Thanks for the info Frank, but it seems that changing the DMI info
just isn't enough (either that or I'm doing it wrong). I guess I'll
need to find out exactly what Windows looks for with it's SLP BIOS.
Thank you once again!
FTA (attached to my tutorial):
""""Product Activation and new pre-loaded PCs
The majority of customers acquire Windows with the purchase of a new
computer, and most new computers pre-loaded with Windows XP will not
require activation at all. Microsoft provides OEMs with the ability
to "pre-activate" Windows XP in the factory and estimates that upwards
of 80% of all new PCs will be delivered to the customer pre-activated.
"Pre-activation" of Windows XP by the OEMs will be done in one of two
different ways depending on the OEM's own configuration options and
choices. Some OEMs may protect Windows XP using a mechanism which
locks the installation to OEM-specified BIOS information in the PC.
This technology works very similar to existing technologies that many
OEMs have used over the years with the CDs they ship to reinstall
Windows on these computers. We expanded and integrated the existing
OEM CD BIOS locking mechanism with product activation, and call this
method of protection "System Locked Pre-installation," or SLP.
Successfully implemented, SLP uses information stored in an OEM PC's
BIOS to protect the installation from casual piracy. No communication
by the end customer to Microsoft is required and no hardware hash is
created or necessary. At boot, Windows XP compares the PC's BIOS to
the SLP information. If it matches, no activation is required.
Every single piece of hardware could be changed on a PC with SLP and
no reactivation would be required – even the motherboard could be
replaced as long as the replacement motherboard was original equipment
manufactured by the OEM and retained the proper BIOS. In the unlikely
scenario that the BIOS information does not match, the PC would need
to be activated within 30 days by contacting the Microsoft activation
center via the Internet or telephone call – just as in a retail
scenario.
OEMs may also activate Windows XP by contacting Microsoft in the same
way the consumer would activate. Activation done in this way is the
same as activating a retail boxed version of Windows XP. This is
discussed in more detail further below.
For OEMs who do not employ either of the above two methods of
pre-activation, a new PC acquired with Windows XP preinstalled must be
activated by the customer. This activation is completed in the exact
same way as would someone who acquired Windows XP by purchasing a
boxed version at a retailer.""""
The following is what I attempted.
$ sudo dmidecode -t 0
# dmidecode 2.9
SMBIOS 2.31 present.
Handle 0x0000, DMI type 0, 20 bytes
BIOS Information
Vendor: Acer
Version: 3A32
Release Date: 02/20/06
Address: 0xE6880
Runtime Size: 104320 bytes
ROM Size: 512 kB
Characteristics:
ISA is supported
PCI is supported
PC Card (PCMCIA) is supported
PNP is supported
BIOS is upgradeable
BIOS shadowing is allowed
ESCD support is available
Boot from CD is supported
ACPI is supported
USB legacy is supported
Smart battery is supported
BIOS boot specification is supported
$ sudo dmidecode -t 1
# dmidecode 2.9
SMBIOS 2.31 present.
Handle 0x0001, DMI type 1, 25 bytes
System Information
Manufacturer: Acer, inc.
Product Name: Aspire 3000
Version: Not Applicable
Serial Number: LXA5505A7461508E132500
UUID: 00F64DE1-08DD-D911-BD45-00163637DF97
Wake-up Type: Power Switch
$ VBoxManage setextradata WinXP
VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiUuid
"00F64DE1-08DD-D911-BD45-00163637DF97"
VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 1.6.0
(C) 2005-2008 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
All rights reserved.
$ VBoxManage setextradata WinXP
VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiVendor "Acer"
VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 1.6.0
(C) 2005-2008 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
All rights reserved.
$ VBoxManage setextradata WinXP
VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiProduct "Aspire 3000"
VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 1.6.0
(C) 2005-2008 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
All rights reserved.
$ VBoxManage setextradata WinXP
VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiSerial
"LXA5505A7461508E132500"
VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 1.6.0
(C) 2005-2008 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
All rights reserved.
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