[TriLUG] machine comparing... possibly OT

[David McDowell]

Let me elaborate... I have a WinXP system (yup, this might be the OT
part) which has software on it that interfaces with our keycard
system.  This software is ours, we own it.  However, when you install
the software, somewhere, someplace there is a "Reference Code" created
(a different one each time you install the product) and you must call
the software vendor to have them put that code into their keygen to
get your "License Key" so that your software operates as registered.
In the past, we have called tech support and they have given us this
without question... well, today, as we moved this software to a new
piece of hardware... we are approached with this situation again, BUT
the software vendor now claims they will only generate license keys if
you maintain a $560/yr support contract with them (or a per incident
fee)... what crap I say!!!

So, maybe there is an open source tool for this... maybe not, but my
question comes down to this.  We OWN this piece of software.  If I
choose to pay the per incident fee or at least pickup a contact for 1
year, I want to be able to do this.  I want to take a snapshot of the
machine PRIOR to entering in the license key, then I want a snapshot
of the machine AFTER entering the license key.  I want something to
compare these snapshots and tell me every file and every registry
entry which has changed.  My hope is that I will discover where their
hidden changes are occurring and if I have to re-install this software
again, I will be able to force an old "Reference Code" in place of the
automatically generated one by either replacing files or registry
entries and then enter the License Key which I know works for that
Reference Code OR simple replace all the files/reg entries that exist
AFTER the license key has been given such that the code and key are in
concurrance together.

At any rate, this really upsets me what this vendor is doing.  We OWN
the piece of software and they are holding us hostage by forcing us to
pay to get a new license key just b/c we had to re-install the product
on a new machine (the old one crashed).  I know this kind of tool must
exist as virus, worm and spyware companies must use them to determine
what a particular item does to a system.  I'm hoping something exist
in the FOSS world that can help me even though this system is WinXP
and would need files and the registry snapshot and compared.

Thanks!!
David McD