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by Dalewyn 974 days ago
The law explicitly permits making copies of computer programs for archival and backup purposes.[1]

You will run into legal problems if you try distributing those archives/backups, but simply making them for your own use is perfectly legal.

Obligatory IANAL.

[1]: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/117

1 comments

You can't (practically) though, they all require internet activation and are very hard for a layperson to crack (if one isn't available for download)... they're effectively coasters unless deep skill and time are invested in the cracking (which is usually the case but maybe not always).