How To Use Keygens, Cracks, & Patches


To understand how to apply keygens, cracks and patches, you must first know what they are, how they work, and what they actually do.
 
A keygen (or key generator) is a small program that will generate a key or serial/registration number for a piece of software.  The advantage of using a keygen (as opposed to just finding a serial on the web) is that the generated key will be unique, (as it is generated on the spot using the same methods as the software vendor) and not traceable or in use by the legitimate owner.
 
A keygen is very simple to use.  Just open it and enter any information that is asked for (usually a name, etc.) and click on the generate button and it will provide a code or serial for you to enter when you open the program and register. 
 
 
A Crack is software that is hacked in order to remove encoded copy protection.  Software cracking is most often done by software reverse engineering.  Hackers take a software program apart and analyze its workings in detail, then remove the copy protection.
 
A crack is usually applied by copying it from the folder that you downloaded it to, and pasting it in the installation folder in your Program Files folder on your C-drive.  The cracked version will replace the .exe that was installed with the program.  When you paste a crack into the programs folder you will get a message asking you to confirm replacement of an existing file.
 
 
A patch is a software update that usually only alters the executable (or .exe), removing the copy protection.  It can be very small (under a megabyte). If it also changes assets, it can be several megabytes in size.  The patch usually just replaces the entire executable rather than attempting to "fix" the existing version of the executable.
 
A patch is usually applied by copying it from the folder that you downloaded it to, and pasting it in the installation folder in your Program Files folder on your C-drive.  Once the patch is in the programs folder you double click on it to open and execute it.  The patch will not replace the existing file, but will modify it, taking the copy protection off.
