Review the OEM version history of Windows

In Windows, the OEM version is an important branch of multiple authorization methods. However, many people do not know that the OEM history of Windows has actually started since the beginning of windows ......

1. Sprout period

Around the end of 1986, NEC ported windows 1.03 to the pc-9800 architecture and made it the first Windows version in Asia with a Japanese culture. NEC preinstalled this version of Windows, MS-DOS 3.1 with NEC's mouse Bus card on its high-end model PC-9801VX4/WN, this version of Windows has become the first oem-authorized windows.

During the 1.x/ 2.xperiod, windows was still very poor. The enhanced real-time mode introduced by Windows/286 and the enhanced 386 mode introduced by Windows/386 can manage more than 640kbMemoryBut not very stable. Based on 1.x/ 2.x PlatformSoftwareAnd games are rare, based on 1. I only know 3 of X (Bitmap Editing software PC paintbrush 1.0, desktop publishing software PageMaker 1.0 for Windows and strategy game balance of power), based on 2. I only know dozens of X. Therefore, the PC manufacturer does not choose to bind windows at that time, either DoS or OS/2 at that time.

2. Rapid Development-Windows 3. x

Windows 3.0 appeared around 1990. Version 3.0 is an innovation in the history of windows. By choosing the real mode, standard mode, and 386 enhancement mode, it supports a variety of PC compatible processors from 8088 KB of memory to 486 MB of memory, and adds the object link and embedding capabilities, greatly improving the overall level of Windows. At this time, a few computer manufacturers have begun to use the OEM version of Windows as the standard configuration.

It is worth mentioning that, in all versions of 3.0, there is a special edition only for the OEM version, becoming windows 3.00a multimedia extension. For the first time, the multimedia API mmsystem is added to Windows, some new drivers and utilities enable Windows to provide multimedia capabilities for the first time.

3.1 and 3.11 (including the Chinese version 3.2) are further extended versions of 3.0, further enhancing support for high-end memory access on the kernel. Moreover, multimedia capabilities have become a standard configuration. Windows for workgroups 3.11 provides standard network support. At this time, many brands (nearly 60-70%) use Windows as an optional or even standard configuration. PS: Some people think that Windows 3.x, simplified Chinese, is only one of Founder and others who participate in the Chinese version 3.2. In fact, another "on-going technology" has introduced Windows for workgroups 3.11 as a "Chinese Window network system" in China.

3. monopoly-Windows 9x to 2000

The launch of Windows 95 has greatly consolidated Microsoft's monopoly and promoted the development of the hardware industry. At this time, 99% of brand manufacturers (except IBM) will pre-install Windows 95 on their own machines, and the Windows key and menu key will be added to the keyboard of the machine. Since then, Microsoft has developed into a huge empire.

Here, IBM is an exception. Since the agreement for the development of OS/2 in that year was shattered, IBM once had an affair with Microsoft, and a large proportion of the pre-installed systems on their machines were OS/2. Of course, Microsoft will not give up and refuse to provide OEM Windows 95 licenses to IBM. It was not until the last time windows 95 was released that IBM was granted the authorization, so that it was 96 years before IBM launched a computer pre-installed with OEM Win95, causing heavy losses in the market. Perhaps because of this, the vast majority of ThinkPad designed before Lenovo's acquisition of IBM do not have the win key on its keyboard.

For the first time, Windows 95 clarified the differences between the OEM version and the retail version. All OEM versions of Windows 95 after 1996 are called "OSR" versions. The serial number format is different from all windows 95 retail versions and is integrated with IE (2.0 to 4.0 ), even the internal versions of the system are different (osr1: 4.00.950a, osr2: 4.00.950b, osr2.5: 4.03.1214, and retail only has 4.00.950 and 4.00000050a (lower case )), in addition, many system components are added (mainly osr2 series), as well as support for FAT32 file systems and IDE Hard Disk ultra DMA. The system file size is increased by at least two times. Many pirated Win95 osr2 users in China call their system "win97" incorrectly ".

In the future, all OEM versions of Windows and retail have no function difference.

4. fight against piracy-after XP

The OEM version of Windows is not only easy to get, but also requires a much lower price than the retail version. Moreover, enhanced version systems such as Win95 OSR encourage the theft of OEM versions. Windows XP initially introduced the activation mechanism, and one of the exceptions was that the OEM version was not activated. However, to prevent the proliferation of OEM versions, Microsoft has added the "SLP 1.0" technology to Windows XP OEMs, verify the server vendor name in the bios acpi region to determine whether the system is an authentic OEM version. Otherwise, the system cannot be activated. However, someone soon cracked the bios and added the keyword "slp1.0" to implement perfect activation and cracking.

Windows Vista further enhances OEM verification. In the ACPI region, it sets up a new SLP area to store vendor-related encryption certificates, then verify the authenticity with the certificate in the system, which becomes the SLP 2.0. However, before Vista was officially released, this method had been cracked by some experts, and even a software OEM cracking toolbox without refreshing the BIOS was created.