Results 1 to 8 of 8
  1. #1
    Thailand Expat
    Takeovers's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Last Online
    Today @ 02:44 AM
    Location
    Berlin Germany
    Posts
    7,056

    Windows reinstall

    My wifes computer had some issues and I decided to do a clean reinstall. Disconnected all drives and installed a new drive for windows. Not even formatted before windows install. So no remnants of old installs could interfere.

    Reinstalled Windows 10 and Office 2016. Next I wanted to type in the activation keys. Only to find out that both were already activated. They must have called home and some Microsoft server somehow recognized the computer and reactivated the software. Convenient in this case but a little creepy.
    "don't attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by incompetence"

  2. #2
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    96,555
    Quote Originally Posted by Takeovers View Post
    My wifes computer had some issues and I decided to do a clean reinstall. Disconnected all drives and installed a new drive for windows. Not even formatted before windows install. So no remnants of old installs could interfere.

    Reinstalled Windows 10 and Office 2016. Next I wanted to type in the activation keys. Only to find out that both were already activated. They must have called home and some Microsoft server somehow recognized the computer and reactivated the software. Convenient in this case but a little creepy.
    Or the key is hard coded in the BIOS.

    wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey

  3. #3
    In Uranus
    bsnub's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    30,429
    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda View Post
    Or the key is hard coded in the BIOS.
    They have been doing that for a while, unfortunately.

  4. #4
    Thailand Expat
    Takeovers's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Last Online
    Today @ 02:44 AM
    Location
    Berlin Germany
    Posts
    7,056
    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda View Post
    Or the key is hard coded in the BIOS.
    Thanks, I was not aware of this. Better than a microsoft server involved.

  5. #5
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    96,555
    Quote Originally Posted by Takeovers View Post
    Thanks, I was not aware of this. Better than a microsoft server involved.
    Oh I'm sure it's still checking. You can flash pretty well anything if you have the right tools.

  6. #6
    Custom Title Changer
    Topper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Last Online
    Today @ 12:11 AM
    Location
    Bangkok
    Posts
    12,124
    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda View Post
    You can flash pretty well anything if you have the right tools.
    I would disagree...ain't none of my tools flash worthy.

  7. #7
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    96,555
    Quote Originally Posted by Topper View Post
    I would disagree...ain't none of my tools flash worthy.
    Titter titter guffaw guffaw.

  8. #8
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Last Online
    Today @ 03:47 AM
    Posts
    24,760
    if you want to roll your own - or just use their torrent


Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •