Anybody using a dodgy copy of windows, will soon be getting warnings flashing up on their desktop. I've just got info from MS that this will begin very shortly, and the popup warning will offer them a chance to purchase a genuine copy online.
I can't copy n paste the info due to copyrights, but I can assure you it's coming :wink:

This will upset a few 1000 people using copies :lol: :lol: :lol:

I think your aiming a bit low there more like a few hundred million.

It's already part of this months updates. Its called the Genuine Advantage Notification tool.

It failed to install on my box for some reason, yes I am using a legit copy of windows.

Been having trouble with Genuine Advantage Validation tool for some time (its installed, but for some reason M$ update fails to detect it and tries to install a new copy, which fails) and updates direct from the update site fail.

Funnily though, if I click on the notification shield when it pops up, the updates download and install without problem (with the exception of anything to do with Genuine Advantage).

Believe me I've driven myself nuts trying to work this one out, and have researched it to death.

Will ask around Gary, and see if anybody knows of a fix for that. It may be worth contacting stepto and see if he has any ideas. www.stepto.com top man with MS security.

Since I can now get all the security updates, I'm not too worried about the situation.

Believe me, any number of people have given me advice and help on this, and none so far have fully resolved the problem.

I have re-written all sorts of registry keys, uninstalled and re-installed various programmes, changed permissions, all to no avail.

As I have a work around, and can keep secure, I'm resigned to working with things as they are. Thanks for the link though, I'll definitely have a look round stepto.

Have you talked to Microsoft?

Since I can now get all the security updates, I'm not too worried about the situation.

Believe me, any number of people have given me advice and help on this, and none so far have fully resolved the problem.

I have re-written all sorts of registry keys, uninstalled and re-installed various programmes, changed permissions, all to no avail.

As I have a work around, and can keep secure, I'm resigned to working with things as they are. Thanks for the link though, I'll definitely have a look round stepto.

Have you tried contacting Stepto (Stephen Toulouse) , he's da man when it comes to all things MS :bow: ;)
www.stepto.com

Lets just say he's well connected :bow:

Have you talked to Microsoft?

Directly no, can't afford the time, cost or grief. Have I browsed their website, yes, ad nauseum. Have I posted on their help forums ....... yes. Has that got me anywhere ...... no.

As I've said already, as long as I can update the security fixes, I'm content.

Not worth the time and effort to me at the moment to sort out all the wrinkles, too busy sorting other peoples more serious troubles.

However, I've bookmarked Stepto's site, and when I've got some spare time, I'll definitely get in touch. (Thanks for that Chris).

I doubt it will bother that many people. M$ arent that good at identifying illegal copies of their software.
I took their online test with an illegal copy of windows and it passed. According to M$ it was legit.
Now using a legit copy I got with my PC so cant test this new thing but my boyfriend is either using the same legit copy as me - so technically not legit (and they have no way of telling which one of us is legit) or still using the old version that me and pretty much all my mates were using in Uni.

i've had the reverse happen from nancy. microsoft.com has falsely identified my system as illegal more than once. this occurred when trying to get downloads off their servers and had to go through their authorization and identification online system. i even called MS tech support once about it and they couldnt fix it. granted it's an OEM version and they dont want to deal with OEM's. they usually just refer you to the OEM maker, but since i was trying to get a download, they at least talked to me for a while about the problem. eventually, i found the system was a bit corrupted in the registry. you can see my thread about getting and installing service pack 2 for the full details on what was going on and how it got fixed.

but this is a problem with windows. it's too easily corruped and too convoluted to get fixed. as in the thread about the new Vista system, my idea is to put windows back on a boot disk system. stick your cd in the tray and start the machine. make the cd read only and voila, protected o/s. need updates, burn or get a new cd. simple.

craig

I got the M$ notification for a 'shady' copy of XP and I did the right thing and paid for it... BUT... did I get any legit authorisation codes etc for my expensive gesture of honestly? Heck no! LOL!
Interestingly, on one of my other machines I am also running a slightly shady copy of win2KPro (btw, the most stable win OS I have ever used) I know I have a legal version of it somewhere... But anyway I have not received a notification re this illegal copy... maybe this crackdown is exclusive to XP.

yeah Craig, boot disc would be ideal, but what if you could, say, have the entire OS permanently resident in RAM (or something that is similar concept). Boot from 'RAM' would be very fast and very cool :cool:

Microsoft has been pretty easy to deal with on these issues with us (I'm a Microsoft Certified Partner). I have to agree with Nancy on this one. Microsoft really doesn't have the ability to confirm that your software is legit or not.

If we do a reinstall on a system and have to call MS to activate we now have to tell them what brand of machine the copy was originally installed on. Other than that they really don't have any way of knowing. They do have different Certificates of Authenticity for us System Builders now (they have a shape that looks like a pig).

If a person tells the MS auth rep that they have replaced the motherboard because it failed on their system they really have to take you at your word. Now if you have some cd key that has been used 100,000 times because you got it from microsoftkeycracksonlinexxx.com (please don't try that...not sure if its real :P ) then they can know its not legit.

-B

"Windows Genuine advantage" . . .

From your posts it looks like it's just one more completely untrustworthy scheme from Bill and his dancing ape.
Well... at least they're consistent! Gotta give 'm that.
Consistently creepy, that is!