There is a strong rumor being circulated around the Internet that some unidentified pirates have hacked the registration process for Windows Vista Business and Enterprise Editions.

The rumor goes like this - it seems the normal registration process is not used during the activation process for corporate editions of Vista. This allows the corporate edition to be deployed without the hassle of activating each copy that is installed.

The hackers claim that they have circumvented this process using what has been labeled the ‘MelindaGates’ hack which can fool the process into thinking it is a legal activation by by spoofing the process.

The MelindaGates hack also allows the users to download a VMware image of a KMS server which activates Windows Vista Business/Enterprise edition.

Side Note: If the rumor was true, it would apply to corporate users only using volume licensing for 25 machines or more.

Remember, this is only rumor. I haven’t seen nor read any confirmation from any reliable source which can confirm this as fact.

Tags: rumor, vista, hacked, activation business, enterprise, licensing