Adapted by:
Javier Pastor
Senior WriterComputer scientist turned tech journalist. I've written about almost everything related to technology, but I specialize in hardware, operating systems and cryptocurrencies. I like writing about tech so much that I do it both for Xataka and Incognitosis, my personal blog.
Alba Mora
WriterAn established tech journalist, I entered the world of consumer tech by chance in 2018. In my writing and translating career, I've also covered a diverse range of topics, including entertainment, travel, science, and the economy.
A gospel choir opened the launch event of Windows XP in 2001, clearly indicating that Microsoft’s new operating system aimed to propose something different. During the event in New York City, the company truly went all out. However, there was one problem: Windows XP, a paid product, could be used for free.
The reason was an activation key that the warez group Devil’s Own had leaked just 35 days before the operating system’s official release.
Devil’s Own used a unique method to publicize the leak. The group published the image below, which shows a hand holding a CD-R supposedly containing a copy of Windows XP. The activation key was written on the disk: FCKGW-RHQQ2-YXRKT-8TG6W-2B7Q8.
In addition to the image, Devil’s Own shared the NFO file that typically accompanies pirated software. The file usually details the product’s contents, the company that created it, and the type of copy being distributed. In this case, Devil’s Own added a derogatory comment under the protection section. The group also offered a compressed ISO image consisting of 32 files (each 15 MB in size, totaling 455.1 MB) and the activation key.
This activation key was a volume license key. This means that Windows XP didn’t require activation via phone or the Internet, a process that users theoretically needed to start using the operating system.
The key, commonly referred to by its first five characters, FCKGW, is now obsolete. Microsoft blocked it in August 2004 with the Windows XP Service Pack 2 release. Users who had used the key saw a Windows Genuine Advantage notification on their computers and couldn’t receive updates. However, methods were available to bypass this protection even then.
Knowing the Activation Key by Heart
For years, both the operating system and the key spread through P2P platforms like eMule. Millions of users could install and use Windows XP on their PCs without paying for a license.
The Windows XP activation key became so popular and widely used that it led to an unexpected side effect: Users knew it by heart. Even years after ceasing to use it, many people could still remember it perfectly upon seeing it again.
Reddit users celebrating the anniversary of the key’s release discussed how they still remembered it. Similar comments appeared on Hacker News and AnandTech forums. The infamous activation key is now part of the nostalgia PC users feel for that era. It’s inspired memes, and some even refer to it on TikTok. Some users even advise using the key as a password.
Unfortunately for Microsoft, the effect on operating system sales was likely significant, although specific figures aren’t known. While the company sold the OS separately, many Windows XP licenses were bundled with new desktops and laptops, which may have mitigated the leak’s impact. At that time, Microsoft’s business model focused on corporate sales and OEM licenses, which also helped reduce the negative consequences of the leak.
It remains unclear whether this leak further increased the popularity and use of Windows XP. What’s certain is that the operating system became one of the most beloved among users. It was the most widely used OS in the market until August 2012, when Windows 7 surpassed it. Its usage is currently minimal, falling below 1%. Interestingly, it holds a staggering 75% market share in Armenia, according to StatCounter data.
Images | Nick Perla | Devil’s Own via Internet Archive
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