MS offers real Windows XP to users of counterfeit software
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A Microsoft UK replacement scheme for pirate copies of Windows XP suggests the company is testing the waters to see how feasible it is to convert sections of its unlicensed user base to legitimate users.
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UK users will be able to replace pirated versions of Windows that they have purchased. Software pirates&#39; increasing skill at creating counterfeit versions of Windows XP has prompted Microsoft to introduce
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(InfoWorld) - Microsoft has blamed an unspecified server problem for a 19-hour stretch during which paying users of Windows XP and Vista were accused by the company's WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage) validation system of running pirated software. Any Vista system fingered during the episode was stripped of some features, including the operating system's Aero graphical interface. As of Saturday at 3 p.m. EDT, Microsoft said the problem had been fixed. "We are aware it is a server-side issue," said Phil Liu, a Microsoft program manager in the WGA group. "[But] the cause is unknown at this current time." "Customers who received an incorrect validation response can fix their system by revalidating on our site," said Alex Kochis, senior product manager of WGA, in a blog posting. The site Kochis referred to is the Genuine Microsoft Software home page, which includes links to validation tests for Windows and Microsoft Office. "After successfully revalidating, any affected system should be rebooted to ensure the genuine-only features are restored," Kochis continued. The validation server snafu began sometime prior to 8 p.m. EDT on Friday, when users started posting messages on Microsoft's support forums, including Vista Validation Issues, saying that their PCs had been tagged as running nongenuine Windows. Overnight, the number of users adding their accounts to the tale spiked significantly, as did the frustration index. "What in hell is going on, Microsoft?" asked a user named Hedgemeister. "SUPPORT? Where are you? Validation issues with Vista. Hello? All of us need help," wrote Gnrlbzik. "This is an absolute disgrace. Treating legitimate customers like criminals is a great way to make people want to buy your software in the future! [I'm] absolutely disgusted," added Costanza. Although copies of both Windows XP and Vista were being tagged as counterfeit during the 19 hours, users of the latter were especially incensed. The WGA antipiracy scheme for that operating system disables several features when it thinks the copy is bogus, among them the Aero graphical user interface and ReadyBoost. Early in the outage, several Microsoft customers posted what they said was the text of e-mail they had received from Microsoft support that suggested users sit tight for several days. "I'm sorry to inform you that the Windows Genuine server might be down for few days," the e-mail, attributed to Microsoft Technical Support, said. "I have escalated the issue to our Genuine team, kindly try to validate again on Tuesday 28 Aug 2007." If the message was intended to mollify users, it didn't work. "TUESDAY!?! Yeah, f that," said Nooaah. It wasn't until Saturday around 1 p.m. EDT that a non-anonymous Microsoft manager offered up information. "I guarantee that we're working on this issue right now," said Liu in a post to the forum. "My goal is to identify a FIX for this issue -- afterwards get you all what you are looking for, an explanation and cause. I promise I will have an explanation and resolution as soon as humanly possible." Users' testy relationship with WGA Although Microsoft did not identify the number of affected systems Saturday, based on the user comments and Liu's promises, it appeared to be systemwide. If so, it would be the biggest problem so far in the developer's contentious WGA program. Designed to spot pirated copies of its Windows and Office software, WGA has been mandatory since mid-2005 before nonsecurity updates or files can be downloaded from Microsoft's site. WGA has faced criticism almost since its inception, but until Friday, the most vocal complaints dated back to June 2006, when users discovered that the Windows XP version of WGA was "phoning home" to Microsoft every time the PC was booted. Those critics returned when Microsoft upped the ante with Vista by replacing the WGA messages that only nagged XP users suspected of running counterfeits with a new policy that used an RFM (reduced functionality mode) to cripple machines. In RFM, only Internet Explorer works, and then for just an hour at a time. Because RFM only allows a grace period of three days to those who previously activated Windows but are subsequently deemed pirates, any problems must be fixed quickly to prevent customers' PCs from going dark. Microsoft managed to beat the deadline. That, however, didn't mean much to some, who said this was it for their relationship with the vendor. One claimed that he was heading out the door to buy a Mac, while others swore they would switch to Linux. Others called on Microsoft to ditch WGA. "Once again the legitimate person gets screwed while the people who pirate software probably aren't even affected," said Mark in the support forum. "This whole validation process should be dropped. This is just another nail in the Microsoft coffin." Saturday's outage was not the first time the validation service has gone dark and then identified all PCs connecting with the servers as running pirated copies. In October 2006, Microsoft's Kochis acknowledged a similar blackout. "Earlier this week, a server on the back end of the WGA service experienced a bug that resulted in a temporary outage. As a result, some systems were incorrectly flagged as being non-genuine, and we want to confirm for those who contacted us about this that it was indeed an error," he wrote.
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A pilot program at the Microsoft Download Center will require users to validate their Windows license in exchange for access to file downloads. Users with counterfeit software may find themselves locked out altogether.
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LONDON -- Owners of pirated copies of Microsoft Corp.&#39;s Windows XP operating system can trade them in for the real thing as part of a bid by the software giant to fight counterfeiting.
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An anonymous hacker who claimed last week to have found a way to generate valid Windows Vista activation codes now says his crack was a joke. But some users who tried it say it worked for them.
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(InfoWorld) - Microsoft plans to roll out a new version of its antipiracy Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) Notifications tool for Windows XP over the coming weeks and months, following aÂ barrage of criticismÂ from users. The software giant has incorporated user feedback into the new version to make installation of the tool and validation of the operating system less opaque, according to a Microsoft statement issued Tuesday. The upcoming release of WGA Notifications features a new installation wizard and will display validation results as soon as the tool has been installed. The software doesn't need to be rebooted after its installation, Microsoft said. Instead of the tool simply flagging a copy of the OS as genuine or not, Microsoft has added an additional "indeterminate" result category and access to resources to troubleshoot issues if users are unable to validate their operating systems. Microsoft plans to update the tool every 90 to 120 days, as a way to react to re-evaluation of the software and any changes in software piracy. Microsoft began piloting an initial version of WGA Notifications in April to ascertain whether users' copies of Windows XP were genuine, as part of the vendor's Genuine Software Initiative to crack down on pirated and counterfeit versions of Windows. Users who can't validate their copy of Windows as genuine forfeit the right to install many of the updates Microsoft provides for Windows and add-on software. So far, WGA Notifications has provedÂ highly unpopular with users, with criticism reaching a crescendo in June. First, the tool came under attack forÂ exhibiting spyware-like behaviorÂ since WGA Notifications was checking in with Microsoft's servers each time users rebooted their PCs even though the software had already certified the copy of Windows XP as genuine. Microsoft disputed the spyware allegation, saying that although the tool regularly called home, it wasn't providing any information to Microsoft, just checking to see if it should run. Later that same month, users complained that Microsoft was delivering WGA Notifications as a high priority automatic update for Windows XP despite the tool still being in a test version. The software vendor has typically provided test versions of its software separately from updates. Microsoft said the tool's license explained the software was a pre-release version, but customers countered that fact wasn't made sufficiently obvious. Microsoft finally responded byÂ issuing a second version of WGA NotificationsÂ in late June that only periodically checked if the copy of Windows was genuine every time users logged on to the system. At the same time, the software vendor moved the tool out of the testing stage. Microsoft remains committed to having WGA Notifications fully deployed worldwide by year-end. Â
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Last week, Microsoft quietly launched a program to address piracy issues with their software. The new program called &quot;Windows Genuine Advantage&quot; is a new validation on Microsoft&#39;s download center.
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A Microsoft representative made it quite clear what Vista pirates can expect to happen to their unlicensed installations.
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Computers running Microsoft Windows XP can be infected by a new Trojan horse, program remotely controlled in a victim&#39;s system, even after it is patched with Microsoft&#39;s
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Microsoft is taking action against US resellers who are using dodgy Certificates of Authenticity (COA) to pass off counterfeit software as the real deal.
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Microsoft has tweaked its antipiracy software to show when it can't quite decide whether the operating system is authorized or not.
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Windows users will have another tool for protecting their PCs.
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With a specialized version of Windows XP Embedded, the software maker wants to get its fingers in the till.
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Software pirates' increasing skill at creating counterfeit versions of Windows XP has prompted MicrosoftÂ  to introduce a pilot program that offers to verify whether consumers' software is legitimate and replace fake versions with authentic goods.
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TOKYO - Microsoft Corp said Wednesday it will exploit a network of 25,000 post offices in Japan to provide a free CD-ROM version of Windows XP Service Pack 2 with added security features from Oct 1. The update will help computer users protect their
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Windows users could soon be paying for Microsoft software that keeps their machine free of spyware.