Hacking GIVEAWAY of the Day (GOTD)
by Lone.Geek
For those of you who don't know, there is a site that gives away software every day called GIVEAWAY of the Day. On weekends they give away a game, too. This info works on both.
The caveat is the software must be installed and activated that day. The software usually comes in one of two ZIP packages.
One - The ZIP will have an ACTIVATE.EXE and SETUP.EXE to install the actual program.
The ACTIVATE.EXE is supposed to be run first, and then when you install the program, it will be activated or registered.
Two - The ZIP will have a README and a SETUP.EXE.
You run the setup and use the key provided in the README to register the software. Sometimes the README will tell you to go to a website and register your email to receive a key for the product.
Now the downside is if you reformat your PC, all is lost!! The ACTIVATE.EXE (Case 1) or the SETUP.EXE (Case 2) are encrypted with a software wrapper developed by GIVEAWAY of the Day. So if you want to install or activate the program another day, it goes to the 'net and tells you the offer has expired.
So I will explain how to keep these programs around and be able to reinstall the majority of them. I say majority because some of them have better protection schemes implemented by the software developers - like the company website refusing activation - but I'd say these are the minority.
Case 1 - ACTIVATE.EXE
In most cases, these are simple registration files that will put a serial key in the Windows Registry for you.
Then when you install the program, it will come up registered. The more involved activate files I've seen go out to the web and verify themselves against the developer's server and only activate on that day. The serial number is not always in the "About" info in the program, so you could run through the registry, but some developers hide the info pretty well.
What you need is a little program called RegFromApp from NirSoft.
Run RegFromApp, close the process screen that comes up, and select "Start a new process". Browse to the ACTIVATE.EXE and select it. Now wait a few seconds while ACTIVATE.EXE is run.
You'll get a message that the activation is complete. Uncheck the "Add" boxes and close that. Now RegFromApp will stop recording since the process was stopped and you have a reg key for the software.
Just save it in the folder with the SETUP.EXE for future use. If RegFromApp didn't pull a key, then you're dealing with a more complex activation. You might try URL Snooper to see what is going on. I've seen at least one that went to the developer's site and downloaded its own activation program. Sneaky!
Case 2 - SETUP.EXE
These come with the README that will usually instruct you to go to a website and register for a key or it will provide a key you can type in.
The fix here is sometimes as simple as going to the developer's website and downloading the setup from there and using your free key to register. But there are occasions where the developer doesn't offer downloads of the program, or it is a different version that makes your free key useless.
Let's do it another way.
We spent time downloading the setup, why not use it? When you run the SETUP.EXE, it will hit the GOTD site and check the "key" and unwrap the program and you'll get the normal looking installer.
When the app is unwrapped, the decrypted version is in your %temp% folder as a hidden file. Go to "Start" and "Run", type in %temp%, make sure hidden files are visible, look for a file a few kB smaller than the original setup named WD012.tmp or something like that.
Copy-and-paste that file in the unzipped GOTD folder with the original for safekeeping (next install).
You may need to unlock the file with a tool like Unlocker before it can be moved.
Now you have the unencrypted file. Right-click and uncheck "Hidden" and rename with an .EXE extension.
Exit the GOTD install, run the file you copied to make sure you have the right file, and install it.
Exiting the GOTD installer will delete the temp file. The GOTD installer has to be running for the file to be in the temp. Sometimes after I install the program and run it for the first time, I'll run RegFromApp and select the running process, then go back to the program and enter the registration info.
That way I have a registered key, just in case it has to verify itself against the developer's website and only works that day.
Another subset of the SETUP.EXE is the website registration.
Sometimes the URL will be in the README, other times it will show up when you first execute the program. You'll have to enter your email address or click a "Get a Key' button.
Since I have multiple machines, I use my Yahoo! junk mail and then use a site like 10 Minute Mail to get the keys mailed to me. Surprise - sometimes they are the exact same key! It's good to have multiple keys in case the software counts activations - one key, one use.
Also, I may run URL Snooper during this to see what website it goes to, so I can just launch the website and register as many as I like. There are some sites which, after you give your name and email address, go to another page and give you the key right there. No waiting for email. Easy.
Now you can install these as much as you like any day!
Tools
Thanks to Nir Sofer, Nitch, Mouser and GOTD for the great software. Shout out to OneTinSoldier, Dave B, CORE my heroes, and The Legends of ESI and RUSH.