Is is possible to remove timebombs without a crack?

[Fuzzy_Blanket]

I would really like to avoid using cracks so if anyone could answer it would be helpful.

[jimmsta]

For NT5< builds, sure. NT6+, not that I know of.

NT5 and below used a simple registry key to set the timebomb. Now, it's tied to more things in the system, and I have no idea if there's any real ways to defeat it.

[Wheatley]

Technically even with Pre-10 NT6 the timebomb can be removed with just registry edits, though it really is better to "crack" it differently. Why? Doing that will completely break the licensing system. However, in 983x builds of 10 they introduced the well-known addition of making the system not boot some time after the expiration. Bypassing that is more difficult, and absolutely will require patching files.

So based on this, if you truly want to avoid any cracks, you should just use RTM products, which have no timebombs and work properly even without activation cracks.

[Fuzzy_Blanket]

What key do you edit for 5.x?

[TheOtherGuy]

I would really like to avoid using cracks so if anyone could answer it would be helpful.

Only in builds NT5/Win2000 and earlier, the setupreg.hiv has the timebomb, builds later do other checks on startup, one being the pid in the registry, pids generated using keys not meant for retail/oem/vlk will halt the system when booting, at a screen just before login.
swapping the files responsible for the check will fix that, though not something that can be discussed here on the forum.
Technically, this is a topic not endorsed here, and has me wondering why it hasn't been removed.

[coltonspleen]

TheOtherGuy's right. It may be a little bit of a necro here (sorry if this post disturbs anything) but you go into setupreg.hiv/currentcontrolset001/services/setupdd and fill the top registry entry with zeroes. That's how you take out the timebomb crackless.