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Software Activations on Windows VPS/RDP
SomeBody2L
Member
In short we got Windows VPS from Contabo to run our Cloud applications set ,which developed by another company, one of their .NET application (that doing the main process) required sort kind of software activation, apparently didn't works on that VPS ,or let's say KVM virtualizations,
I'm not have that experience with Windows VPS's neither developing it applications,
can anyone explain to me what's went wrong here, and if this issue could resolved with current VPS server , or should we take a real server to make it works?
Comments
In Proxmox atleast, there is a CPU flag that you can set to 'hidden' and that prevents the OS from knowing that it is running on a VM. Not sure if Contabo can make that change for you though.
There are many tricks that software can use to detect virtual machines, see https://github.com/a0rtega/pafish as an example.
If it's any of those methods in use, then it's better to move it to a dedi.
I didn't got any Proxmox panel login from Contabo I don't know which Virtualizations panel they use see this screenshot, I only got their costume panel, that' basic process (shutdown/restart) ,
I know this is not forum members interests, but I want to know if that authorization software stop working because detecting the virtualization, or it's not able to get the hardware information e.g motherboard/H.D.D etc serial numbers ..
That's a KVM but I doubt you'll be able to get Contabo to change the cpu config for you, plus this could also be a painful trial-and-error scenario trying to find out which flags work and what don't (which would probably involve a support ticket for every attempt).
Also bypassing such restrictions for apps that are critical to your business are sketchy at least since they can fuck you over if they catch you doing it.
In the spirit of "educational purposes", if you have nested virt you can set up your VPS as a Proxmox/libvirt host then run a single large vm, from then on you now have the freedom to fuck around the config without raising support tickets.
Sure I'm not bypassing any of that software restrictions, ironically the applications company is the one that installed the software on Contabo server, and the guy told my(boos) he could not make the authorization software to works,
He guess that something related to VM Windows server security restrictions, prevent authorization software from get working,
And Since I'm not in direct contact with the company made that software(or their support), and most my programming experience were with web programming, not windows programming, I can't guess which software registrations methods they use, + they have full access to that VPS, and they never complain about it.
Since the application is written in .Net, you can decompile it to the CLR bytecode level, and then see exactly what CPU flags are being checked.
Sometimes you can even delete the checks and bypass the restriction.
.Net Reflector is useful for this purpose.
This method will not work if the software contains non-.Net components.
For me that considered cheatings, that application solely developed to our company, and my manger know the developer, so I can't put my self in the middle.
Morally speaking, there is no difference; your goal is to bypass the checks anyway, whether you do this the hard way versus taking the easy way out does not matter.
Legally speaking I have no fucking idea, probably both bad but I can see how decompiling could be considered a more serious offense. IANAL
We will lost tech support for good, that application still nee updates/upgrade, if I did any bad modifiction to it, that will cost me my job, and the company reputation .
Then why are you asking us? Ask the developer, of course. If running in a VM is supported, they need to fix their bug. If it's not supported, better to find out now than after wasting a bunch of time and resources.