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Vista cracked totally by Paradox - Microsoft's in trouble now

uploadcrap.com — Turns out a person called Paradox has worked out a way to crack Vista so that you may even get all of the automatic updates just the same as any legitimate Vista user could, the main story explains fully...

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  • crazlunatic, on 10/12/2007, -83/+59has anyone proved that this works?
    • nateteep, on 10/12/2007, -203/+20M$=
      PWNT.
    • Reponere, on 10/12/2007, -11/+536I can't give a confirmation, but I can express my confidence in team Paradox (note: Paradox is not a single individual). They crack all of Adobe's respective programs and others. If anyone can crack Vista, I'm very sure Paradox can.
    • stonewaljacksn, on 10/12/2007, -156/+5reponere
      are you Paradox or what?
    • Xorsist, on 10/12/2007, -13/+323I *might* know "someone" that got it to work on their copy of Vista Ultimate.
    • jimbojim, on 10/12/2007, -12/+723"Microsoft's in trouble now" - surely this is the end for Microsoft, since no other OS Microsoft made has been pirated.
    • Paleo, on 10/12/2007, -50/+37I can confirm that it REALLY works!
    • retral, on 10/12/2007, -57/+14I wonder if paradox puts a huge banner that displays for 10 seconds every startup on this, too.
    • TheCount, on 10/12/2007, -16/+236I don't see how this means Microsoft is in trouble. The pirating of XP was a large factor in why it became so popular. As far as I see it, pirating can only help Vista spread more quickly and once it's in more homes, Businesses will feel more confident making the switch and they will actually be paying for their licenses.
    • JesterJDL, on 10/12/2007, -82/+15can "this guy i know" get in trouble for using this?
    • arunforce, on 10/12/2007, -13/+512I must say, I am rather disappointed in this release, they forgot the most important part. As a many time Paradox crack user, I have to ask...

      Where's the freakin' cool background and funky techno music?
    • Ignignokt01, on 10/12/2007, -7/+110@JesterJDL

      Did you ever get in trouble for pirating XP? Nope.

      The thing is, for OS's, as long as people are USING it and most people payed for it, Microsoft is happy. On the outside, it may look like they're 'working real hard to catch all these darn pirates', but they probably don't care that much. They might go after the teams that do the cracking, but they're not going to sue any individuals. I think they're even going to offer a cheaper version to pirates that they catch when they attempt to do updates, but according to this crack, MS can't tell the difference between pirated users and payed users.
    • Asianwaste, on 10/12/2007, -10/+78@ jimbojim

      You took the words right out of my mouth. I'm sure Microsoft while swimming in a pool of $100 bills is saying, "So the ***** what?"
    • JesterJDL, on 10/12/2007, -11/+19@ Ignignokt01

      Good point buddy, thanks
    • RubeusEsclair, on 10/12/2007, -112/+277The only time I would ever use a crack like that is if there was a bug and I couldn't register my copy of Vista. Yes, my software is legal. Why? Because I am a coder and I would be pretty furious if someone was stealing my programs.

      Too expensive for you? Its the program that runs your WHOLE computer 24x7. Compare that to something like WoW-- how long until you've squandered more money in a fake world than it would cost to be legit in the real?

      Linux is free, why can't Windows? Linux fanboys will hate me for this, but Windows is better because it is a commercial product geared towards not just consumers, but other businesses as well. Im not saying open source is bad, Im just saying Windows is a better OS for a desktop system in 99.99% of all situations. (IE: it takes 5 minutes to install a program on XP/Vista, but it takes a few hours to get it working on Linux/Wine/Compiling it yourself.)

      And dont try to justify it by saying "They are a big greedy corporation!"; thats just retarded. Youre no Robin Hood, a thief is a thief.
      • gfnw, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1"(IE: it takes 5 minutes to install a program on XP/Vista, but it takes a few hours to get it working on Linux/Wine/Compiling it yourself.)"

        apt-get install will have the program downloaded and fully installed in less than the time it takes for you to go to the website, download the installer and run it through all the way, with less interaction needed.
    • Duhitsmichael, on 10/12/2007, -4/+34@arunforce
      "Where's the freakin' cool background and funky techno music?"

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cracktro
    • gldfshnpcklejar, on 10/12/2007, -1/+72haha "A person named paradox"
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PARADOX_%28warez%29
    • Xavier1012, on 10/12/2007, -23/+10Go here and click on the "free" button and you can download the actual ZIP file:

      http://rs30.rapidshare.com/files/19283398/ParadoxVista.zip
    • DeFex, on 10/12/2007, -7/+41LOL a "person called paradox"
      they are still around. their stuff works unless it is fake or has been hijacked by lamers.
    • driftwood07, on 10/12/2007, -3/+71paradox makes good ***** . their photoshop cs2 keygen not only works but looks ***** awesome
    • Scruffydan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+31seeing as there is a driver needed to make this work, couldn't MS release a new WGA that specifically checks for this driver?
    • KamikazeeDriver, on 10/12/2007, -20/+15"Paradox has worked out a way to crack Vista so that you may even get all of the automatic updates just the same as any legitimate Vista user could"

      Not anymore, thanks for reavealing this problem so MS can fix it.

      Sometimes, the beneficial workarounds aren't worth a "discovery for the masses"
    • Flamekebab, on 10/12/2007, -43/+92@rubeusesclair

      "Im just saying Windows is a better OS for a desktop system in 99.99% of all situations. (IE: it takes 5 minutes to install a program on XP/Vista, but it takes a few hours to get it working on Linux/Wine/Compiling it yourself.)"

      Don't you just love utterly made up statistics? "99.99% of all situations"
      Riiiight. Sure thing, buddy.

      Windows is certainly more suitable in some cases but for installing stuff I call BS.
      Utter BS.

      I've no experience with some of the more "compile it yourself" geared distros but the thing is, these days there's no need to unless you want to!
      My experience is based mainly around Ubuntu, so I'll use it for my examples:
      Using Ubuntu you can get software installed in a few clicks. No compiling yourself. No hunting around for executables of dubious origin online.
      Just because you CAN compile software yourself (as I do on occasion) doesn't mean it is required by any stretch of the imagination.

      Windows is better in a few cases, such as if you're a hardcore gamer.
      There's business applications that are currently only available on Windows too, so that can be valid too.

      However Linux is fantastically useful on the desktop!
      In our business we run three desktop machines on it and one server.
      The amount of hassles that are removed by having machines that are immune to Windows viruses alone is worth it.

      You can argue Windows is better in many cases, certainly, but for gods' sakes, don't do the whole pulling fabricated statistics out of the air thing. It makes what would otherwise be a fair argument and turns it into thoughtless garbage.
    • m1ss1ontomars, on 10/12/2007, -8/+37http://chris.tandiono.googlepages.com/ParadoxVista.zip
    • Ngai, on 10/12/2007, -7/+43It works... Paradox is the *****.


      Mess with the Best, Die like the Rest!
    • thefat, on 10/12/2007, -7/+27Did anyone really think Vista wasn't going to get a crack at some point and time? Props to the guys at Paradox for doing it first.

      I still won't use it.
    • sannm, on 10/12/2007, -8/+21The amount of seeders and leechers on vista torrents are going through the roof...gives a new meaning to "the digg effect". Vista trackers are gonna be busy tonight, TPB FTW!
    • acdcfanbill, on 10/12/2007, -5/+17It doesn't surprise me the submitter can misinterpret a scene group if he gets his scene news from blog sites :)
    • sirhomer, on 10/12/2007, -38/+18People who say installing things in Linux, NEVER USED LINUX. Linux, especially Ubuntu is far far far far more easy to install things then in Windows, for ***** sake. Read up on what "apt" is and stop spreading this retarded lie.
    • vexter, on 10/12/2007, -20/+13@rubeusesclair

      What about the 5 other times Ive paid for the same code? I have no problem buying code once. But Vista is only 5% different then XP, which was only 5% different then 2000, which was only 5% different then NT.

      Sure, I agree you deserved to get paid, but at what point does code become public property? How many times should I have to pay for something I already bought?
    • jrhelgeson, on 10/12/2007, -9/+3Good thing because it looks like as of 3/1/07 it looks like Microsoft "fixed" the TimerStop.sys hack (read about it at http://www.appiant.com)
    • meteorash, on 10/12/2007, -9/+3office 2007 anyone?
    • agimat, on 10/12/2007, -9/+26@vertex

      "What about the 5 other times Ive paid for the same code? I have no problem buying code once. But Vista is only 5% different then XP, which was only 5% different then 2000, which was only 5% different then NT."

      Then why pirate it at all? If it's only 5% different than NT, you should be perfectly happy using your *paid for* Windows NT and not wanting for Vista enough to use a warez copy.


      "Sure, I agree you deserved to get paid, but at what point does code become public property? How many times should I have to pay for something I already bought?"

      They have no obligation to make anything "public property" and you have no obligation to buy their product.


      /Enjoy your pirated vista. We know how it is so quit making lame justifications.


    • fyrehart, on 10/12/2007, -1/+23Confirmation:
      http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/2544/licensedwt9.jpg
    • ggko, on 10/12/2007, -13/+8"The pirating of XP was a large factor in why it became so popular."

      And not the 90%+ of the machines in the world already running some version of Windows?
    • TexMurphy, on 10/12/2007, -14/+2Paradox ASCII art by The Paranoid/Paradox:
      .. ... ..
      . _ _ . . ___ :: ::: ::
      /-live ( )n a | )ead |/|achine ... '|'hat's :: ::: ::
      _ _ _ __ ____ ____ _ :: ::: ::
      _____ ______ _____ ______ ___ _____::_:::_::____
      __/ _ / _ __/ _ / _ __/ / /_ /
      / /______//___/ // /__ //___/ // /__ )/ / // __ /
      /_____/ /___//____/___ /___//_______/ _____//____/____
      _ _ _ __ ____ ____ _ .:::: ::: ::::.
      ...::::::: ::: :::::::...
      _ _ _ __ ____ ____ _ ::::::::: ::: :::::::::
    • hater2win, on 10/12/2007, -7/+5There is a release on newsgroups, but team Pantheon is taking credit for it, what a buncha ninjas.
    • jeriqo, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8Since it is a BIOS/driver emulation, does it work with bootcamp? parallels/vmware?
    • Spo8, on 10/12/2007, -7/+4I thought I should post this as a reply to the first, because it didn't for me. In fact, it ***** over my Windows install. I just applied this driver (the ASUS one, as I have an ASUS motherboard), and upon restart came to a boot disk failure. It has completely hidden the windows hard drive from my motherboard. BIOS doesn't see it, the Vista repair utility doesn't see it, nothing sees it. It's too late to try go through flashing the BIOS tonight, but just as a warning to other people, this looks like it could be a possible reformat.
    • Westcoast, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1I'm curios as to were this leads skeptical MS dihards. Vista was supposed t be the solution to and the end of their security problems. Now, so quickly it turning out quickly not to be all that they hoped for.. Is thee still hope for Vista or are their customers going to disappointed and look elsewhere. (there is only a few options) I know nothing out there is built/hack proof but is there a better answer than the worlds most pubic available OS beaning so under attack? I know if there was any other OS as popular as MS. there would be most of the same problems MS is facing, At some point you need to decided like the very old and over used used cliche' "Do we lead follow or get hacked and owned". It doesn't matter what platform your on OSX, MS, Linux.... whatever is the mosy popular is going to get the most positive and negative publicty. I sound like an old boing pain in the ass. I'll shut up know and go back to ripping on Vista just because everyone else is.

      Sorry for the late night rant... Now back to porn!
    • ifonly, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1Won't the owner of this site get raped?
    • bitcloud, on 10/12/2007, -7/+2Paradox Rox!
    • ifonly, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10FYI I tried this and I now have a BSOD upon start up. This happened on the second reboot step. I get a BSOD saying something about royal.sys attempting to be in cache memory and I should disable any caching or shadowing in my BIOS settings (which I have done but no luck). I will try and repair royal.sys and hope for the best. I am not making this up to scare anyone but thought i'd let people know I may of been one of the first to experience a problem.
    • ifonly, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4Sorry for double post, here is a photo of my monitor with the error:
      http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/7528/errorjh3.jpg

      Please help :/

      System restore works fine, so don't worry, I have no lost anything, just I have tried to do this 4 times now and it just won't work :|
    • andreo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3@ifonly

      I had the same error. The only thing I've found so far is that the Nvidia system drivers will cause the error. But I did a full install of all the drivers. Now I will have to try each one and see which is causing the issue.
    • OBKenobi, on 10/12/2007, -6/+4[quote]The only time I would ever use a crack like that is if there was a bug and I couldn't register my copy of Vista. [/quote]

      I would use a crack like this because MS charges too much for Vista. It doesn't matter if it's used all the time, I don't WANT TO use it! MS has us locked in to this piece of crap OS and we have no choice but to use it! Windows is a global computer tax.

      I pay for software I like and CHOOSE to use, but Windows is another story. Windows is in a special category--it is a monopoly--it must be offered for a fair price if we are required to use it in the workplace and at home.
    • OBKenobi, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3[quote]seeing as there is a driver needed to make this work, couldn't MS release a new WGA that specifically checks for this driver?[/quote]

      Another driver could be released. Or it could be encrypted.

      Btw, there is an even better crack by Pantheon which runs at boot, sort of like a rootkit I guess. Vista can't even detect it by any existing functionality in the OS.

      There is also the third method, of patching your BIOS to physically make it an OEM machine. That can be a bit iffy, but it's the most reliable method.
    • jon314, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3>> "Because I am a coder and I would be pretty furious if someone was stealing my programs."

      If you were a mega-billionaire coder then I wouldn't feel too bad stealing your programs and I don't think you would even notice. Still, I don't ever pirate any software because there are great open-source alternatives out there and I do personally feel bad about it. =P

      >> "Too expensive for you? Its the program that runs your WHOLE computer 24x7."

      http://www.apple.com/macosx/tiger/
      Check out the price tag. OSX is ten times the OS windows is, and it also runs your WHOLE (yes, all of it!) computer 24x7.

      >> "Linux is free, why can't Windows?"

      Where did that come from? Just decide to take it out on Linux for no reason, didn't you? Everyone in the world knows why Linux is free and windows isn't.

      >> "Linux fanboys will hate me for this, but Windows is better because it is a commercial product geared towards not just consumers, but other businesses as well. "Im not saying open source is bad, Im just saying Windows is a better OS for a desktop system in 99.99% of all situations. (IE: it takes 5 minutes to install a program on XP/Vista, but it takes a few hours to get it working on Linux/Wine/Compiling it yourself.)"

      Basically, you don't know what you're talking about. You just wanted to rag on Linux and picked this thread to do it in. 99.99% of all situations? A lot of consumers use their computers to surf the net and e-mail. Linux is far better for them because of it's stability and security. What about them? Maybe you need to check your figures there.

      It sure as hell doesn't take a few hours to get software working in Linux. You can be up and running in Ubuntu in less than an hour. I mean a fresh install with codecs and everything. After that, you can just click the Menu ==> Add/Remove, pick the software you want and you're done. =P And it doesn't get much harder than that in other distros, even the ones geared for the power user.

      Gentoo: "emerge someApp". Done.
      Arch: "pacman -S someApp". Done.
      Slackware: "pkgtool install someApp". Done.

      >> "And dont try to justify it by saying "They are a big greedy corporation!";

      They ARE a big greedy corporation.
    • danjal, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2If this turns out to be a virus as well.. i will laugh so hard cause everybody is devowering it like gospil
  • richarddd, on 10/12/2007, -34/+4I've done it on my friends desktop, my copy is legit however from msdn
    • teckieee, on 10/12/2007, -7/+9uh oh we have one who confesses he committed a crime
  • retrac1324, on 10/12/2007, -68/+6Yes, this works perfectly for me

    Dupe - http://digg.com/microsoft/Bypass_Vista_Activation_with_Paradox_OEM_BIOS_Emulation_Toolkit_v1_0
    • hokkos, on 10/12/2007, -10/+32The other link have been buried, so digg this one
  • brasso, on 10/12/2007, -8/+197Paradox is not a person...
    • richarddd, on 10/12/2007, -42/+18I'm sorry, is it like a group?
    • Initialpassion, on 10/12/2007, -22/+75Then a god?
    • Ocelot13, on 10/12/2007, -6/+93yay for the paradox group, they also provided me a way to register PS CS2. YAY!
    • mattmcm, on 10/12/2007, -8/+22@Richard: Paradox are a group.
    • truegodofwar, on 10/12/2007, -4/+166Paradox is the bomb. Somebody call the boston police. I ran their keygen for Photoshop and got to listen to some cool techno music they thoughtfully provided with the crack.
    • expertninja, on 10/12/2007, -6/+46http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PARADOX_%28warez%29

      That is paradox. All hail Wiki.
    • Jugalator, on 10/12/2007, -2/+30truegodofwar - Hehe, it's good to know warez groups still upholding the tradition of cracktro's. :-)
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cracktro
    • 5plic3r, on 10/12/2007, -3/+15Is this the same paradox that concentrated on cracking audio software back around year 2000?
    • idiggeverything, on 10/12/2007, -13/+3Paradox is your mom.
    • championchap, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Ahh yes, the music!
      haha, sometimes I just leave the program open so i can listen to the funky music a little longer.. as sad as that is, its the truth.
    • teckieee, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2damn this one has no key generator with those awesome paradox music score
  • DiggHermit, on 10/12/2007, -23/+53Not a person indeed, a scene group. Basically the people the MPAA/RIAA should be going after, instead of scraping the bottom of the barrel.
    • stevegraham, on 10/12/2007, -1/+22Perhaps not as profitable though. RIAA out-of-court settlements anyone?
    • alecks, on 10/12/2007, -3/+24I thought paradox was software only... do they release music/movies as well?
    • varunb007, on 10/12/2007, -4/+17Paradox only releases Apps... Probably the BSA that will go after them, not the RIAA or MPAA
    • kickinass, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11PARADOX have released games for about every console out there as well.
    • tkstock, on 10/12/2007, -9/+61@ varunb007
      What do the Boy Scouts of America have to do with this?
    • fuzzmeister, on 10/12/2007, -17/+14@tkstock
      I don't know if you're being sarcastic, but he means the Business Software Alliance.
    • Xenogis, on 10/12/2007, -11/+1huh?
    • ashlvsya, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2Don't be silly the RIAA/MPAA won't go after these guys, whilst the money to be made from the thousands of end users is there...
  • stevegraham, on 10/12/2007, -9/+13I concur with the title.
  • jerryparid, on 10/12/2007, -4/+22Yes; this is a Paradox release. Note at the end of readme.
    "TEAM PARADOX '07"
    • idiggeverything, on 10/12/2007, -8/+3Cause everything on the internets are trues!
  • ultrahombre, on 10/12/2007, -94/+18He's not a person, its a team of crackers called paradox.
    http://paradox.crackteam.ws/
    Yah I use cracks, I am 16 so I cant actually afford Microsoft Office 2007, Photoshop CS2 or any of the other great software I have including my current version of Windows, The real problem isn't that someone figured out how to crack it but that they did so soon. Go ahead Digg me down.
    • kaytrio, on 10/12/2007, -27/+2....... umm......huh.....?
    • truegodofwar, on 10/12/2007, -4/+23^^^^^Above link is NSFW^^^^^^
    • K-Flow, on 10/12/2007, -8/+31god, you're so ***** leet, dude
    • foolfromhell, on 10/12/2007, -2/+17@truegodofwar
      Add this to adblock before going if you are afraid of NSFW
      http://banners.adultfriendfinder.com/
      I never got any pictures when going there with adblock with this added.
    • fugazi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11just use the g.filterset for adblock. It works like a charm!
    • ZekeSulastin, on 10/12/2007, -17/+8The, if you cannot afford it, you shouldn't use it? Same as "I'm only 16, so of course I stole this great sports car I couldn't afford" ...
    • venom8599, on 10/12/2007, -7/+32@ZekeSulastin

      It's not stealing, it's copyright infringement. Physical Property != Intellectual Property.

      If you steal a sports car, you're depriving someone else of a sports car. If you use cracked/pirated software, you're making a copy that is simply unlicensed, and the original is left intact. Morally wrong? Yes. Illegal? Depends on your country's copyright laws. Is it stealing? No.
    • sulf, on 10/12/2007, -11/+4ZekeSulastin's analogy is correct. You don't have to pirate latest versions of software with all those fancy bells and whistles just because "you want it but cannot afford it". MS Office 97/2000/XP/2003 or OpenOffice or Linux or whatever will work just fine for a college student.

      Don't want to learn how to use Linux/OpenOffice/etc? Then pay for the convenience and buy the product (Vista/Office2007).
    • IceZZ, on 10/12/2007, -11/+1@venom8599

      Actually it IS stealing according to the legal definition. (to obtain the benefit of another's property, not necessarily by removing it from the premises of the owner). Further, copyright violations can carry federal criminal sentences, just like property theft. Are you obtaining the benefit of the software? YES. Doesn't matter if you removed it or not.
    • venom8599, on 10/12/2007, -2/+12@IceZZ

      That's physical property. Physical property isn't the same as Intellectual property. Software is Intellectual property. If I went into a store and shoplifted a copy of Vista for instance, that's theft, since that's physical property (the packaging and media, etc..). If I go download the MSDN version of Vista on BitTorrent, that's copyright infringement, since it's involving intellectual property. Cracking it would also break provisions of the DMCA I'm sure in the US, in addition to any violation of law from the actual infringement. It's illegal, sure, but it is not theft.

      And all that said, I've got a legit license for Vista Business.
    • Kontra8, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4There's one thing i don't have a clear point of view yet and probably wont for a very long time.

      We are coming from thousands of years of living in a physical world. All traditions, rules, laws etc was created from that physical world experience where everything was limited (except perhaps sun, wind, oxygen which will give us a little insight into unlimited).

      Now we are in virtual world. Most of the time we applied our physical world wisdom to virtual world. But...
      Today its possible to have infinite number of copies of 1 file basically for free. Infinite number! How do you charge for something that can go infinite for free?
  • NX910a, on 10/12/2007, -10/+50Microsoft is hardly "in trouble." On the contrary, pirates will ensure that Microsoft's relatively large marketshare (one word or two?) stays in place.

    When Windows activation works, Vista will become more difficult to pirate. A win for Microsoft.

    When Windows activation doesn't work, Vista will become pirated much more often, which increases Microsoft's marketshare (pirates comprise a large portion of the population, I would imagine). Another win for Microsoft.

    Either way, they win.
    • truegodofwar, on 10/12/2007, -15/+4or maybe YOU lose...
    • lolwtfhaha, on 10/12/2007, -15/+10Why dugg down? This is how it works. Turn a blind eye to those whom you cannot sue (poor people, china, etc); let them help maintain your mind-share and popularity. Big companies and average folks will pay the $$. Even if the average home user pirates Vista, they sure as hell wouldn't pirate things for work. So, the gravy train works it's way into the Enterprise. It's almost an unsaid "rub my back, I'll rub yours" type of under-the-table deal.

      Why don't they pass a damn law that says MS must not allow piracy of it's products? If MS really says they can't prevent it... well, we all know that's *****. Microsoft has some pretty smart people really. It just doesn't add up.
    • tugger, on 10/12/2007, -12/+6Assuming that Vista actually works, then I'm fine paying for it. It's worth about $90, not $450 and thats the problem I have with Microsoft.
      Windows Vista isn't good value. It does the barest minimum that an OS should do.

      XP never came out of Beta Testing. It should never have been sold until all the flaws were ironed out. All the millions of people (and I'm talking home users here) who have little idea how much work it takes to keep XP up and running, have been struggling with viruses, crashes, memory errors etc should get Vista for free. Thats not a wild claim, Vista is simply a version of XP that works.

      Why should the whole planet have to go out and buy third-party antivirus programs simply because their OS does not have even the most basic security mechanisms?? It's crazy, and everyone has grown to accept it.

      Most Windows home users simply want to do their emails, a bit of internetting, word processing (for the kids homework) and and burn music CDs for the car. It amazes me that there are no other OSs on the high street shelves that offer that. $50, and works with all PC software.

      Yeah yeah, I've used ubuntu, it's a fantastic OS but it's not written for the home user... it's getting there, but there are still issues with drivers, wireless connection to ipod/mp3/mp4 etc etc.. In a year or two it will be a realistic proposition. Not yet though.
      What we need to use from Ubuntu is the fact that it's a solid OS, that doesn't crash, ever, regardless of the hardware... it doesn't catch viruses, and even if it did, they couldn't propogate... only that single machine. Someone should be asking why microsoft can't give us that for $450.


      @rubeusesclair, you, truely, are an *****.
      For the reasons above, Windows is, without doubt, the worst desktop OS out there.
      The only positive thing going for windows is that everyone else has it. And thats it. If the whole planet used OSX and Windows was trying to crack into the market, it would get panned for being a dinosoar. Huge, lumbering, out of date, expensive, insecure and destined for extinction.
      The ONLY reason everone buys it, is because everone else buys it.

      People don't attack microsoft because it is a huge corporation. They attack it because it made itself a huge corporation by overcharging for a ***** product. It made itself huge and fat by stiffing the average Joe, the guy who's working 55 hours a week to pay the rent, the guy who wants the best for his kids, the guy who can barely afford the electricity bill let alone a huge $200 for an operating system that gives him no virus protection, no decent word processor and no free phone support when that OS falls over time after time.

      No made up statistics here:
      A PC thats not connected to the internet, has no external applications or devices, and has windows XP installed, will corrupt after no more than 250 restarts. Vista does better at 420 restarts. That, people, is an operating system that corrupts itself. That is bad bad software. So, two years or so running without problems.. for the average user??
      XP is *****. Vista is better, but still 5 years behind Linux/OSX. It's simply a shame that the average Joe doesn't know.
    • pytro, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Let the news flow and make people understand that they shouldn't pay for certain types of services. Good Job Paradox.
    • theboognish, on 03/22/2008, -0/+0I would have to agree with you in that they win either way, but I don't think as many people pirate as you would expect. I mean what percentage of the population really has the time / ability to mess with a pirated copy of vista? I know it's not that hard, but most people in the U.S. would rather just buy it than try to mess with that. I'm not talking about techies who use Digg, but the general population. Now in somewhere like China on the other hand, where a copy of Vista is a years salary.....
  • legendofxix, on 10/12/2007, -13/+7This works awesome.
    Digg this up guys!
  • Vinthian, on 10/12/2007, -39/+6*****
    • greenlight2001, on 10/12/2007, -6/+72Couldn't figure out how to spell any words? Don't feel bad, you can blame it on the public school system. Just keep in mind that not being able to spell hasn't stopped 95% of diggers from posting anyways! You're in great company. Seriously. :)
    • EmileVictor, on 10/12/2007, -14/+6I second that notion.
    • emoj0388, on 10/12/2007, -9/+4werd.
  • Lane, on 10/12/2007, -19/+47(speaks on behalf of all of digg) We Love you team paradox!!!!!
    • jrsims, on 10/12/2007, -18/+13Yep. One of the things holding me back from getting Vista was the price.

      Heck, if Ultimate sold at a more reasonable price (like $200 for a full, non-upgrade version), I might have bought it with real money. At the price Microsoft is asking for it, I'm just going to either pirate it, stick with XP, or just get a Mac.

      Microsoft's pricing scheme is abusive, and therefore I won't play ball.
    • chumba, on 10/12/2007, -6/+29@jrsims - "Microsoft's pricing scheme is abusive, and therefore I won't play ball."

      Wha? I'm as anti-microsoft as the next guy, but you've got to be kidding right? Abusive? You don't like it, you don't pay for it. It's as simple as that. There's nothing abusive about their pricing. They can ticket it as high or as low as they want. Are BMW's pricing policies abusive because you can't afford to buy one or you think they cost too much? Holy crap dude, wake up.
    • fkr2, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12How can you speak on behalf of all of digg? Isn't digg expecting Vista to send Microsoft broke?? Or isn't this the year of linux? Or something?
    • robdazomba, on 10/12/2007, -7/+5@chumba,

      Maybe you missed what he meant. MS is the de facto standard for a lot of businesses and if they want the biggest and the best that MS has to offer (and they often do, even when they don't quite know why), they have to buy the latest version of the OS. MS is milking it for every penny they can get knowing full well that many large corporations out there will eventually upgrade buying licenses by the 100s of thousands. Instead of pricing Vista at a reasonable price, they have artificially inflated the hell out of it. The consumer, as usual, is the one taking it in the ass--unless they want to buy the severely crippled home basic edition which does pretty much nothing.

      Now, give me a break. That's definitely an abusive pricing policy and MS needs to stop it. Personally, I think they need to cut their OS line down to two editions: home and business. Period, and be done with it. Make the businesses pay through the nose if they need to and cut the consumer a break.
    • fkr2, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9Artificially inflated the price by providing multiple entry points that allow people to get what they need without paying for everything ... right. Some people have spent more on a dinner than the lower Vistas.
    • Pyroteq, on 10/12/2007, -5/+14"Heck, if Ultimate sold at a more reasonable price (like $200 for a full, non-upgrade version), I might have bought it with real money. At the price Microsoft is asking for it, I'm just going to either pirate it, stick with XP, or just get a Mac."

      How the hell can you complain about the price of Vista, then consider getting a Mac?
    • jrsims, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1@chumba, I mean no disrespect - but you simply don't get it. There are reasons Microsoft is constantly in court for abusive practices. Furthermore, you're paraphrasing my comment when you say "You don't like it, you don't pay for it. It's as simple as that." So I don't see what you're counterpoint is supposed to be.

      Neither myself nor the other commenter (robdazomba) were dugg down on logical merits.
  • deadcow231, on 10/12/2007, -10/+6YAY!
  • Jugalator, on 10/12/2007, -0/+26OK, if Paradox is behind this, I'm pretty sure I'll trust this more than that keygen... :-) IMO, only a well known warez group like them would be willing to put their name behind a crack that really is a "good" solution, from the pirate's POV. And indeed, MS will probably have a hard time telling a reported OEM BIOS apart from a real OEM BIOS.
  • sputty01, on 10/12/2007, -2/+32old news... but good news :) paradox rock, people don't have enough respect for the scene groups these days. just spend a second while your installing your completed torrents giving a thought to the people that brought it to you!
    • ciproxr, on 10/12/2007, -2/+16I agree 100% , these people have saved us alot of money.
    • fuzzmeister, on 10/12/2007, -16/+17Money saved for you means money lost for the software makers...
    • sonofagunn, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2It's not really money lost for the software makers, it's money lost by the people with morals who actually pay for the product. The software makers jack up the prices so that the honest people are paying more and in effect, subsidizing the pirates.
    • HsoKinees, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"Money saved for you means money lost for the software makers..."

      more like "less potential money for software publishers"
    • aliguana, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1"Money saved for you means money lost for the software makers..."

      or... Money saved by not paying $400 for the operating system, means money spent on 20 shareware products. or two major software packages. Thats the way it works on the Mac, anyhow.
  • ThinkFr33ly, on 10/12/2007, -4/+32Microsoft's in trouble? Ya, because all the piracy that XP experienced really crushed the company's profits. Give me a break.

    Microsoft has long maintained that preventing piracy will be virtually impossible. WGA and Activation are simply ways of getting unwitting pirates and casual pirates to pay for the product they're using. It was never really intended to thwart the hardcore pirates.

    Microsoft's anti-piracy efforts have, for the most part, work exactly as they were intended to work.
    • TritonX, on 10/12/2007, -5/+5Thank god for WGA, if it wasn't of it, I would probably haven't bought a mac and swithed to Linux on my older pcs.
  • lolwtfhaha, on 10/12/2007, -16/+11Oh crap, M$ is TOAST. Now, poor countries and people can continue to use Vista instead of resorting to FOSS! I bet Microsoft is sooo pissed that most people have no legitimate reason to switch from MS software. Free Software advocates across the globe rejoice! Down with MS yayayay!

  • xiojqwnko, on 10/12/2007, -10/+3Have none of you heard of TimerLock? Its been out for a while. And yes you can use Windows Update.

    Works with all versions of Vista 32 and 64bit.

    http://btjunkie.org/torrent?do=stat&id=3900f722d675a76cde225f57b9e4508e445410852fd7
  • richarddd, on 10/12/2007, -5/+14I uploaded a fast mirror incase the main one dies

    http://homepages.shu.ac.uk/~rjodwyer/digg/
  • outrageous1, on 10/12/2007, -8/+3I'll be impressed if they crack this for x64.
  • redmond007, on 10/12/2007, -8/+2paradox is a group of haxxorz
  • svishi, on 10/12/2007, -5/+0hmm, they don't have dell product keys listed in their file... will it still work on other manufacturers?
    • nstern2, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2I think that is the point of it. You can use ANY pc and trick vista into thinking it is a fresh from factory acer,hp,compaq,etc. Since I already have vista cracked (sorta just no WGA update) I don't see the point in this as of now.
  • iLemon, on 10/12/2007, -10/+5I can download a hacked version of Vista? Maybe now I can get around to never ever installing it.
  • maloventevil, on 10/12/2007, -10/+1um, why cant you just use timestop. auto updates work with timestop, so does WGA. no hacking necessary.
    • inf4my, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9um this works way better than timestop try it, it validates instead of just resetting the trial period so it really is a valid vista copy. and as for the hacking involved, u press install and run two commands. If anything this is even less of a task than time stopper cracks.
  • Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -2/+14I work at a non-profit, and Microsoft practically gives us software free (XP Pro, Office Pro, Server 2K3, Terminal Server licenses, for like $4-8 each). If they didn't, we'd be doing Linux by now. Have you scoped the prices on their corporate stuff? Even so, we've maxed our Office licenses so I'm going to move some people to OpenOffice.org.
    • boscorelle, on 10/12/2007, -20/+5should try Google Docs

      http://www.google.com/google-d-s/b1.html
    • bIuebonics, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8i'm taking a networking with xp pro class at my college (which, for whatever reason, is a pre-req to a linux class they offer, which of course is the only reason i'm taking this half-assed course) and through msdn aa i'm getting a free copy of vista business, another copy of xp pro, vs.net 2003 pro, and windows server 2003... i guess microsoft takes pity on us poor college students :D ... of course, this free copy of vista is going to get cracked on several other computers of mine :x ... oh, and go paradox... one of my favorite groups :D
    • evilbeatfarmer, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2They aren't taking pity on you. They're brainwashing you. It's a smart tactic, by giving you all that stuff nearly free you'll use it and become another Microsoft developer supporting their cause without even know it.
  • boscorelle, on 11/04/2007, -10/+59article contents:



    BIOS Emulation Toolkit For Windows Vista x86


    Download link:
    http://rapidshare.com/files/19283398/ParadoxVista.zip


    What's the purpose of this release?


    Bypassing the product activation requirement of Microsoft Windows Vista x86.


    How does it work?


    Microsoft allows large hardware manufacturers (e.g. ASUS, HP, Dell) to ship their products
    containing a Windows Vista installation that does NOT require any kind of product activation as
    this might be considered an unnecessary inconvenience for the end-user.
    Instead these so-called 'Royalty OEMs' are granted the right to embed certain license information
    into their hardware products, which can be validated by Windows Vista to make obtaining further
    activation information (online or by phone) obsolete.
    This mechanism is commonly referred to as 'SLP 2.0' ('system-locked pre-installation 2.0') and
    consists of the following three key elements:

    1. The OEM's hardware-embedded BIOS ACPI_SLIC information signed by Microsoft.

    2. A certificate issued by Microsoft that corresponds to the specific ACPI_SLIC information.

    The certificate is an XML file found on the OEM's installation/recovery media,
    ususally called something like 'oemname.xrm-ms'.

    3. A special type of product key that corresponds to the installed edition of Windows Vista.

    This key can usually be obtained from some installation script found on the OEM's
    installation/recovery media or directly from a pre-installed OEM system.

    If all three elements match Windows Vista's licensing mechansim considers the given
    installation a valid system-locked pre-activated copy (that does not require any
    additional product activation procedures).

    So the basic concept of the tool at hand is to present any given BIOS ACPI_SLIC information to Windows
    Vista's licensing mechanism by means of a device driver.
    In combination with a matching product key and OEM certificate this allows for rendering any system
    practically indistinguishable from a legit pre-activated system shipped by the respective OEM.


    How do I use it?


    Preliminary hint:
    Most operations described below require elevated privileges, so disabling UAC (Run->MSCONFIG.EXE->
    Tools->Disable UAC) for the time being is recommended, Of course, it can be safely re-enabled after
    all steps have been performed. Otherwise OEMTOOL.EXE and some SLMGR.VBS operations must be explicitly
    run with adminstrative privileges.

    1. Install the Windows Vista x86 edition of your choice without entering any product key during setup.
    Basically any Windows Vista x86 installation media will do, regardless if it's MSDN/Retail/OEM/ETC

    2. Install the emulation driver.
    INSERT THIS FILE INTO THE C: SO THE FILE IS IN C:.XRM-MS E.G. C:ASUS.XRM-MS" if you chose to install the default driver
    Run OEMTOOL.EXE, select the OEM BIOS information to emulate (ASUS might be a good choice given the
    fact that it's the only OEM for which a complete set of product keys is provided ) and hit the
    '' button.

    If prompted about whether to install an unsigned driver, allow it.
    (For some odd reason Microsoft didn't wanna sign this one...)

    3. Reboot your machine.

    4. Install the OEM certificate matching your OEM selection during driver installation by running

    SLMGR.VBS -ilc .XRM-MS

    (e.g. "SLMGR.VBS -ilc C:ASUS.XRM-MS" if you chose to install the default driver and extracted
    the certificate file to C:)

    Note that this operation might take quite a while depending on your system, so be patient.

    5. Install an OEM product key matching the installed edition of Windows Vista x86 by running

    SLMGR.VBS -ipk

    (e.g. "SLMGR.VBS -ipk 6F2D7-2PCG6-YQQTB-FWK9V-932CC" if you're running Windows Vista Ultimate using
    the default emulation driver)

    Note that this operation might take quite a while depending on your system, so be patient.

    See PKEYS.TXT for a list of OEM product keys published by different OEMs.

    Download link:
    http://rapidshare.com/files/19283398/ParadoxVista.zip
  • Wang, on 10/12/2007, -5/+13This will only help Microsoft and make people more eager to obtain + run Vista....that's how it's always worked. Market share == safe, Microsoft == not in trouble.
    • talmid, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0He doesn't have to afford college. He could always watch the webcasts that colleges like MIT provide to everyone for free.
    • tiggsy, on 02/27/2008, -0/+0Not sure why anyone wants Vista.
  • Rachmaninoff, on 10/12/2007, -15/+1I wonder if there is anything in store for an Office 2007 activation work-around/crack.
    • jacko1990, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9Why would you want to? The corporate version was released ages ago.

      No activation required.
    • Bootes, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10You don't need one. The enterprise version has no activation.
    • adolfojp, on 10/12/2007, -1/+13Download the corporate/enterprise volume license version from a torrent. It doesn't need to be activated. It only needs a serial number. Enjoy!

      / Rule of thumb. If you make money with a software package, whether it is free or not, pay for it. It allows the continued development of such software.
    • Rachmaninoff, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7Ahh, thanks for the replies...I am a poor college student. OpenOffice only goes so far...
  • JesterJDL, on 10/12/2007, -12/+1 ddd
  • dreamlayers, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6So are the leaked keys and certificates unique to a particular computer or dependent on the OEM? If they are unique to a particular computer then M$ could easily block those keys. If the same key and certificate are used on a large number of computers by the OEM then it's harder to block this. However, M$ could still check to see if the driver is loaded or verify that the certificate is on the right system in another way, for example looking at installed hardware. I expect they'll definitely try to do something about this.
    • Jugalator, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6"If they are unique to a particular computer then M$ could easily block those keys."

      From how I understand it, they're only unique to the hardware manufacturer (ASUS/Dell/...) and the Vista product (of course), and also doesn't require activation because that would be an "inconvenience" to so many users. Instead the licensing info is embedded into hardware (the OEM BIOS), which this emulate. See the pkeys.txt for all the keys that MS probably can *not* block just like that.
    • Nocturnal, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3This is how it is right now with most OEMs and Windows XP. They all pre-install Windows using a VLK key which is the same for pretty much all computers. As long as you have this marker in your BIOS, you can reinstall using the provided media to your hearts content and not need to activate.

      If you have a computer with XP on it and it was made by an OEM such as Dell, Acer, HP, etc., try running Magic Jelly Bean Key Finder. You'll notice that the key it spits out is not the same key as the one on the side of your computer located on that little sticker. Although I don't know if this is the truth for every single OEM but I know that HP and Dell does this.

      Perhaps there is a way for MS to tell that you aren't using an actual OEM computer but I doubt it.
  • cybermage, on 10/12/2007, -5/+5Paradox reminds me of back in the 80's with cracked C-64 days. Thieve's Guild would add cool loader screens with awesome music at the beginning of every game they cracked.
  • Jugalator, on 10/12/2007, -2/+16lol @ readme:

    "If prompted about whether to install an unsigned driver, allow it.
    (For some odd reason Microsoft didn't wanna sign this one...)"
  • kamilmarkowicz, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6Be careful people, as this release work only with 32-bit version of vista (x86). If you try to install on x64 version you'll encounter a 'small' problem :).
    • goat2, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2splain lucy
    • mortrix, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0Is there a crack for the 64 bit version? Can this one be used or tweked a bit to work? I've been waiting so long to use the 64 bit version?

      On a side note, anyone know of any downfalls using the 64bit version? Will programs like AutoCAD still work?
    • techmaster, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4The x64 version will only allow you to install drivers signed by MS. Since this one isn't signed, x64 won't allow it to be installed. Aside from that, it's obviously a x86 driver, which won't install onto an x64 OS. So there's two reasons right there that it won't work.
  • lopla, on 10/12/2007, -15/+79I have confirmation that this works on the following Vista Builds.

    -Vista Feather
    -Vista Home
    -Vista Pro
    -Vista Corporate
    -Vista Super
    -Vista Mega
    -Vista Ultra Mega
    -Vista Party Pack
    -Vista Ultimate
    -Vista Freedom
    -Vista Universe
    -Vista Gamer
    -Vista Coder
    -Vista Extreme
    -Vista Survivor
    and
    -Vista Big Bang

    MSFT Are Screwed!
  • sachmanb, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12Umm yah, Paradox is a release group --- probably the biggest since Fairlight got raided
    • robinator08, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9Indeed the biggest since FLT got raided, but also in the scene for the long hull. They helped pioneer how the scene works.
  • richarddd, on 10/12/2007, -14/+4I uploaded a fast mirror incase the main one dies

    http://homepages.shu.ac.uk/~rjodwyer/digg/
    • bennyboy371, on 10/12/2007, -1/+22Thats right Microsoft, from his name and the URL, you can find his school AND his full name in addition to incriminating evidence!

      Jeez, way to point out the reasoning behind the phrase "on a platter."
    • rabidstrikes, on 10/12/2007, -20/+4***** off *****
  • Travisrd, on 10/12/2007, -9/+1pretty old information, ther has been ways' to bypass vista for a few weeks now. and still get all the updates
  • emfb, on 10/12/2007, -1/+16"Microsoft's in trouble now"

    I beg to differ. The now free, as in pirateable, Vista is a demotivator for switching to a non-Microsoft operating system.

    This will alow them to retain thier existing home user market share until the computers need replacement. When it's time to upgrade the computer, the user now familiar with vista, will probably purchase a vista pre-installed computer.

    This is actually a very good way to transistion users to vista.
    • CoolWind, on 10/12/2007, -8/+1It would be ridiculous to actually buy Vista because it's too buggy. You would feel like you got ripped off.
      Because of this Vista crack many people will be willing to put up with the inconvenience of not being able to run a lot of the software that they're used to using with XP.
      I'm planning to stick with XP until the transition to Vista becomes smoother.
  • Datasinc, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1Can someone Mirror the actual file "ParadoxVista.zip?"
  • n3il89, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3the link was slow for me and i got an error so here's to anyone else that had my problem:
    http://duggmirror.com/microsoft/Vista_cracked_totally_by_Paradox_Microsoft_s_in_trouble_now/
  • richarddd, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0nope, dugg mirror got it i think
  • anomalya, on 10/12/2007, -7/+2this looks too complicated, my timerstop crack is working just fine
  • cnvanr, on 10/12/2007, -8/+1I can't download the file. Use firefox, then you will be directed to the website where they ask for a small amount of money to get the file. When using ie7, I get to download a certain file, but it is not the actual "ParadoxVista.zip". Is all this a hoax?
    • totorototoro, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6You need to read rapidshare.de's policies more closely..they are trying to get you to upgrade the account..but you CAN click FREE..then wait for the countdown to end...then type in the proper code..and then it will download.
  • Takteek, on 10/12/2007, -10/+4I think the main problem here is that someone would want vista.
  • SirBotchness, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3This is the same for any version of windows or any software on the market today....so how is MS screwed? This has been out for xp forever.
  • xSEED, on 10/12/2007, -10/+1pwnd
  • richarddd, on 10/12/2007, -16/+0http://duggmirror.com/microsoft/Vista_cracked_totally_by_Paradox_Microsoft_s_in_trouble_now/
    http://duggmirror.com/microsoft/Vista_cracked_totally_by_Paradox_Microsoft_s_in_trouble_now/
    http://duggmirror.com/microsoft/Vista_cracked_totally_by_Paradox_Microsoft_s_in_trouble_now/
    http://duggmirror.com/microsoft/Vista_cracked_totally_by_Paradox_Microsoft_s_in_trouble_now/
  • ImTheDarkcyde, on 10/12/2007, -13/+4so you're all a bunch of thieving idiots, your point?
  • Skettalee, on 10/12/2007, -6/+4I cant believe you never heard of Paradox...
    • maxhrk, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3some people havent heard of them... until now(i am one of them).

      i do hear about warez thing.. but i didnt know that they are the biggest on the scene. :) really interesting though.
  • anoriega, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7I have a Photoshop CS2 release by Paradox. Their keygen is very slick (electronic music and skinned with some metallic guy's head). If this is really them, then I'd trust this to be a good release. Or if you format as often as I do you could just image someone's Vista disc and format every 4 months..
    • zedr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4The music played by the PS CS2 keygen is a composition by the famous videogame musician Chris Huelsbeck and comes from the Commodore Amiga version of X-OUT, developed by Factor-5 and published in 1990 by Rainbow Arts. Here's a remix of that wonderful tune: http://www.amigaremix.com/listen/71
    • SpankyPants, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Thank you zedr
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