14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is the last company in the world you would expect to offer advice on how to download and deploy software requiring Windows Genuine Advantage validation on a system that will not pass WGA verification. And yet again, this won't be the only example of the Redmond company sabotaging its own fight against software piracy. As an integer part of its efforts to enable web developers streamlined access to Internet Explorer 6.0 and Internet Explorer 7.0 running on Windows XP Service Pack 2 even in the context of Windows Vista, Microsoft is offering two free versions of the Internet Explorer Application Compatibility VPC Image.
Each virtual machine image contains a pre-activated copy of Windows XP SP2 along with IE6 and IE7. In the files that ship by default with the images, Microsoft has included a file claiming that the copies of Windows XP inside the virtual machines will not pass WGA validation. As a result, the Redmond company also offers advice to users that want to get their hands on software for which validation is mandatory and install it into the non-genuine Windows operating system offered as a VHD.
"This image will not pass Windows Genuine Verification. If you need to install an application that requires it, download it on a genuine PC, and then copy it to the VPC," Microsoft informed. And of course this piece of advice can be extended to cover additional scenarios involving non-genuine (this time used as an euphemism) and Microsoft software.
Now, the only problem that I want to emphasize here is that I managed to get both versions of Windows XP served via the VPC image validated with no problems. Now either Microsoft has introduced the Read Me file alongside the downloads as a way of throwing users off track or the Windows genuine Advantage mechanism is in such a poor condition that it would validate even Windows copies that Microsoft states cannot pass the WGA.