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Setup Win 98 Question..

I wanted to know, how the Win98 Setup Program checks the Install key... Does it check what YOU enter with a file on the CD or your Hard Drive and either way, how can I find out, how it decides which code are good and which are bad??

I want to know this because I plan on using it in my own program setup....

I will increase point as per a good answer

aux5

I'd recommend just borrowing the Cd from work and using their code! Or surely you have a pal who has a CD burner, borrow the work cd and burn a copy, note the code that is on the CD case, and your visit to experts-exchange has resulted in a swift resolution!

-coming from someone who has yet to pay for a single Microsoft file, and the guilt's eating me up from the inside - NOT.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

MHollinger

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joed

It performs a check digit routine. I don't know the exact one they use for windows but they work something like this. You take each digit in the code and multipy it by a number then add the numbers up and they should add up to a number that is for example divisible by 9.
for example a 5 digit number
use the mulpliyer number 54321
the number 12346 works like this
1x5=5
2x4=8
3x3=9
4x2=8
6x1=6
total =36
36 divides by 9 with no remainder therfore it is ok.
multiplier coukd be any sequence liek 232323231
This is only one example her are ways to use alpha also. justuse the hex value in your calculation.