Your Daily Computer Security Tips

Well, it did not take long. Hackers have cracked the Windows 7 activation just one week after the new operating system was certified for RTM, or Release To Manufacturing. The leaked product key apparently came from Lenovo, one of the big computer makers who are allowed to pre-activate Windows on their new PCs at the factory.

This saves us poor consumers the annoying hassle of the activation process. But Microsoft has to provide these OEM manufacturers with master keys for this purpose. That is what was hacked.

Windows 7 uses something called OEM Activation 2.1. The hack requires that you mess with the BIOS, and is definitely not for the faint of heart. Many users have had problems with it, although many others report success.

What not to do: If you are thinking of downloading Windows 7 from one of those peer-to-peer sites, I do not recommend it. Aside from the legal questions, you could very well get a boatload of malware along with the o/s. This past May, a copy of Windows 7 RC (Release Candidate) was available on a file-sharing site, and contained a Trojan horse.

Windows 7 will be released to the general public on Oct. 22, 2009. Subscribers of TechNet and MSDN services may be able to get a final, legal copy next week. You can still grab yourself a copy of the RC direct from Microsoft. It should be malware-free. However, this is for experienced users only. Go here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/download.aspx