Hardware hashes and product keys are stored in Microsoft databases to validate future reinstalls or hardware changes.
Before analyzing privacy, we must define the keyword’s anchor: Installation Features Key .
Dynamic Update is an installation feature that automatically checks for updated setup files, including drivers and other critical components, during the Windows installation process. According to Microsoft’s technical documentation, Dynamic Update runs during Setup and can download three categories of files: Hardware hashes and product keys are stored in
It is important to note that these updates were originally part of the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) and are described in the CEIP section of the Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 privacy statement's Feature Supplement.
Understanding the privacy statement requires recognizing its legal relationship with the Microsoft Software License Terms (MSLT). The license agreement explicitly incorporates the privacy statement by reference, creating a binding contractual obligation. Section 3 of the license terms, typically titled “Privacy; Consent to Use of Data,” states that by accepting the agreement and using the software, users consent to Microsoft’s collection and use of data as described in the privacy statement. Section 3 of the license terms, typically titled
Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 privacy statement outlines the data collection and usage practices for features encountered during installation and initial setup. It distinguishes between automated processes, like activation, and features where users can make specific configuration choices. Key Installation Features and Decisions
Create a PID.txt file on your installation media (inside \sources folder) containing only the product key. Then, during setup, before the "Product Key" screen. This prevents the transmission of the installation features key to Microsoft’s telemetry endpoints. Section 3 of the license terms
After installation, immediately apply:
While both operating systems share the exact same underlying software kernel, their deployment environments dictate distinct privacy default settings: