@PeterPan2000
Found this sale of Win 10 pro from IDG which is a reputable company as you may know. I would certainly buy from them to get a genuine version. Don't know if subject to further tax or not as I've changed the settings to USA from UK.
Creativemark Store
Thats amazing that you were able to isolate and recognize this "service". I really appreciate the time you took to do so. Very interesting because once I saw the expire date had moved, I suspected a hack like this. I'm not sure what ever triggers this dll to do anything, because that date did not expire again today. It is possible that now, since I've angered the seller by turning him in to the fraud department at Amazon.com, and gave him negative feedback, he has blocked his server from completing the intended action. Or its possible the "bumping" of the expiration has something to do with some interval that is not 'daily". Whatever. I just hope when I buy a real license key and attemt to use it, it works. Last thing I want to do is have to scrap all my work by doing the equivalent of a "FORMAT C:/" to reinstall windows 10.
myip.ms is my "go-to" site for DNS information. It shows that IP address as being from a company called "Internet Assigned Numbers Authority" in Los Angeles, CA (USA). That location has no relation to the address of the Amazon seller that sold me the machine, but that's a moot point. Apparently there a lot of people questioning "SppExtComObjHook.dll" on a google search, so the seller probably put an exception in my gateway and/or virus protection, to prevent it being flagged. Boggles the mind.
Well at least I apparently have a few months to continue research, and maybe get some assurance from Microsoft about the easiest way to install proper credentials, without a full reinstall.
Thanks again!
@PeterPan2000 seems the link not working for some reason will try again but leaving the settings to UK. Software Store
Should see something like this but might not work over the pond
I think that is via computeractive which is part of the Dennis organization.
Computeractive Software Store - Windows 10 Professional - 80% off RRP
@PeterPan2000,
The seller is not running a KMS server. There is an illegal hack installed on your computer which creates a KMS server on it. The IP address of 172.16.0.2 is a loopback address that loops back to your own computer. Here is your situation, as I see it:
1. The seller illegitimately activated Windows 10 on that computer using a fairly well know method. This violates the EULA for the use of Windows with Microsoft. That action, by itself, may or may not rise to actual criminal behavior, but it certainly gives rise to civil liability - if the hack is being used strictly for personal use.
2. The seller sold the hacked computer to you with full knowledge that they had illegitimately activated Windows 10 on it. By profiting from the sale of the illegitimately activated Windows 10, the seller has now committed the crime of software piracy.
3. Presuming the sale of this computer was across state lines, and shipment was made via a common carrier, even worse if it was via US Postal Service, this now places the criminal activity of the seller at the Federal level, quite possibly a Federal Felony, but at a minimum a Federal misdemeanor.
4. You now have full knowledge that you have received this pirated software. Your continued use of the pirated software now makes you complacent in the commission of the crime. Basically, you received stolen goods, and after you received knowledge that what you received was stolen, you kept using it in the same illegitimate manner that you received it. You are now committing a criminal act the same as the seller that sold the computer to you.
5. You are now attempting to remedy the situation by obtaining and using an OEM or System Builders' edition of Windows 10 in violation of the Terms of Service you will agree to when you install it. See this Microsoft page:
https://devicepartner.microsoft.com/...r-personal-use
The fact that you remedy the illegal KMS activation scheme on your computer - which you are currently using knowing it is illegal - by swapping it with an activation of Windows 10 which still violates Microsoft's Terms of Service agreement cannot do much to help your defense, I would think.
Let your conscience be your guide, but I would not think it would be in agreement with the forum rules here for anyone to advise you how to obtain a less than 100% legitimate license for Windows 10 in order remedy your 100% illegitimate activation of, and now likely criminal use of Windows 10.
You need to purchase a full retail license for Windows 10 purchased from a Microsoft approved retail vendor.
Just on that technical point, that server address is to a company in California, and is neither an IP available in my in house network, nor within the range of IP addresses my ISP provides for dynamic IP customers. I don't know all the inner details of Windows 10 yet, but I have some knowledge of the TCP/IP and related protocols, and don't see any way that address can loop back to me.
That said, on the other issues both legal and ethical you mention. I continue resent the few but present responses to this thread where I have been personally vilified, and I think the suggestion that no one else should address, answer, or provide help to me is more than a bit over zealous . I have in good faith spend hard earned money on a machine, and resent your implication that anyone helping me on this forum is the equivalent of aiding and abetting criminal behavior. I have also voiced my intention to ultimately pay for and install a legitimate license. If you think I'm being "bad" because I'm currently continuing to use my machine until I invoke such a remedy, that once again is a bitver the top". IMO anyway.
I dare say that if everyone committed to reading every line of legalese in ever single "terms of service" document, in every service or piece software they have or will ever use, they would find themselves with no time to eat, sleep, or work, and still might be unwittingly violating something. I have (and will continue) to spend the time it takes to speak to Microsoft tech support to verify the things I do going forward. When I explained my current situation to a few of those Microsoft reps, who did say that Microsoft could not do anything for me beyond selling me a license, at no time was I ever lambasted or vilified as if immediately not shutting off my machine made me guilty of criminal activity.
I have done my best as a layman to understand the terms of the OEM route. I'm not a lawyer, but based on my reading installing an OEM key for personal use on one machine would at best be a minor infraction, of the fact that I am personally not a registered OEM dealer. But the people selling these installs apparently are. So maybe I, as well as all these sellers, and maybe half the world of Microsoft product users have violated something somewhere. I'm doing the best I can.
You mentioned my conscience. I think my intentions, desire to make this situation right, and my desire to look for bargains or discount methods have demonstrated both my ethics, and my desire to spend the least necessary to solve the issue. Were that not the case, having seen that my machine will apparently run indefinitely with a hack, I would simply do nothing. Again, I'm doing what I can. You are obviously a VIP member here, so if you think me a criminal I'm sure you can get me removed, along with everyone who has offered me helpful advise.
I think it best I close this thread as having been "answered" at this point. I still have some questions about what will be preserved in my system when I make a new installation. But that is a tangent conversation, probably best addressed in another thread.
Thanks to everyone who has equipped me with tools to test my system (and verify it in the future), and those who have taken the time to let me both know and understand my options
Might want to do some research on "KMS-Activator". 172.16.0.2 is the IP address utilized in that illegal Windows and Office activation hack. I guess you've never heard of IP address redirection? My only point is that there comes a point when you cross the line between being a victim and becoming a co-conspirator. I'm not judging, just stating a fact.
172.16.0.2 is a Private address, these private addresses are reserved and never used on the web, only on internal private networks.
DNSlystics | 172.16.0.2
You don't have to make a "new installation". When you purchase a legitimate FULL RETAIL Windows 10 Pro, you will receive a product key. The command slmgr /upk should remove the current illegal KMS product key. Then you would use slmgr /ipk {full retail product key} to "register" you legitimate product key in Windows. Then slmgr /ato will activate your Windows 10 Pro legitimately.
The local computer KMS server hack you currently have installed will remain, but it will not be the source of activation of your WIndows 10.
Still, even though I don't see that DLL actually running in my task manager "services" listing, I will remove the DLL, which i found present on my HD. I'll wait till I've a few hours to clone the system drive so that if there are any "ill effects" of it not being present, I'll have a sure path back. I also noticed my "system protection" was off, which I turned back on.
While I have immensely enjoyed the benefits of moving to a speedy 8 core machine (especially in the performance I've seen in my music mixing and mastering applications), the stress of this whole issue has been a real drag.
Question: When I make the switch using the slmgr tool, will my existing Microsoft account remain intact and be updated? Or will i have to create a new one and start over?
- - - Updated - - -
That's interesting. I'd never seen it used, but I know my home LAN router uses the 192.168.x.x range, and every company, business, or LAN that needed larger blocks used the 10.x.x.x range. Odd that if you go to myip.ms/info/whois/172.16.0.2 (dns service results for that IP), you'll find that the address range 172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255 is apparently being operated by a company in Los Angeles. Weird. But bottom line, I don't see any way the ip can loop back to me. So that said, even if the hack were intended to work, and I wanted it to, I wouldn't trust it!!!
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