Need some info

Will SP2 be available on Windows XP that have broken
licence keys? Because SP1 was not available to broken
license keys. Microsoft says that that this update
is "free".

Thanks

<snip>

There have been a number of discussions on this newsgroup regarding whether
SP2 will install on non-genuine (aka "pirated") versions of Windows. Here is
the official Microsoft position on this topic:

We expect that nearly all Windows XP users, running genuine or pirated
Windows, will have access to the security technologies in SP2. The same
users that were blocked from installing SP1 - those that have used a small
set of legacy pirated product keys - will be blocked from installing SP2. We
believe that there are very few systems in use today that use these keys --
in other words, the pirates have moved on to other keys which we are not
blocking.

So how do we charaterize our policy?

We want to make sure that the broadest number of people can install SP2.
The nature of malicious attacks on computer users is constantly changing and
we will continue to evaluate how we deal with security updates for pirated
versions of Windows to best protect our genuine Windows customers.

Thanks,

Gary Schare
Microsoft

--
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

<end of snip>


Please see the following:

You receive a "The product key used to install Windows is invalid" error message
http://support.microsoft.com/default...&Product=winxp

Run the Windows XP Product Key Validation Assistant
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/h...s/default.mspx

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

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"John F." wrote:

| Will SP2 be available on Windows XP that have broken
| licence keys? Because SP1 was not available to broken
| license keys. Microsoft says that that this update
| is "free".
|
| Thanks