When the Windows XP version of Internet Explorer 7.0 rolled out almost a year ago, Microsoft included a Windows Genuine Advantage validation step in the browser’s installer. The validation step prevented IE7 from being installed on pirated versions of Windows XP.
Now, nearly one year later, Microsoft IE Program Manager Steve Reynolds has posted an announcement on the Internet Explorer blog saying the validation step has been removed. According to Reynolds, Microsoft is allowing pirate users to upgrade because the company "takes its commitment to help protect the entire Windows ecosystem seriously."
In addition to making IE7 available to non-genuine Windows XP systems, Reynolds says the XP version of the browser has been tweaked so the menu bar is visible by default. The IE7 online tour and "first run" experience have also been updated, and Microsoft has included a new MSI installer to make it easier for administrators to roll out the browser in enterprises.
Internet Explorer 7.0 can be downloaded from this page for users of both genuine and non-genuine Windows XP systems. As before, however, only Windows XP Service Pack 2 is supported.
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