After acknowledging the existence of a method to bypass the Windows Vista activation routine, a senior product manager at the big M, posted about the effectiveness of this method on his blog.

“This form of product activation is also known as OEM Activation or just OA,” Kochis wrote. Back at the launch of Windows XP when Microsoft introduced Windows Product Activation, we recognized that as easy as end-user activation is, it still represented an extra step. In an effort to reduce the impact of even that extra step but maintain the overall effectiveness of product activation, Microsoft worked with OEMs to develop an implementation that would work best for them and their customers while keeping the goals of product activation clearly in focus. As we looked to develop a solution, it was important to ensure that product activation technology could still deliver an acceptable degree of protection, while at the same time, reduce the need for an extra step by the end user.”

“Over the years we've seen examples of BIOS editors that, with some work, allowed people to make an edited BIOS appear to be an OEM BIOS. In Windows XP this kind of BIOS editing wasn't as difficult as it is in Windows Vista and frankly, because there were easier ways to pirate Windows XP, I don't think much attention was ever paid to it,” explained Kochis. “However, because Windows Vista can't be pirated as easily as Windows XP, it's possible that the increased pressure will result in more interest in efforts to hack the OEM Activation 2.0 implementation.”

Microsoft currently has no plans to stop the OEM BIOS hack.

“We focus on hacks that pose threats to our customers, partners and products,” Kochis wrote. “Our goal isn't to stop every 'mad scientist' that's on a mission to hack Windows. Our first goal is to disrupt the business model of organized counterfeiters and protect users from becoming unknowing victims.”

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