Busted! (In more way than one)

[lordlundar]

Hehe! I've had enough of these I have to post this.

Lately we have had a run on Windows XP and no one can figure out why. Well, everyone but me.

Microsoft recently introduced a new patch that checks for authenticity in Windows XP. Now a number of people who have legit OEM versions have been nailed by this, but overall it's pretty accurate. When it detects a fake, It blocks access to the computer until a legit one is installed.

Since it went live, I have had several customers ask for OEM copies (at a major retail store? HA!) and getting the home editions. The reason has been the same with all of them. They were using an illegal copy, installed the patch, and got busted for it. And they keep telling me this like I'm going to sympathize with them. :lol:

[RogueOne]

It doesn't block access to the computer, it blocks access to the updates for XP.

[lordlundar]

oops! I stand corrected. Oh well. They still think I'm giving them a deal because of what happened. YEAH RIGHT!:roll:

[Kiwi]

I have a legit copy (it came with the computer) but almost no one else I know has one... :eek:

but sheesh at least they arnt stupid enough to ring techsupport and admit it!

[CanadaGirl]

It turns out the jackass ex-friend I got to build this computer, last year, must have used an illegal or bootleg copy of Windows XP Pro, because about 2 months ago I started getting that message on the logon screen that my copy of windows was not genuine. This is pathetic. I wish I still had contact with him, so I could kick his ass. Also sucks because now I have to pay $150 to get a new copy of XP Pro from my school, or pay $200 online to get Microsoft to change the authentication code on my freaking system. Haaaaate iiit. Stupid thing is, I'm still getting some random updates every once and a while. Maybe once I get my loan for school, I'll use part of that to get the new copy.

Lordlundar: As per my situation, I am probably not the only one who was f-cked over and is not at fault.

[Crosshair]

Just use a cracked version of the update. Those always seem to work.

[Spiffy McMoron]

Yeah, I got caught using the pirated Windows XP too. :o But I wonder what took them so long? I bought this computer about four years ago, and Windows XP was all that was being run, even back then.

[Banrion]

Just to help, since it seems a few people have gotten snagged with this update. www.newegg.com has windows XP Media Center for $109.99 and WinXP Pro for $139.99 which I think is significantly cheaper than most retail outlets. The reason being is that newegg will sell OEM versions.

[lordlundar]

Yeah, I got caught using the pirated Windows XP too. :o But I wonder what took them so long? I bought this computer about four years ago, and Windows XP was all that was being run, even back then.

Like I said, it's a recent item in the updates. It took that long because the item wasn't on your computer for that long. After it's installed, it nabs people pretty quick.:D

[that_chick_in_I.T.]

Writing this from my Ubuntu box with its free operating system, so if I may add:

neener neener neener. :lol:

*this she says while trying to troubleshoot the bootloader*

[FloridaLizardQueen]

I have a legit copy (it came with the computer) but almost no one else I know has one... :eek:

but sheesh at least they arnt stupid enough to ring techsupport and admit it!

I have a legit copy of XP too. It just goes to show you how many people are trying to take the shortcuts and not pay for something. In the end, it costs the rest of us more to pay for pirated copies and bootlegged software

[Dips]

Just to help, since it seems a few people have gotten snagged with this update. www.newegg.com has windows XP Media Center for $109.99 and WinXP Pro for $139.99 which I think is significantly cheaper than most retail outlets. The reason being is that newegg will sell OEM versions.

Be very careful with that. With very few exceptions, OEM software is usually not legally sold by itself. The company selling it MUST be an original equipment manufacturer (an OEM) and must have a contract with the manufacturer to sell the OEM software as a component of their own product.

If anyone is selling an OEM copy of Windows by itself, the safest thing to do is ask Microsoft if they have an OEM contract with the seller which allows stand-alone sales. If they say "yes," you're good. If they say "no," you've avoided buying stolen product.

[CanadaGirl]

Newegg.com doesn't ship to Canada, so Spiffy and I can't get it.

[MadMike]

Be very careful with that. With very few exceptions, OEM software is usually not legally sold by itself. The company selling it MUST be an original equipment manufacturer (an OEM) and must have a contract with the manufacturer to sell the OEM software as a component of their own product.


I've bought a few OEM copies from Newegg, and as long as you buy a piece of hardware with it -- pretty much any piece of hardware qualifies, you should be OK. It even says in the description, "Must be purchased with hardware." I never tried purchasing one without purchasing hardware, but I assume it wouldn't let you complete the transaction.

IIRC, I've bought three copies from them. Once with a hard drive, once with a DVD-burner, and once with a complete set of parts to build a whole new system. If nothing else, the latter had to have been OK. ;)

[MadMike]

Newegg.com doesn't ship to Canada, so Spiffy and myself can't get it.

Interesting. I did not know that.

Even if they did, I don't know how much more expensive shipping is. It's possible that the shipping, as well as the difference in the value of American and Canadian dollars would make the whole thing not worthwhile.

[dougall]

There is an article in the Microsoft Knowlege base that tells you how to remove it

I am running Linux by the way :D

[Dips]

I've bought a few OEM copies from Newegg, and as long as you buy a piece of hardware with it -- pretty much any piece of hardware qualifies, you should be OK. It even says in the description, "Must be purchased with hardware." I never tried purchasing one without purchasing hardware, but I assume it wouldn't let you complete the transaction.

IIRC, I've bought three copies from them. Once with a hard drive, once with a DVD-burner, and once with a complete set of parts to build a whole new system. If nothing else, the latter had to have been OK. ;)

Yeah. Newegg is probably fine. They have an address in California and have being in business for quite some time. If they didn't have a legitimate OEM contract with Microsoft, they'd have been shut down within about two weeks of setting up. I'm still paranoid enough to double check, though. I'd rather do that then get burned.

You would be surprised how many people buy an OEM copy of something from an outfit in China or some guy on eBay for $35 and then are shocked [SHOCKED!] that they have an illegal copy. I see it on PFB from time to time, "But the seller said it was legal!" ;)

[Crosshair]

One major reason why more people pirated XP than usual is because people like me reinstall XP every few months and like to change hardware often. Meaning we have to put up with being treated like a thief every time we mess with our system. I still have the legit copy in my book of software CD's, but just downloaded and use a cracked version so I can reinstall without M$ telling me that I can use something I bought. Retarded, yes. Easier for me, heck yes.

[symposes]

I find that I have to reformat my computer almost 6 months when i use it alot.
Thats just how windows XP is. It starts to get sloppy, or the registry gets cluttered with bad info. etc etc.
Its the time in a computer's life, when reformat/reinstall actually makes it run better.
The time before last, I reinstalled and was told i would have to call tech support to activate my copy of windows xp pro (which i bought for the amazingly high price that it was when it was brand new, course i got the update not the full install. ferk M$ it was $100 cheaper and i have a copy of win2k i can use to verify.)
Anyway the tech support guy was like, "Why are you needing to reactivate your copy?"

I so wanted to say "Because windows is a buggy piece of shit that has to be reinstalled every 6 months."

I mean seriously, Linux and Mac both can run for a very long time without falling apart, but windows just falls apart.
Ive heard the windows emulators for linux, ie WINE, can be finicky and are hard to get working just right. If i heard, There is a very easy to use one that mimics windows perfectly enough to run all those games you like to play, but not perfect enough to crash your comp... heh... then id so ditch windows.
Thats really the only reason i use it, the games.

[BravoOrig]

I built my parents a new pc and bought most parts from mwave.com Had a defective mobo and they exchanged it. What I didn't notice at the time, was the OEM copy of WinXP Home, didn't have the license key sticker on the card. When I contacted them about it, they claimed it was on the shrinkwrap and if I lost that, too bad. Well, from checking previous copies I've purchased for other computers, and eBay auctions for the same OEM edition, the sticker is always on the card, and under where the sticker goes, it says to look on your pc itself, as the manufacturer must of placed it there. So I replied to their email, and no response. Put in another RMA request, no response. Next contact will be a call from my wife who can be a SC on the phone when it counts. I can see their point of view, as I could easily just be trying to rip them off, but I'm not. It's a case where a customer with legitimate return/exchange reasons, is caught in the middle. Guess I'll doublecheck everything next time. Microsofts website suggested contacting them and the BBS if the seller won't refund or exchange, will do that as well.

On another note, I always loved how you could buy the retail "Upgrade" version for Windows, stick in a CD of previous Windows, and still get a full install on a fresh harddrive. Whats the point in the extra $100? Always buy the upgrade, and there you go. Remember the floppy disk version of Windows 95? All 65+ 3.5" disks?

[chryso]

Writing this from my Ubuntu box with its free operating system, so if I may add:

neener neener neener. :lol:

*this she says while trying to troubleshoot the bootloader*

Oooo, how do you like it? I am thinking about installing edubuntu on the kids computer.

[Tanasi]

Remember the floppy disk version of Windows 95? All 65+ 3.5" disks?

No but I do remember the 120+ 3.5 disks for SCO Unix Enterprise 5.0. It took two days to load, Lord help you if a disk went bad.

I really line Fedora Core 2.0

Knock Wood, I've never had to reload XP on any of my machines. Then again I'm not a gamer and I don't change hardware unless it fubars. I'd dare say the vast majority of reloads are because of constant barage of installing and then a few minutes later uninstalling of software. As I'm a software engineer I can write my OS it won't be near as nice as XP or even DOS but I could put something together. A lot of you don't remember the pre-GUI days when all commands were typed and you had to know what you were doing. Yes it was simpler but then again it had to be. XP is a very sophisticated piece of software, it's nearly impossible to create code that is so accomodating to all kinds of hardware, other software, and ID10T operators. I'll admit I'm a MS fan and I'm also a Linux fan what the vast majority of folks don't understand is sometimes when you may the slightest smallest change in a piece of code of a program that is 10s or millions of lines long is that bugs show up. It's impossible to anticipate all bugs and when you have jerks activily trying to crash your software you're in a no win situation. I'm gratful to have XP it's the best OS I've ever had and that includes all versions of Unix/Linux.

[BravoOrig]

I'm only 26 but I know the pre-gui world vastly. First "computer" was a C64 bought from Montgomery Wards, remember programming in BASIC, and editing a text adventure Star Trek game to say naughty things, when I was 10. Then later Dad brought home a salvaged IBM XT from his company's factory that was closing after the floods of 93 in NW MO. Load the DOS disk, then switch out for Jeopardy, etc. Then we purchased a Leading Edge 486 SX 33Mhz, with Windows 3.1. Sound/CD-Rom was extra at the time, guess which version we got that my friends dad opted for? I love XP, and I haven't had to reload it on my machine for atleast a year. When cleaning out a basement closet and finding a bunch of 3.5" floppies to search through, instead of My Computer or Windows Explorer(File Manager), I opened a command prompt and used the old A: & dir commands. Simple and fast. I still love how everything within DOS prints out very fast, espically on old dot-matrix printers. Out of hundreds of floppies, I only found about 20 with anything worth saving, the rest were blank or had drivers for long-lost hardware.

[friendofjimmyk]

It turns out the jackass ex-friend I got to build this computer, last year, must have used an illegal or bootleg copy of Windows XP Pro, because about 2 months ago I started getting that message on the logon screen that my copy of windows was not genuine. This is pathetic. .

Yeah, I got my current computer from my brother. He "forgot" to tell me that the copy of windows was a pirated copy. Well, the first time the computer asked me to update windows, I clicked on "OK" and BAM! Got caught with the pirated copy. From that day forward until I had my computer completely overhauled...I got the pop up that my version was not genuine please fix it.

I took it to a friend that wiped everything out and uploaded another program. Now, I just don't click that link anymore and I can have my computer.

[technical.angel]

Eh. I just use the Uni's copy of Win XP. No activation, no nothin'.

That's MY cup o' tea.

Jenni :angel:

[protege]

...and I get to deal with this now. Yay.

My home machine is having "difficulties," and I'm tired of messing with it. It's easier to move all of my files over to the other hard drive, reformatting and reinstalling WinBlows on the main drive. However, the copy that was used to set my machine up in the first place was well, um, pirated. Didn't know it at the time though. Soooooo it looks like I'll be buying a copy of XP soon.

[Kogarashi]

Like Tanasi, I don't have to reinstall my copy of XP Pro very often. It's been the best Windows OS I've dealt with in a while (and I'm too lazy to get a Linux box and I highly dislike Macs with a passion). My last reinstall was about two years ago, and that was due to a massive overrun of spyware (and possibly one or two worms) that I just couldn't clean up. It's still running smoothly enough, especially since I run my spyware/adware removal programs regularly, have a good antivirus, and don't play stupid with my downloading.

Luckily for me, my copy of XP is legal, so I've yet to see that little notice. It's an update disc, but it's legal (bought it while an undergrad when I could get the nice student discount on software. Yay $200 Adobe Creative Suite 2 Premium, baby). Admittedly, the OS I use to build my update on is pirated, but I wouldn't want to stick with that one anyway. It's Windows ME (which I had, in pirated form, before I bought the XP update; ::gag:: ME is probably the buggiest OS I've ever dealt with).

[Fashion Lad!]

One major reason why more people pirated XP than usual is because people like me reinstall XP every few months and like to change hardware often. Meaning we have to put up with being treated like a thief every time we mess with our system. I still have the legit copy in my book of software CD's, but just downloaded and use a cracked version so I can reinstall without M$ telling me that I can use something I bought. Retarded, yes. Easier for me, heck yes.

I had to call once to re-verify my key, out of the 4 times I've had to re-install XP.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Like Tanasi, I don't have to reinstall my copy of XP Pro very often. It's been the best Windows OS I've dealt with in a while (and I'm too lazy to get a Linux box and I highly dislike Macs with a passion). My last reinstall was about two years ago, and that was due to a massive overrun of spyware (and possibly one or two worms) that I just couldn't clean up. It's still running smoothly enough, especially since I run my spyware/adware removal programs regularly, have a good antivirus, and don't play stupid with my downloading.

Luckily for me, my copy of XP is legal, so I've yet to see that little notice. It's an update disc, but it's legal (bought it while an undergrad when I could get the nice student discount on software. Yay $200 Adobe Creative Suite 2 Premium, baby). Admittedly, the OS I use to build my update on is pirated, but I wouldn't want to stick with that one anyway. It's Windows ME (which I had, in pirated form, before I bought the XP update; ::gag:: ME is probably the buggiest OS I've ever dealt with).

Windows ME (or as we call it here, Moron Edition) is crappy, especially for USB plug and play peripheral installation. I went through 3 hours of hell trying to get my camera software installed on the damn PC. It's a wonder I'm not bald currently:lol:

Which is why the last time I had to do a complete reinstall on my PC, I just put 98 back on instead. If it's not my old desktop I'm having to reformat, it's my brother's (and his is due to downloading screensavers/boob pics/you name it and as a result, spyware galore.)

Even though he has Spybot and AdAware, it's not going to pick up everything. The Avast home edition anti-virus is good about spotting quite a bit of stuff and will shut down that program (free for download - just renew your license key annualy) so you can't continue to install it.

But still, I end up having to redo his b/c of the wireless connection program will shut down and not come back up, nor reinstall (and he has the Moron Edition of Windows at that.)

I've only had to redo my laptop once since I've had it and that was due to a bug picked up while browsing free desktop theme sites. Since then, it's been okay.

XP is way better and seems to be more stable. Only thing is with my current laptop, is that I don't have CD's for Windows. The restoration programs are all on the HDD. Just hit Funciton-F11 to reformat. It does the rest.

My only concern with that, is what happens if the HDD fails and I have to replace it? I have no restoration XP CD's for this laptop (it's a Dell BTW.)

I'd much rather have the CD's as a backup.

[Jayn_Newell]

Only thing is with my current laptop, is that I don't have CD's for Windows. The restoration programs are all on the HDD. Just hit Funciton-F11 to reformat. It does the rest.

Hmm, wonder if my old laptop had that? (Fujitsu) I was kinda surprised when I went to reformat and found I didn't have any install discs for Windows, so I wound up using a cracked copy to re-install. I reformated twice in the two years I had it--once after about a year, when things were going slow, plus I happened to catch a small virus. Then again about a year later, when I caught a nasty rootkit infection that I was never able to remove, though fortunately I did manage to disable it (it seriously crippled my computer while it was active). At this point it was running extremely slow too.

[MadMike]

My only concern with that, is what happens if the HDD fails and I have to replace it? I have no restoration XP CD's for this laptop (it's a Dell BTW.)

I'd much rather have the CD's as a backup.

You might want to check and see if there's a way to make a CD from that. I have no experience with this myself, since I build my own, but I did hear that they include some way to burn your own recovery CD, in case your hard drive does happen to die.

Still, it would piss me off that they're too cheap to include a damn CD. What do those things cost to make anyway, a few cents?

[gijoecam]

You might want to check and see if there's a way to make a CD from that. I have no experience with this myself, since I build my own, but I did hear that they include some way to burn your own recovery CD, in case your hard drive does happen to die.

Still, it would piss me off that they're too cheap to include a damn CD. What do those things cost to make anyway, a few cents?

IIRC, there was a class-action lawsuit a few years ago against one of the big OEM PC builders... (Dell comes to mind, but don't quote me on that) The net result was that if you buy a OC from an OEM with Windows installed, you are entitled to an install CD (for a nominal fee that, last I checked, ran around $20). My fiancee has a PC from EMachines that we ordered the restore CD for just a couple weeks ago. Still haven't reinstalled it.

As for the XP authenticity issue, there's a crack available for that too. I forget the file name, but it's aWinRAR compressed file. I installed it on my PC and Laptop and it solved that problem... not sure how it works, but it works.

-Joe

[Mr. Rude]

All you need to do is set automatic update to "download but let me choose when to install"...

Then, check the list of items as the prompts arrive. Unclick the "genuine advantage" one, install & presto. Just make sure you click the "do not remind me about this item" box. ;)

[MadMike]

All you need to do is set automatic update to "download but let me choose when to install"...

Then, check the list of items as the prompts arrive. Unclick the "genuine advantage" one, install & presto. Just make sure you click the "do not remind me about this item" box. ;)

That's what I've been doing as well. Somehow, it managed to sneak its way onto my wife's machine, but ZoneAlarm alerted me to it, and I downloaded something to remove it.

Interestingly enough, I haven't seen it listed at all lately when either of our machines updated. I recently reformatted mine, which meant I had to re-download every single update, and that one was not listed. Hmm. :headscratch:

[protege]

That's what I've been doing as well. Somehow, it managed to sneak its way onto my wife's machine, but ZoneAlarm alerted me to it, and I downloaded something to remove it.

Interestingly enough, I haven't seen it listed at all lately when either of our machines updated. I recently reformatted mine, which meant I had to re-download every single update, and that one was not listed. Hmm. :headscratch:

Maybe Micro$haft included that update inside another one? I've set all the machines at work to "manually update" but I haven't seen the Genuine Advantage one show up on all of them--only some of the older machines.

[LostMyMind]

There was 2 different "genuine advantage" release. The first one had privacy issues, so a second one was release to replace that.

You probably got rid of the first only to get hit by the second.

[Rapscallion]

I think the second came in as a critical update.

Nice definition of 'critical'.

Still, I'm legit, so I don't care.

Rapscallion

[Sonoma]

IIRC, there was a class-action lawsuit a few years ago against one of the big OEM PC builders... (Dell comes to mind, but don't quote me on that) The net result was that if you buy a OC from an OEM with Windows installed, you are entitled to an install CD (for a nominal fee that, last I checked, ran around $20). My fiancee has a PC from EMachines that we ordered the restore CD for just a couple weeks ago. Still haven't reinstalled it.

As for the XP authenticity issue, there's a crack available for that too. I forget the file name, but it's aWinRAR compressed file. I installed it on my PC and Laptop and it solved that problem... not sure how it works, but it works.

-Joe

I just bought a laptop from Dell last month. When you build it, you have the option of paying ($9 or $10) for a backup copy of the OS. The system does come w/ system restore software, but I like having the actual CDs.

[protege]

There was 2 different "genuine advantage" release. The first one had privacy issues, so a second one was release to replace that.

You probably got rid of the first only to get hit by the second.

That explains things :p

Does the second version still check if the copy is "genuine" each and every time you turn on the computer? I just installed a legal copy of XP last night, and haven't done the updates yet. Of course that wasn't without problems; it took the better part of 3 hours to back things up, and an additional hour or so to install XP. While I was at it, I found that my NetGear wireless network drivers will crash the computer :(

[LostMyMind]

Yep, the "genuine" checker still loads every time you boot up and runs continually.

I'm legit, however I don't want crap running on my computer to "make sure I'm legit". That dumb as hell.

On a side note, the "genuine" checker seems to disappear from the list of updates. It's not there anymore (and I don't have it installed). I'm guessing some lawyer got nervous.

[Bliss]

You might want to check and see if there's a way to make a CD from that. I have no experience with this myself, since I build my own, but I did hear that they include some way to burn your own recovery CD, in case your hard drive does happen to die.


The easiest way to do this is to install a base working and fully configured system, and then boot from a CD of Norton Ghost and make an Image on CD, it works a charm. Altough Norton Ghost can be a little expensive to someone not working with computers weekly or monthly, but it is one of the best programs I've seen from Symantec since Peter Norton left the company. (I come from the original norton tools days, and norton commander, and Q-Dos)

[LostMyMind]

:lol: norton commander was a life saver in those days. Didn't care much for Q-Dos through.

[Dimensio]

My copy of Windows XP Professional (I won't touch Home) is covered by a university agreement (employees are allowed one home installation of software covered by the agreement). This is convenient, because I tend to build my own machines and thus I have a legitimate copy ready to use. Also, because I build my own, I'm not subject to a "Microsoft tax" forcing me to pay for an OS to which I already have a license.

I've not had to reinstall in years (I had an Audigy driver hose my system about 6 months after installing XP and I had to reinstall). My system tends to stay rather clean. This is likely because I don't run under an Administrator account all the time. You'll find that you're far less vulnerable to rootkits, trojans, viruses and spyware if you don't run under an account that has full Admin rights at all times.


It also might help that I only use Windows for gaming. Any 'productivity' work gets done in Debian.