wincss2000.exe — License Manager Executable

This page documents the wincss2000.exe executable included with ConstructiVision v7.0.

Note

Analysis based on string extraction and PE metadata. Executable not run or fully disassembled.

File Characteristics

Property

Value

Filename

wincss2000.exe

Size

86,016 bytes (84 KB)

Date

May 27, 2005

Type

Windows PE Executable

Compiler

Microsoft Visual C++

Location

src/x86/v7.0(patch)/

Purpose (Confirmed)

ConstructiVision Registration Manager — A license management application that handles:

  • Authorization code verification — Validates user-entered codes

  • Panel credit system — Trial-based licensing (count of panels)

  • Network licensing — keyserver2000 integration

  • OEM variants — Supports branded/OEM versions

Registry Paths (Extracted)

The executable accesses these registry locations:

Software\ConstructiVision\CSS\1.0
Software\ConstructiVision\CSS-LT\1.0
Inc\ConstructiVision\CSS\2.0
Inc\ConstructiVision\CSS-LT\2.0
Inc\ConstructiVision OEM\CSS\2.0
Inc\ConstructiVision OEM\CSS-LT\2.0

CSS = Credit Software System (licensing subsystem)

Product Variants

Variant

Description

ConstructiVision Registration Manager

Standard registration

ConstructiVision OEM Registration Manager

OEM/branded version

LT Registration

Lite version

XL Registration

Full/extended version

cssPC-LT / cssRC-LT

License type identifiers

DLL Dependencies

The executable references multiple WINCSS DLL variants:

DLL

Registry File

Purpose

wincss.dll

wincss.reg

Standard

wincss-p.dll

wincss-p.reg

Protected?

wincss-o.dll

wincss-o.reg

OEM?

wincss-op.dll

wincss-op.reg

OEM Protected?

License System Messages (Extracted)

Authorization Flow:

  • “Please enter your authorization code.”

  • “Your authorization code has been verified.”

  • “Your authorization code has already been verified.”

  • “The authorization code your entered is not valid.”

  • “Your authorization code is not valid for this License ID.”

  • “Error generating License Number.”

Panel Credit System:

  • “Panel credit” — Trial panels remaining

  • “Panel credit overflows. Authorization process aborted.”

  • “This will reset your panel credit.”

  • “An error has occurred while trying to update your panel credit.”

  • “Verify error in DecrementPanelCredit”

Trial Limits:

  • “You have exceeded the number of trials allowed.”

Mutex/Conflict:

  • “ConstructiVision Registration Manager cannot run while Credit System is running.”

  • “Please close the Credit System and try again.”

Network Licensing

String keyserver2000 indicates support for network/floating license server.

Windows API Imports

Registry:

  • RegCreateKeyExA, RegOpenKeyExA, RegQueryValueExA, RegSetValueExA

  • RegDeleteKeyA, RegCloseKey, RegFlushKey

UI:

  • DialogBoxParamA, MessageBoxA, GetDlgItem, SetWindowTextA

  • EnableWindow, SetFocus, ShowWindow

System:

  • GetVolumeInformationA — Hardware fingerprinting for license ID

  • GetSystemTime, GetLocalTime — Time-based trial checks

  • CreateMutexA, OpenMutexA — Single instance enforcement

Comparison with v3.60

Aspect

v3.60

v7.0

File

WINCSS.REG (8 KB)

wincss2000.exe (84 KB)

Type

CREG registry payload

Windows executable

Registry

Applied by installer

Managed by exe directly

DLLs

Unknown

4 variants documented

v7.0 Integration Status

Warning

v7.0’s CSV.lsp has registration code removed, but this executable is still included. Likely scenarios:

  1. Optional — User can run manually for full license

  2. Vestigial — Included but not integrated

  3. Separate product — For standalone licensing tool

Further Analysis

For deeper investigation:

  1. Ghidra — Full decompilation to understand authorization algorithm

  2. x64dbg — Runtime tracing to see actual registry writes

  3. Procmon — Capture registry/file access during execution

  4. Cross-reference — Search v7.0 LSP/VLX for calls to this exe