Machine specific data?

[dmh]

Hello, I'm trying for the first time to secure my program with a name / key protection scheme. Problem is, I don't know of any machine specific data to create the key from, any ideas?

[Candy]

the MAC address of the built-in NIC of course. But, it does lock your program to this specific instance of the computer, do you really want that? as in, if the mainboard is trashed should the data be lost?

[dmh]

Ah! That's a good idea, but it'd leave the modem users out. After some searching, I guess there is some hard drive volume name, or some set of GUIDs unique to windows installations which would be keen to use. I'll look into this more when I have time.

[Ghirai]

HD serial number is pretty common, you could use that.

[Candy]

If you want to be user-friendly and secure at the same time, which doesn't work for site licenses btw, use the windows key. It's possible to retrieve it, although I don't know exactly how. That'd limit it to a given key, and there's this big company Microsoft protecting those keys. You might have a problem with computers that aren't being updated, but it's an idea...

[roticv]

What about those ppl that all use the same CD key because they don't own original copies ofwindows XP?  :green2

[Candy]

What about those ppl that all use the same CD key because they don't own original copies ofwindows XP?  :green2

They are exactly those that aren't being updated, because Microsoft kicks those keys out. Excluding leaked corporate keys, but I don't think that's happened yet (and my memory explicitly deleted the one from my previous employer).

For normal human computers it's ok. For all others you need a key checking infrastructure such as Windows'.

[P1]

I buy MOLP licenses and I get only one Key per group.  So in the end, M$ does not help with their COA key.

Regards,  P1  :8)

[pbrennick]

P1,
Actually, even though they all have the same key, it is uniquely encrypted by each machine.  I would use the encrypted value.  Mine is 55277-OEM-0011903-00110, for instance.

Paul

[dmh]

Ah , great idea! Off to msdn I go.