Are pirated copies of Windows Vista and Office 2007 unusable?

According to Microsoft, yes, copies distributed on popular file-sharing networks are technically reduced-value software.

A statement from Microsoft on Tuesday revealed that they are aware of pirated copies of Windows Vista and Office 2007 that have been leaked to the Internet. However, versions available on file-sharing networks other than November 9 are not considered full-fledged software, and the product keys used for them will soon be banned, making it impossible to activate the products.

Since then, there have been various cracks that are trying to bypass or deceive the activation process itself, but due to Microsoft's constant updates, these cannot be considered a long-term solution either.

“The leaked versions contain the product key of a pre-RTM version that will soon be blacklisted by the Microsoft Software Protection Platform. As a result, installed illegal copies are technically inferior software.”

Microsoft further stated that these versions do not include the final code, so users are cautioned against using them due to various security risks.

Different versions of Windows Vista will be available on store shelves no earlier than January 2007, 30.