MS starts its activation exploit detection

[4537256]

ignore if already posted but just so all is aware.
a new update to detect pirated Vista Ultimate users.
the only thing i dont like about it is its a new startup process but its simple to remove if you already get it. just use unlocker to remove the wgae file and to prevent you just simply uncheck the KB940150 patch.

no biggie for us legit users though as apparantly the wgae removes itself if your legit.

http://blogs.msdn.com/wga/arch...tion-begins-today.aspx

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940510

 

[Hacp]

Thank god for my 70 dollar student copy lol.

 

[plonk420]

or turn auto-updates off? i've done so on my (completely) legit system after some updates screwed it good, on two separate fresh installs...

 

[zerogear]

If you've installed a SLIC BIOs, it shouldn't detect it . Funny thing is, I own 4 license for Vista, I just hate the act of activation, so I bypass it.

 

[Nothinman]

I just hate the act of activation, so I bypass it.

Why? It's completely harmless as long as you're legit.

 

[nerp]

And automatic activation takes less time than it does to post a message on a web forum.

I don't understand people. They'll spend an hour researching a way to shave five seconds off their life.

 

[Crusty]

Originally posted by: nerp
And automatic activation takes less time than it does to post a message on a web forum.

I don't understand people. They'll spend an hour researching a way to shave five seconds off their life.

Usually the people that spend hours trying to save some time are really doing it to save money

 

[plonk420]

i have 2 OEM copies, one i bought for "business use" at some point in my life. i don't wish to have to spend the time to call MS when i go to build that system to get their blessing to move it to another piece of hardware. FUTURE calls, i know, will be my responsibility, and i'm fine with those...

(also, in theory, you're supposed to uninstall student editions when you graduate. disclaimer: i heard that from /. (and we know their recent track record). however, nobody refuted that claim)

Originally posted by: Nothinman

I just hate the act of activation, so I bypass it.

Why? It's completely harmless as long as you're legit.

2 of the 4 times i've had to activate my reinstalled copy, it's failed due to whatever issue with Microsoft activation servers. not sure i want to know what would have happened had i been on day 180 (after all the rearms had been used up)...

 

[Nothinman]

(also, in theory, you're supposed to uninstall student editions when you graduate. disclaimer: i heard that from /. (and we know their recent track record). however, nobody refuted that claim)

Depends on the license, they vary from school to school so you should probably check yours.

2 of the 4 times i've had to activate my reinstalled copy, it's failed due to whatever issue with Microsoft activation servers. not sure i want to know what would have happened had i been on day 180 (after all the rearms had been used up)...

So stop reinstalling...

 

[plonk420]

i would if a simple Windows Update wouldn't hose the OS...

edit: one install was to make sure no wonkyness was left due to changing from 690G and its odd "do these five steps just to get the OS working properly" to a GeForce 8200. two other installs were due to Windows Updating causing an on-bootup BSOD.

i'd attempt to repair it via the install disc, but i'm wary of my pre-SP1 install disc vs my post-SP1 OS hosing things even worse and wasting more time. and MS wants $35 for a SP1-pressing of Vista... (that's 1/3rd of the way to another copy of Vista!)

 

[Crusty]

You can make your own SP1 install disc with nLite.

 

[plonk420]

ah thanks. will look into that!

 

[Nothinman]

i would if a simple Windows Update wouldn't hose the OS...

I've had the same XP install for years, I can't remember the last time an update caused me any problems.

 

[imported_snikt]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

i would if a simple Windows Update wouldn't hose the OS...

I've had the same XP install for years, I can't remember the last time an update caused me any problems.

With some of our workstations (XP), when SP3 was installed it screwed something up and the workstations wouldn't boot to the desktop. I forget what the error message was but it did happen on a few machines. On some of the machines we were able to just go to the Repair Console and fix it; other machines weren't so lucky so we had to just reload Windows.

 

[Maximilian]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

i would if a simple Windows Update wouldn't hose the OS...

I've had the same XP install for years, I can't remember the last time an update caused me any problems.

Well thats not very helpful, just because it dosent happen to you dosent mean it dosent happen to others. Windows update hosed my vista x64 install a few months ago.

 

[nerp]

Still sounds only like five minutes of your time over a year period. You'll spend time installing the OS, downloading drivers, configuring the machine but can't be bothered to lift a finger to activate. Weird, man. Weird. Maybe people just need something to be needlessly paranoid about.

 

[plonk420]

Originally posted by: Crusty
You can make your own SP1 install disc with nLite.

i guess you mean vlite (post nLite download, pre-install investigation) ...either way, tip very appreciated!

Originally posted by: Nothinman

i would if a simple Windows Update wouldn't hose the OS...

I've had the same XP install for years, I can't remember the last time an update caused me any problems.

i could run XP ~2 years between needing reinstalls (3 was my record). not for BSODs, just for poor performance (you can only throw so much memory at the problem for so long

 

[4537256]

dpendent on user, for jme XP slows down just by configuring it to my liking

 

[nerp]

Originally posted by: 4537256
dpendent on user, for jme XP slows down just by configuring it to my liking

Then you're probably breaking it with your "configuration" and tweaking or you're running an app that ruins performance.

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: zerogear
If you've installed a SLIC BIOs, it shouldn't detect it . Funny thing is, I own 4 license for Vista, I just hate the act of activation, so I bypass it.

What is this?

 

[4537256]

i hear where zerogear is comming from, i own my copy of ultimate and paid my $399 plus tax on release day, but once you use up activations within a time frame and change hardware so much you have to phone in and thats a pain/.

i've gone through 3 mobo's since vista's release due to failure,(last gigabyte i ever buy, back to Asus) i also reinstalled vista quite a bit for various reasons so i started using a bios hack and works great plus when i make my own installation diskcs with Vlite whenever a new version is released and it can save alot of time actually, since i only have it on the one computer and proof of my legit copy then its all good.

 

[boomhower]

Regardless over the argument of whether the time it takes to activate is a major hindrance on your lifestyle, the only ones that can really bitch are the pirates. For a $100 its not worth the time and effort to hack it and get updates, at least to me. My time is worth more than that.

 

[Nothinman]

Regardless over the argument of whether the time it takes to activate is a major hindrance on your lifestyle, the only ones that can really bitch are the pirates. For a $100 its not worth the time and effort to hack it and get updates, at least to me. My time is worth more than that.

The sad thing is that they'll find a workaround and then they'll be the ones with the simpler setup to maintain again.

 

[Hyperblaze]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

Regardless over the argument of whether the time it takes to activate is a major hindrance on your lifestyle, the only ones that can really bitch are the pirates. For a $100 its not worth the time and effort to hack it and get updates, at least to me. My time is worth more than that.

The sad thing is that they'll find a workaround and then they'll be the ones with the simpler setup to maintain again.

they will always be someone out there trying to find the cheap way out.

What I find funny is those who bitch and complain about all this crap that Microsoft makes them go through, yet they find Windows simplier to use and less of a hassle then Linux.

Activation with Microsoft is a major PITA. Don't care who you are. Those who don't agree are just used to it.

 

[Staples]

I have had to call MS to activate tons of times and the max it ever took me was 5 minutes.

As far as the WGA check service, if it does not hurt performance, I do not care. I have nothing to fear.