Click here to Skip to main content
15,901,283 members
Please Sign up or sign in to vote.
1.00/5 (1 vote)
See more:
Hello every body

What's the technical way to protect my software in CD or DVD so that it can be loaded only once ?

I have an application to sell on cd or online. i want my application to be installed once and in one pc without contacting my client and thank you
Posted
Updated 13-May-11 3:22am
v3
Comments
Manfred Rudolf Bihy 13-May-11 7:28am    
"Loaded only once"???

Please be conciser in your request. Did you mean installing it on only one machine?

The only real way is to do this:

0) Maintain a registration database server that contans all valid keys, whether or not they've been activated, and on what machine (see note below)

1) Force the software to require an internet connection (so it can check the remote database to verify the installation), and if one isn't available reduce it's functionality, or don't allow it to run at all.

Identifying machines is an iffy proposition because there's no real way to concretely identify a machine. MAC addresses can be spoofed, hard drive serial numbers change with every format, and the CPU ID thing only identifies th capabilities of the CPU - not the CPU itself.

In the end, copy protection is a waste of time for everybody involved. It adds production costs to the product, raises prices for the end user, and is seen as nothing more than a minor challenge for people that would crack the protection scheme simply for the sport of doing so. Consider that Blu-Ray copy protections are usually cracked within 24-48 hours, and you'll get a sense of the futility of trying to protected ANY software product.
 
Share this answer
 
Comments
Dylan Morley 13-May-11 9:29am    
Agree with this. Unless it's something completely groundbreaking that a software house has invested millions of pounds in, it's really not worth it.
If you want to implement it on your software then you can use HWID which stands for Hardware Identification, you can restrict your customer to use that software on only 1 machine.
 
Share this answer
 
hi bargou
i had the same problem when i created my own application on CD but i found an easy solution in an other forum wich i think that it will helps you and resolve your problem, let you to sell ONLINE, on CD or DVD in full full security.
the process consist to call a simple file.exe (SOS-Key.exe) in your program to protect it.
it is free to download, for more information about visit http://sosdeveloper.atspace.eu/
 
Share this answer
 
See Abhinav's great links in his solution to this question: generate activation key for new users[^].

Cheers!

-MRB
 
Share this answer
 

This content, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)



CodeProject, 20 Bay Street, 11th Floor Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5J 2N8 +1 (416) 849-8900