Difference between product key and CD-Keys

The main product was originally named as CD-Keys. The setup or install program of the product was prompting one to enter the key. The key is positioned over the product stored in media such as floppy disk or CD-ROM. If the product key is matched, after that the installation continues to copy and install the product files on the PC. Or, cancel Setup. This verification process resulted in the reduction of pirated software. However, this process was not completely fool proof.

Role of Windows Vista Product Key

Once the product key of the product known to a few persons, they just copied the product from CD-ROM to CD-ROM and started installing the product. A few persons go ahead and developed various cracking mechanisms to break out the product key by some means. This again caused huge revenue losses for the company that developed the product. Everyone started thinking. It was an invention of the World Wide Web, namely the Internet, has come to rescue them, that product key verification.

The product asks one to verify the product key in the internet, after being installed. The user can continue to use the product without verification, but, after some days or some tries, the entire or some part of the product is disabled. The user must verify the product, to make it enabled again.

How does Windows Vista product key work?

Windows Vista, check the product through the Internet, hoping to shrink the pirates. However, it prompts for the product key, in the first stage of the installation, which is a good change compared to previous versions of Windows family of operating systems. The product key in Windows Vista is alphanumeric, meaning that it can contain two alphabets and numbers.

Technical Details

The key length is now set to 25 characters. In Windows Vista, when entering the product key is probable to enter the hyphen character each time it show on the certificate given with CD-ROM. There is a different text box to enter individually, as it was before. The main product was verified by the product key stored on CD-ROM. After you install Windows Vista, product verification tool seems to connect to the internet. If available, the tools send the product verification key product along with some information about the computer check at the Microsoft Web site and get it verified.

If the product is pirated, then Microsoft says the user that the product is not genuine. If the product is genuine, then an activation code will be returned back internally, so the product can be used now. If there is no internet connection existing, after that one should call Microsoft and get the activation code and provides code when prompted. This process is still in the first stage and the only Microsoft warns the user of pirated software. They can also take official action in the very near future to users to fight software piracy.