Workaround to Activate Kaspersky Anti Virus 2009 English Version with Chinese Activation Code

Kaspersky Lab is going all out to win the hearts of millions of Chinese by launching promotion after promotions that giving away free licensed activation code and key file for Chinese version of Kaspersky Anti Virus. However, these activation code has built-in mechanism to detect the language and version of installed Kaspersky product, and will deny and reject activation to Kaspersky Anti-Virus that is not in Simplified Chinese language with the following error messages.

Activation Code is not compatible with this application. It’s impossible to activate Kaspersky Anti-Virus using the activation code for another application. Please, check your product.

When try to activate via Kasperky key file, it will say:

The key file is not compatible with this application. It’s impossible to Kaspersky Anti-Virus using the key for another application. Please, check your product.

For Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 (version 8), there is a simple workaround that will fool or trick Kaspersky activation server into thinking that the installed Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 is indeed the China version, by simple hack below:

1. Download and install English version of Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 (KAV2009) (or any other language user wants).
2. Select Activate later when prompt to atcivate KAV 2009, and complete all other configuration wizard.

   

3. In Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 window, click on Settings.
4. Go to Options.
5. Uncheck and untick Enable Self Defense option check box and click OK.

   

6. Right click on Kaspersky Anti-Virus system tray icon on notification area, and select Exit to quit KAV.
7. Open Windows Explorer, and navigate to C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009\Skin\loc folder.
8. Rename the en folder name to sch.

   

9. Run Registry Editor (RegEdit.exe), and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Kaspersky Lab\protected\AVP8\environment registry key.
10. In the right pane, double click Localization and change the value date from en to sch.

    

11. Run KAV 2009.
12. When activation wizard appear, select Activate online and enter the activation code, and click Next. The wizard will automatically connect to Kaspersky activation server to activate the full version product with key successfully installed.

    

    It’s also possible to activate Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 via key file.

Note: Do not update KAV 2009 as it will invalidate the activation. If you updated, do not restart the computer, use hibernate instead.