product key

Winsage
April 21, 2025
A college student experienced persistent notifications from Microsoft Windows promoting the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, priced at .99 per month. While Windows 11 can be acquired for free or with a product key, most users receive it pre-installed on their devices after manufacturers pay licensing fees. The student found these notifications distracting, especially during important tasks, and noted that Microsoft also uses the Second Chance Out of the Box Experience (SCOOBE) to promote additional products like Office 365 and OneDrive. The student provided instructions on how to disable Xbox Game Pass notifications and the SCOOBE process through the Settings menu.
Winsage
March 16, 2025
NTLite has received updates that enhance its functionality and security features, including support for Windows UEFI CA 2023 certificates and Microsoft Pluton. The update improves compatibility with Windows 11 24H2 and reintroduces the unattended Windows product key activation option, with caution advised against using generic keys. Key components added include the Image Mastering API (IMAPIv2), InstallShield WOW64, and various tools for 32 and 64-bit systems. The update also includes enhancements to the downloader and cumulative update compatibility. The latest version, 2025.03.10349, is available for download on Neowin and the official NTLite website.
Winsage
March 10, 2025
Microsoft has revised its support documentation to highlight the importance of recognizing unsafe applications on Windows 10 and encourages users to upgrade to Windows 11. Applications on a PC can be categorized into three groups: Clean apps (from the Microsoft Store or pre-installed), malware apps (from untrusted sources), and potentially unwanted apps (PUAs) which may not be malicious but can clutter user experience. Microsoft warns that after October 2025, Windows 10 will no longer receive updates, increasing vulnerability to cyber threats. Upgrading to Windows 11 enhances security with features like Smart App Control. To clean install Windows 11, users need the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB drive. The process involves downloading the tool, creating the USB, and then installing Windows 11 on the target PC. Users should ensure their PC meets the hardware requirements for Windows 11. After upgrading to Windows 11, users are advised to configure settings to block potentially unwanted applications by enabling options in the Privacy and Security settings. To minimize risks, it is recommended to download apps from the Microsoft Store, keep Windows 11 updated, and use the Microsoft Edge browser with SmartScreen.
Winsage
February 24, 2025
TSforge is a new exploit developed by researchers that can activate all versions of Windows from Windows 7 onward, as well as all Office versions since Office 2013. It utilizes a technique called the "CID trick," which modifies the CID validation code in sppobjs.dll to allow the use of a counterfeit CID for activation. This activation persists even after service restarts. The researchers identified key locations for activation data storage, including specific files and registry keys that form the "trusted store." They used leaked Windows beta builds to understand the spsys.sys driver and reverse-engineered components to extract private RSA keys for decrypting and re-encrypting the activation data. TSforge can activate any Windows edition without debuggers or kernel exploits and bypasses hardware ID validation and the PKEY2005 encoding system.
Winsage
February 21, 2025
A group of developers called Massgrave has hacked Microsoft's activation tools for Windows and Office, uploading PowerShell scripts to GitHub that allow users to activate Windows and perpetual-license Office versions without paying licensing fees. Their tool, TSforge, supports activation for Windows versions 7, 8.x, 10, and 11, as well as Office versions from 2010 onward, excluding Microsoft 365 subscriptions. The scripts require minimal technical expertise and have been tested successfully on fresh installations of Windows 11 and updated Windows 10 machines. Massgrave acknowledges their actions as piracy and does not accept donations, emphasizing the ethical implications. The safety of the scripts is questioned, as there is a risk of malicious actors cloning their work. Microsoft is aware of the situation and plans to take action against unauthorized use of their software.
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