's illegal.

Not all activators are made equal. Some do what they say they are made for and just that. While others can install a trojan/keylogger and/or backdoor so deep in the OS that it's near impossible to detect or remove without formatting.

Your Operating System is the single most important piece of software on your computer, by using an activator that you have no clue where it comes from, who made it, what's the underlying code of it and what exactly it changes on your computer, you've decided to compromise it and the safety of your personal information right from the get go because you didn't feel like buying Windows. It's literally $5 on a grey market website. Heck, if you're a gamer, Linux is a perfectly viable OS these days as well.

There are plenty of legal ways to get paid products for free (see: giveaways, sweepstakes, competitions). And also +1 for Linux gaming. I'm using Linux and am currently playing modded Oblivion.

[mr moose]

2 hours ago, TetraSky said:

You're getting a paid product for free, of course it's illegal.

Not all activators are made equal. Some do what they say they are made for and just that. While others can install a trojan/keylogger and/or backdoor so deep in the OS that it's near impossible to detect or remove without formatting.

Your Operating System is the single most important piece of software on your computer, by using an activator that you have no clue where it comes from, who made it, what's the underlying code of it and what exactly it changes on your computer, you've decided to compromise it and the safety of your personal information right from the get go because you didn't feel like buying Windows. It's literally $5 on a grey market website. Heck, if you're a gamer, Linux is a perfectly viable OS these days as well.

 

I also second the advice to use Linux if it's workable for you,  ubuntu has come a long long way and most decent programs have at least one viable Linux alternative (usually free too).  I use one solely for backing up my camera SD cards and phone content (windows is too hap hazard and I don't like the built in photo gallery).

 

 

[goto10]

7 hours ago, mr moose said:

 

I also second the advice to use Linux if it's workable for you,  ubuntu has come a long long way and most decent programs have at least one viable Linux alternative (usually free too).  I use one solely for backing up my camera SD cards and phone content (windows is too hap hazard and I don't like the built in photo gallery).

 

 

the problem with linux is always hardware support, always something gives problems, or gpu has problems, or wifi card, or fans spin too fast, or something else

 

laptops are worse

 

i stopped using linux a couple years ago for that reason, as much as i like linux i cant waste my time and money buying hardware that will work on linux or making hardware work on linux

[kelvinhall05]

2 minutes ago, goto10 said:

the problem with linux is always hardware support, always something gives problems, or gpu has problems, or wifi card, or fans spin too fast, or something else

 

laptops are worse

 

i stopped using linux a couple years ago for that reason, as much as i like linux i cant waste my time and money buying hardware that will work on linux or making hardware work on linux

Never had those issues with Linux. You've probably just had bad luck or are doing something wrong. Every system I've tried on Linux has worked flawlessly, and the only big issue was that I had the wrong GPU driver selected in the kernel, but once I figured out what the issue was, it was easy to fix.

 

 

Also, I find that laptops tend to work better than desktops. The only issue I've had on my laptop is that the fingerprint scanner doesn't work, but that's because nobody has bothered to develop a driver for my specific fp scanner (though other laptops with different fp scanners work right out of the box).

[kelvinhall05]

10 hours ago, TetraSky said:

Heck, if you're a gamer, Linux is a perfectly viable OS these days as well.

Linux has gotten a lot better but I still think Windows is superior for pure gaming.

[The King of the Undead]

1 minute ago, kelvinhall05 said:

Linux has gotten a lot better but I still think Windows is superior for pure gaming.

I use it and my computer works better on linux for games than it ever did in windows. Just takes some setting up.

[goto10]

3 minutes ago, kelvinhall05 said:

Never had those issues with Linux. You've probably just had bad luck or are doing something wrong. Every system I've tried on Linux has worked flawlessly, and the only big issue was that I had the wrong GPU driver selected in the kernel, but once I figured out what the issue was, it was easy to fix.

 

 

Also, I find that laptops tend to work better than desktops. The only issue I've had on my laptop is that the fingerprint scanner doesn't work, but that's because nobody has bothered to develop a driver for my specific fp scanner (though other laptops with different fp scanners work right out of the box).

doing something wrong since 2001, sure

[kelvinhall05]

Just now, will4623 said:

I use it and my computer works better on linux for games than it ever did in windows. Just takes some setting up.

I've had a far better gaming experience on Windows than on Linux, and basically the only game I play (TF2) natively runs on Linux. Even with Proton enabled, there are random crashes for some games, games using Battleye (like PUBG) won't launch, there are some annoyances that are game-specific like exported cars from Automation not showing up in BeamNG, etc.

[The King of the Undead]

11 hours ago, goto10 said:

doing something wrong since 2001, sure

to? it has gotten better.

 

11 hours ago, kelvinhall05 said:

I've had a far better gaming experience on Windows than on Linux, and basically the only game I play (TF2) natively runs on Linux. Even with Proton enabled, there are random crashes for some games, games using Battleye (like PUBG) won't launch, there are some annoyances that are game-specific like exported cars from Automation not showing up in BeamNG, etc.

I only play supcom faf,pa,oni and rocket league.

[kelvinhall05]

11 hours ago, goto10 said:

doing something wrong since 2001, sure

Linux in 2001 was shit. Have you tried the latest version of big distros like Manjaro or Ubuntu? They're amazing. I personally hate Ubuntu but Manjaro is great. In everything except for gaming, Linux wipes the floor with Windows; it's faster, sexier, more customizable, MUCH more stable, completely free, more secure, works on almost any computer, installing software is easier (especially on Arch/Manjaro with the AUR, just search and click install), etc.

 

11 hours ago, will4623 said:

I only play supcom faf,pa,oni and rocket league.

If I could play all games without issues, I would probably only play TF2, BeamNG, Automation (only for making cars to drive in BeamNG, lol), War Thunder, and GTA V. Unfortunately, War Thunder acts like malware on Manjaro and literally unmounts the drive it's installed on when launched (I've tried on multiple computers), GTA crashes when attempting to load Online mode, Automation works fine but exporting to BeamNG is broken, BeamNG works fine but crashes randomly and has long load times, and TF2 is the best game out of the ones I play but still has issues with the cursor not locking to the center of the screen (though I think that's just a Linux thing, not a TF2 thing, but idk).

[Dedayog]

10 hours ago, Sylvie said:

technically, yes. although I doubt Ms is looking to punish literally every software pirate ever. just don't go around advertising it. 

Not technically.  100%.  It's not splitting hairs.  

 

"Techincally" doesn't apply to rule of law.

 

If you want to do illegal shit, do illegal shit.  Just don't try to justify it or make it seem like you're not really doing anything wrong.

 

I've used those things, many people do.   I know I was doing something 100% illegal.  Done. 

[Sylvie]

1 minute ago, jstudrawa said:

 

tl;dr

[Shin-Gouki]

Illegal? Yep. 

Popular? Yep

[Princess Luna]

Did you really have to ask if some shady software that prevented you from having to pay is going to be legal?

 

Careful with spywares now mate.

[NineEyeRon]

Think of all the people at Microsoft, they need a wage too!

 

Do the right thing, buy retail price OS.