[dencorso]

wsxedcrfv, on Sep 23 2009, 10:00 AM, said:

On a hunch, I just now registered msxml3.dll and tried GenuineCheck.exe again, and this time <snip> [it worked!]

On a hunch? I explicitly told you to do so, in case you already had msxml3.dll!

dencorso, on Sep 23 2009, 01:30 AM, said:

If it still refuses to work, check whether you do have msxml3.dll and if yes GOTO (5)
<snip>
(5) In the Run window, Type: regsvr32 msxml3.dll <Click OK>
(6) Try runing GenuineCheck again
(7) Report your results.

Now that you know GenuineCheck.exe works on your system, go to either:

Validate Windows Using an Alternate Method
or
Validate Microsoft Office Using an Alternate Method

And, in either case, when prompted, be sure to select Run this program from its current location.

Now you should be able to download what you need to.

[Queue]

wsxedcrfv, on Sep 23 2009, 06:00 AM, said:

So now my question is this: Now that I have this code, what changes (if any) have been made to my system (registry, etc)? What will (or what would) happen if I complete step 2 as indicated? What does Microsoft know about my system at this point if I don't continue?

Why in the world, if you care about this sort of thing, would you not be using RegShot?

The answer is: nothing. It downloaded something similar to:
C:\WINDOWS\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\0LAZWDGD\CodeSignPCA2[1].crl
and that's it. No permanent changes.

Microsoft knows someone out there is running a legacy system and they don't really care. They're worried about people pirating their modern OSes.

The codes for legacy systems aren't unique in any worthwhile way. The program generates a short-term code for you to download a WGA restricted download.

Queue

[dencorso]

It works, all right! Let me tell you all how it's done:

I) Download either GenuineCheck.exe ver. 1.7.36.0 or GenuineCheck.exe ver. 1.7.69.2, as per post #5, and keep it in a convenient directory. It requires no installation. But it does require a registered msxml3.dll (in doubt, refer to post #5).
II) Navigate to Validate Windows Using an Alternate Method, as per post #7, and click "Validate Now". It'll offer the download of "legitcheck.hta". Accept it and direct the download of this file to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM (or whatever the route to the SYSTEM directory in your machine is). Use the other link provided in post #7, in case you're interested in validating Office.
III) Go to a Microsoft download page that requires validation and click on the "Continue" button that is beside the "Validation Required" message on the orange ribbon. A box will open and offer to install "Windows Genuine Advantage" and you'll click on the "No" button. Then scroll down the page and click on the link "Genuine Windows Validation, Alternate Method".
IV) You'll arrive on a page that has two items: (1) Run the validation tool and (2) Enter your validation code.
Do not use the first item because, if you do it, it will download GenuineCheck.exe ver. 1.9.0009.1 or greater, which does not run in Win 9x/ME. I repeat, don't click on "Continue" below the item (1), or select Cancel, in case you've already done it.
V) Run GenuineCheck.exe ver. 1.7.36.0 or 1.7.69.2 instead, from the directory you'd saved it to, and use the "Copy to Clipboard" button in it, then close it. If it's the first time you run it, it'll complain it's outdated. Just run it once more, and it'll work.
VI) Go back to your navigator and paste the code you just obtained to the approppriate window below the item (2) in the page you were, and then click on the "Validate" button.
VII) You'll be automagically taken back to the download page you had originally navigated to in item III of this post, but now, instead of the orange ribbon, there will be a blue one, saying Genuine Microsoft Software, with a "Download" button beside it. Use that button to download normally.

Enjoy!

P.S.:
(i) Thanks are due to Marius '95, who originally reported (link) that GenuineCheck.exe ver. 1.7.36.0 runs OK under Win 9x/ME. He's the real inventor of this procedure, although he did not describe it in so many words.
You do rock, Marius '95! :
(ii) Thanks are due to jds, for pointing out that GenuineCheck.exe ver. 1.7.69.2 also runs OK under 9x/ME.
You do rock too, jds!
(iii) Perhaps it's possible to simplify this procedure, by omitting step II above. I'm not positive that "legitcheck.hta" is really needed. If anyone would be willing to test this hypothesis and report, please do so!
(iv) And thanks also to loblo, for the info on the next post. Yes, loblo rocks too!

[loblo]

dencorso, on 26 September 2009 - 03:29 PM, said:

Perhaps it's possible to simplify this procedure, by omitting step II above. I'm not positive that "legitcheck.hta" is really needed. If anyone would be willing to test this hypothesis and report, please do so!

I just did run the GenuineCheck.exe tool, and , bingo, on second run it gave me a code which I could use without problems with Opera to authorize a restricted download from MS website. On first run it just did complain it was out of date or something and that was it, no need for any other fiddling.

I'll have to run it again some time doing a packet capture to see what it is actually sending to them.

This post has been edited by loblo: 13 May 2011 - 11:04 PM

[dencorso]

So, getting the "legitcheck.hta" is not really necessary? Great!