WGA Notifications: This copy of Windows is not genuine

Concerning the great business presentation and the screaming computer - I'd never do business with any company that uses illegal software.

How can you trust a company if even their software isn't legal?

I think the Notification patch is a good innovation and it should also be implemented by other companies (Adobe, Apple, Symantec, ...).

I hope the next step of Genuine will be refusing users to login on non-genuine Windows copies (maybe after a grace period of 30-60 days).

Regards,
Bart Forbes

I concur with Mr. Forbes.

I find it odd that Amit Agarwal's "solution" to the embarrassment of running a pirated copy of software is to go through an elaborate set of steps to bypass the messages that make it clear you are running pirated software.

There is a simpler solution: don’t pirate software. Pay for what you use!

Amit, before you tell people how to foil the security cameras at Walmart to avoid the embarrassment of shoplifting, think about what you are saying.

I don't agree.

We don't all work for "Companies" and "Corporations", we use computers at home. Thats why they call them Personal Computers, they were developed for that very reason.

Microsoft is has become an insanely money rich Company that has stolen ideas and bought up much smaller Companies and even stolen other Company technology for their own gain. Compared to what they earn, they give very little back to the poor or lower classes. If they did, their "base" operating system WOULD BE FREE. But NO, they try to DOMINATE everything in the Computer market using the usual Corporate tactics.

We are not all middle class like you Mr Forbes and your suck up. I can tell by your comments you have no consideration for the poor and are probably more interested in your bank balance than even your own family.

You are the type of person who makes a comment before putting their brains into gear. I hope you get the world you deserve, it won't be the one your imagining THATS FOR SURE ;).

If you want to stop piracy and copyright theft, don't copy it. Put it in a safe and give your lawyer the keys and hope you've got a trustworthy lawyer.

Soon as you make a copy of it OR start selling the product. Tough, it's in the public domain and "we win, we have ALL your bases" as the saying goes.

If you have the money or your a Company or Corporation which is doing well, you should pay for software (it does pay for future development and the people developing the software have to live and pay bills just like everyone else).

Thats just called having a "conscience". I have software I use all the time, I am severly disabled and can't afford ALL the software on my PC. However, there are certain products I have purchased because of that very reason. An example is WinRAR another example is Daemon tools and various other sites I have made minor donations to. I've paid for the stuff I use all the time and for what I can afford, when I can afford it.

Oh P.S Amit I forgot to say thank you for the "heads up" on how to disable this little AUTOMATIC nasty from Microsoft; and the article in general.

I actually disabled the update from showing by hiding it, and I don't have AUTOMATIC UPDATES switched on.

I'm sure there are poeple out there who have been daft enough to give Bill Gates the keys to their house though and this has probably worried quite a lot of people.

Thanks again.

Anonymous - Being poor is NOT an excuse for theft. I'm pretty broke, but every piece of software on my computer is legal. And who cares if you're disabled? Are we supposed to take pitty on you and look the other way when you steal, because you're disabled?

By your logic, if I'm on crutches and broke, it's OK for me to go around pickpocketing people. Right?

thx amit.....

and forbes you suck u white nigga... if u dont steal softwares then y ru here at first place.

Bob

Dear anonymous,

I was referred here by Wikipedia, which is open source.

Other anonymous, not using automatic updates is of course your own choice but will also leave your computer vulnerable to hackers and security holes.

I won't comment on the rich-poor statements, I don't think it's relevant to the post.

Kind regards,
Bart Forbes

Interesting moral and legal arguments that poor people should not steal copies of Microsoft and other software for their own use while failing to apply the same standard to Microsoft who is a predatory monopoly (illegal) and gets away with it because it pays armies of lawyers, and bribes key centers of societal power.

And love that somehow when Microsoft uses illegal tactics and raw power against the masses and to crush smaller individual corporations (that would have served us better by legally competing with Microsoft) on a huge scale, according to Forbes that's moral, legal, and OK. Forbes is probably not part of the wealthy elite, just a useful puppet for them.

And let me just point out that while he looks down his nose and preaches following the law to us, he miserably neglects to do the same. He breaks the law too, and worse than most of us poor software conniseurs, by paying for others to do it for him (examples are taxes for corrupt government he supports who launch vicious wars against innocent nations to steal their natural resources, and fake domestic terrorist attacks beforehand to justify it).

Of course Forbes needs plausible deniability so he chooses to believe in disproven myths like that foreign terrorists attacked us and we're just fighting back and spreading "freedom." Have the courage to do your research Forbes!

And this is nothing. The fact is Microsoft serves the big brother police state (hence their protected status in our society) to perpetrate mass illegal surveillance of regular citizens and future government Gestapo control and censorship on all of us through sophisticated back doors and other hidden traps (Windows itself is one big huge trojan horse), most of which we have no clue about and they don't tell us (that stuff is reserved for the feds).

So personally I have no problem with anyone raping Microsoft if they figured out how to do it, but to just copy their software for personal use is something I won't lose any sleep over.

And while I admit I like their software, I know it's ultimately a deal with the devil, so I'm trying to transition away from it and into Linux even though it's not that easy to do.

Property (intellectual or otherwise), like all notions, are entirely morally-dependent when applying a moral evaluation to them.

For example, what actually defines property? If I'm the first to arrange a pile of dots in a certain manner, does that mean I "own" that notion of arrangement? If you arrange a similar stack of dots in a near-exact manner, have you stolen something from me? Do I have the right to claim ownership over the notion of arrangement or simply just the dots that make up the arrangement? Or neither? With software, the dots are the bits and the arrangement is the software that those bits comprise.

I personally don't think that IP makes much logical sense, however I do believe people who make unique and useful arrangements of dots or bits should be compensated for their creation. But at the end of the day, it's up to each individual to decide if a particular arrangement deserves compensation, and if so, in what form.

for my part, i don't think of what i do as "stealing" from microsoft... I currently own 4 computers, only 2 of which are actively running (the other 2 are in a closet, dont ask)... all 4 of the computers came with windows XP home edition, which i did NOT want... I NEVER ran windows xp home edition on any of my computers, but immediately uninstalled, reformatted, and installed windows XP Professional (admittedly, a pirated copy). I would, if microsoft would allow it, upgrade to pro from the home version that gets forcibly bundled with new computers, for the difference in retail price between the two versions, (ie, around $25) but microsoft wont allow this... they contend that even though i purchased a legit copy of windows with my computer, i should have to pay full pop to get the better version of their software...

the way i figure it, we are even too... when the rebate deal from the class action lawsuit came around, i had several hundred dollars of claim coming to me, for all the copies of windows i have purchased over the years.... but i declined to cash in, in part becase i do pirate so much of their software...

as long as all they are doing is putting annoying popups on my computer, that are easily defeatable, i have no problem with them... if they start making it impossible for me to use my pirated software, then it will become an issue for me.

the way i see it, they have to put on a big show for their corporate customers, whom they ding BIG TIME when there is a violation in the corporate environment, so that they can say "we are trying to stop the little guys too." and look convincing. but when a single line of javascript can disable the windows update check, and a few lines in the registry can disable this new annoyance, i could care less...

OK, I've got a comment that blows all those people who say get a legal copy out the window. When I buy a piece of software I assume that I own that software and that it is paid for so why is it that when I purchase certain types of software I'm sometimes forced into paying for a yearly license??? When I buy a car straight out I don't have to keep paying it every year do I? Now I expect someones gonna post something on here saying that it is re-developed car and hence a completely diffrent situation but it's not, as far as I concered when I purchased windows I've paid for the whole package including the technology inside, hence the NT technology in windows so why do I have to keep paying for it everytime a newer version of skins, extra code and secruity addons that goes on top of it and also as it is sold with a garuntee that it is going to be secure (which half the time it isn't) then I think I should be entitled to all security updates without the need to upgrade my OS which I can't half the time because the last one has been listed as out of it's product lifetime cycle. Basicaly if you think about it in a logical way it is just one big rip off after another and half the things that are promised are not. Awnser that one if you people think your so smart? I'm all for paying for windows but I expect to get my money's worth, I ain't rich and can't afford to pay hundreds of pounds on the same RUBBISH just so that I can get ripped off in a few years time. When I go and buy a playstation I don't have to keep paying for an OS to the same company the only thing I pay for is the hardware and the games or software which are made by third party companies!!! If microsoft said right you pay a base fee of hundred pounds or something and every six years you have to pay thiry pounds to upgrade I wouldn't have a problem with paying it. Also for those legal junkies out there I might only ever use illegal software if I wanna see a full working product before I commit to it.

This is a GREAT thinbg for someone to receive when they've just bought a new computer...I don't think.

I just finished setting up a NEW out of the box, factory sealed, Toshiba Qosmio M50 Laptop in Australia.

Having completed the installation of all applications I then let it go and get the automatic updates from Microsoft.

On rebbot I got the message that it was not a genuine copy of Microsoft Windows!!!!!

Nice that Toshiba has resorted to pirating software so that it can boost its profits. That can't be true, so then Microsoft's own security applications can't really work out the difference between guine and copy versions of XP.

All in all it's another Microstuff Up.

I am in this actual situation....
I have a legit copy (5 machine license) of XP Pro, that I purchases several years ago (pre SP1) to put onto my home computers.
When the implimented the Genuine Advantage check last year, I couldn't get anything other than updates available through AutoUpdate... Now, two of my 5 machines are screaming that I may be a victim...
Yes, I AM a victim... I have a volume license key for 5 machines, 3 are being used, and I get this message.... Thank goodness I haven't had this showing up on my laptop, which I use for business...
My options: - Pay MS more money???
Or maybe I need to go out and buy more hardware, and a copy of Server 2003 and set it up to download all the updates, and then I determine which will be installed, and then RELOAD each of my machines.... So that I "look and feel" like a corporation in the eyes of MS....
Sorry, but that ticks me off...
And Yes, Piracy does too.

wondering where can i get a cheap or free origional of windows xp product key ..

send ur money to my account and ill send u a cracked version lolz !! please the rich gets richer and the poor gets poorer .. !!
thats the name of the game !!

HA !!

Bill Gates stole DOS in the first place.. thats how he made his first bit of money. Just karma comin back around!!

How ignorant and blind we all are Do you really think they care that the average person has a illegal copy of windows on their computer? If they did it wouldn’t be a pop up telling you, “you have a pirated copy” but it would be a cop at your front door haling you off to jail, telling you, “You have a pirated copy!”

Forbs, I hope you don’t value your privacy! Bill comes and takes what he wants off your computer. As for the rest, there are other reasons someone might get these patches, Bottom line the system should be part of the computer when you buy it. When you get hacked you should be able to reinstall it without reactivating it and if you loose your key you should be able to install it without a key!
The OS manufacture should take there cut from their computer manufacture and when you buy a used computer the OS would be yours. If they update it, they update it! That’s a different subject.
That would solve all these issues completely! That would also stop the pirating of the OS system. Because no one would need to buy it! AND that’s the way it should be period!!! Would you sell a car without an engine? Bottom line they don’t want to stop all these issues! They want control over every key stroke you take and if you never really own the system, guess what they got it!

I know both types of people that have lost there windows operating system. One, because they lost a key. Two, those where hacked so many times that Microsoft wont let them reactivate it again!

As for all you righteous ones that think you are doing a good thing by purchasing the system I imagine you would have the same attitude, buying stolen jewelry from a jewel thief knowing he stole it!

I would transfer to linux myself and am trying but my little brain can’t comprehend it. Not only has Bill monopolized the OS but he has managed to get everyone to build there software around his product!

Now, I don’t think Bill is real worried about the jo-blow sitting at home with his illegal key in his LEGAL software, because he can get any information he wants from that guy! But he is more worried about the guy that sells 1000snds of his product a day (Illegal pirating)
Now, I may be wrong but if I am I will see you all in jail soon because I guarantee he has our phone numbers and addresses.
Cheers

MS is funny.. i just use their os for gaming.. but other then that if they start getting anal... ill switch to linux

I understand the purpose of this whole WGA thingy that microsoft has going on and i approve as well. The only problem cnocerning this matter i have is that i hvae had this version on my e-machine for 5 years (xp) and its not pirated or anything. NEVER had any problem with it until i wanted to reinstall my radeon graphics card. Now I can get my driver update for xp because my Version is "NOT GENUINE" ? Thats bull shit! I always have been a microsoft windows user from the get go.. Never once have i downloaded or installed any pirated material. How the hell do i fix?

mIRC_MoFo

***
The point is moot.

Just subscribe to an email alert system from one of many different websites, such as kbalertz.com and when it says there is an update available DO NOT USE the WindowsUpdate website!! Instead, go directly to the Microsoft knowledgebase and directly download the actual update you want for security or whatever. If you stay away from all genuine advantage updates you won't have to worry about this "issue" that has been created by Macro$oft and pushed as if it were a legitimate problem.

Why not focus on the loss of privacy we Americans are facing EVERY DAY from bad legislation instead? Sheesh, put your efforts toward something useful folks!
***

I a basically in the same position as mIRC_MoFo, 2 messages above. I bought this laptop less than a year ago from PC World in the UK, a major computer store, and windows XP came with it. I only just got the message saying that my version of windows is not genuine - surely PC World didn't supply me with bogus software! I understand the purpose behind the whole notification thing but if you ask me Microsoft have had a bit of a mare.

NorthEastB

alqas this happened to me - BUT I do have a legit copy of XP - go figure.

I have to agree, it is wrong to steal and lie. We should all be honest like Microsoft, a company that in 1998 stood before the courts and proclaimed among other things that they do not sell hardware only software. I guess the 1986 sound card with Microsoft registration and markings was faked. Also there was another little time where MS told the european courts that Windows Xp could not be run with out there media player, that was till RealNetworks, Inc (Real Player) brought in a copie of XP running without windows media player. So yes if you can forget Microsofts Dishonesty, There Unfinished software that allways needs patching and there attempts to quash open standards ( remember there mess with java ) and still pay for thier software, you are more Honorable than the product you use

As far as I can tell my WinXP is as shipped by HP with the PC however I am now comprehensively locked out - there is no "Resolve Now/Later" option. I am left with no option but to rebuild my PC from scratch. I am not a happy bunny as I cannot find out what it is claimed I have violated!

easily pirated products is the number one reason microsoft is the dominant software player.

step 1: get everyone to copy your product.

step 2: clean up, by getting licences.

I have an eMachine with XP Home OEM factory preinstalled, purchased from CostCO, and it fails WGA. More specifically, the online WGA tests succeed, but after confidently installing the WGA notifications update Windows is now trying to notify me that eMachines preinstalled a counterfeit copy of Windows. I'm sure it's wrong. No coincidence that today just happens to be 6-6-06. Luckily my main desktops run Linux.

PC customers are the real victims.
Customers buy a computer system from a major store such as best buy, circuit city or whatever, but guess what? Rarely do they get the Operating System disks, thus, being a victim of a full purchase that is supposed to include the genuine disks. The trick is that if the customer gets a major virus or a hardware failure when a pc has to be reprogrammed, the poor customer does not have the disk, therefor, forcing them to have a dead computer. Dell is the only company that I know cares about distributing the recovery os disk with the system. It is a shame that this chain electronic stores are ripping people off by keeping the os disk and not giving the buyer the most critical disks. I think this issue needs to be address before microsoft takes further accion by accusing users of having a "non-register" copy of windows when in reality it has being purchase by the client that purchased the system sometimes going well over 1000 dollars for them to forced to buy a cheap disk that microsoft does not need to control after it has being registered once. If you want to avoid embarrasment press in the store to give the os disk to the customers since this is the party foul that we are seeing. Ridiculous, why buy more disk for a computer that had or has a virus that microsoft did not have patches for since the vounerabilty of security has been greater than any other os in the market. Get it straight before trying to make people feel guilty for fixing their computer. Don't rip them off!!!!

I think wga is nothing but a spyware,I am running a pirate version not because I wanted to but because I was pissed off,I brought a New computer 5 years ago when I retired bad mistake as it was running windows M.E It was in the shop more times than it was at my place,The shop that I brought it from said M.E was a real bad windows Version So after all the trouble I worked out how to get xp on my computer that was 4 years ago and never looked back,Now I think that Microsoft should be giving me a replacement because of M.E .And that is why I am on a pirate version as I cannot afford to buy a genuine as I am on a pension and if I cannot keep using this I will have to change to Linux with all my other 65 year olds,

The heck with getting around pirated software... What about when you are running a GENUINE copy and it still says you're NOT???

My computer passed the vaildation test several times, but one day it downlaoded this insidious piece of crap from Microsoft and voila... I get all these popups, an B.S. from Microsoft saying I'm running illegal software.

The Win XP had been installed 4 years earlier by a Microsoft reseller and as I said, he validated several times. And it even validated while that insidious tool was running...

So I figure Microsoft owes me, at their rates of about $20 a minute, about $2,500 for the amout of time I had to spend to remendy their ass hole mistake....!!!!!!

Bart Forbes Said "I hope the next step of Genuine will be refusing users to login on non-genuine Windows copies (maybe after a grace period of 30-60 days).". I respond to this by syaing, if they are really running a legitimate copy of Windows they can get it fixed within a couple of days but if they have an illegitimate copy of Windows they will just reinstall Windows and start all over again and be smart enough not to go to the Windows update site. Nice thought but way too easy to get around for someone that really wants to.

RIP Proof, Tupac and Bugz

In theory all well and good trying to stop pirated windows software but in reality ive got genuine windows xp preinstalled on my pc from when i bought my e machines pc 3 years ago from a genuine e machines stockist - currys in the UK but i am gettin these counterfit notices and its really pissing me off

i cant understand how a program bought six years ago as valid, is now not valid, i purchased my windows xp pro in 2000 for the sum of 340 dollars australian, now six years later they are telling me its not genuine.
funny thing is that when i installed my xp i also registered it online, so if my program is now non genuine, does that mean that microsoft was selling pirated copies of windows xp when i purchased it in a legitimate computer software retailers store?

your a joke microsoft

Yea mos definately microsoft is a bunch of morrons. had a legit copy of media for a few months, came with a dell, soooo wtf.... ill just upgrade to pro and skip that update :) screw u microsoft

Try www.ubuntu.com and get the latest ISO and burn it to disk - backup all your documents/music etc etc and boot into ubuntu and click the install on the desktop.
No illegal acts required and no annoying popups about piracy etc - get WINE and run most of your windows apps - or just stick to the open source alternatives.

Somebody said, well you should pay for the software-For fucks sake I have paid for the software on a Dell that I bought straight from Dell and I get the shitty little WGA pop up - Amit said they are trying to shame you - well it's having the opposite effect- I'm just pissed at the evil empire and MSFT doesn't respond - why don't they have a button for if you think your copy of their software is legal what you can do. Bastads

If you've got a geniune copy of windows - paid for - and you're getting this message, then give microsoft a CALL and SPEAK to them!

You're better off with a Mac anyway. None of these troubles.

Not sure I understand people who think this is OK for MS to do.

First, a HUGE majority of the appearantly 60million+ users (that's a lot of criminals... better build some more jails) did NOT purchase the software as pirated... they did the following:

1. They bought their software from a dealer who did not install it correctly. Some users have reported problems with HP computers in this regard.

2. They reinstalled Windows after a motherboard meltdown. Should you have to buy a new copy of Windows after every machine fry if youre just using one machine??? Talk about unreasonable.

3. Some small businesses outsource their IT and the indy IT guys carry one copy of Windows to do fixes from if there's a crash, knowing the owner has a legit copy somewhere.

None of this is CRIMINAL - unless HP is putting Windows on computers they sell w/out proper licensing... and then... MS should go after HP, not the user.

I purchased a dell laptop with xp home on it already. I have just recently started to recieve this message on my screen. I go to the windows validation website and it validates my software and says it has passed. Yet I still get this message saying my version of windows is not valid!!!!!! WTF!!!!!

I just booted up my laptop today(it's been about a week since I last used it) and now, without installing anything, it tells me that my copy of windows is invalid or not genuine and proceeds to shut down. Just before it shuts down, it flashes a blue screen at me that I don't have time to read. I assume it says: an error has occured... and some other bullshit happened so i'm gonna shut down now. It was just fine the last time I used it and now it's not. Although, my desktop(which the laptop has to network through to get the internet) is just fine.

Hi All,
I did not steal, nor did I ask the retailer to put an ilegal copy of microsoft xp on my pc.

I only discovered this after an update from microsoft.

So, what does this make me, a victim or a thief?

Although my copy of XP is completely legal I am receiving this message now. The idiots at MS have done it again. If I did not have to have windows to allow me to work from home, I would be on Linux in a heartbeat. I hate Microsoft!!!

This thing is BS! I purchased my laptop brand new from Circuit City over a year ago and I just had my first "Your copy of Windows is not genuine" message today. This is just more corporate greed to get me to pay them just to leave me alone and not have thier annoying pop-ups harrassing me. I paid for it once, and since I haven't given them any money in a while, they want me to pay again!

I bought my XP Pro over 4 years ago, have updated to SP2, and ever single WGA validation has worked. The last patch destroyed my system profile, and now it is giving me these pirate warnings. It's totally pathetic this is happening (I bought my XP PRO) and I'm really pissed! This is why you don't want MS to have this kind of power.

Yup ... I agree, Forbes either has plenty of money to go around buying all the software he uses. I too, do buy software that is solid.

BUT ... why should I pay good money for a copy of Windows XP that is full of bugs and holes, requiring me to spend countless hours downloading patches, bug fixes and security updates. I'd pay them if it "worked as advertised".

I paid for Vista, as they have finally developed a great OS that I found it worth spending my hard earned money on.

MotorCitySarge

In theory all well and good trying to stop pirated windows software but in reality ive got genuine windows xp preinstalled on my pc from when i bought my e lab top 3 years ago from a genuine e machines stockist - currys in the UK but i am gettin these counterfit notices and its really pissing me off

Here are my thoughts on ALL of the pirate concerns, including OS(windows) as well as DVD's & music...
These corporations need to understand that the steps they are taking are ONLY hurting the end users that do not know how to get around these setbacks.. Example Everytime Microsoft came out with an update for the Genuine notification, someone created a hack or crack for it, in music they try to make it hard for the average user to copy the music cd to the computer, but the 'PIRATES' know how to. The movie companies create all these 'copy protections' to stop pirateing of the movies, and of couse someone creates a way to defeat it, of couse the 'PIRATES' Now I am a firm believer that if I BUY a program/ CD/ DVD I have the right to make a backup, and or to install on as many systems as I own.. its not like I am making copies and selling it at the store!

What these big companies need to realize by adding all these copy protections and add-on varifications all they are doing is making it hard for the 'LEGITAMITE' customer to enjoy their computer/music/dvd, what they are NOT STOPPING is the 'PIRATES' from cracking and or hacking and our still 'PIRATEING'.

One way to stop pirateing is to make your software user friendly, like the way cassette tapes were, you could copy a song or 2 for a friend, no one got hurt, and the music biz did not CRASH, also the movie biz when VCR tapes could just be coppied easily, again the movie biz did not DIR, and oh yeah systems like Linx Opensourse no pirate copies, its free (mostly) and things like Grisoft AVG virus program FREE and they are still around! get my point?

This is about GREEDY corporations and nothing more, like for example anyone remember when Metallica started the fall of Napster for allowing sharing of Metallica songs?? well years ago Metallica themselves would ENCOURAGE people to copy their cassette tapes and give to their friends etc.. now that they are RICH snobs.. now they want to be greedy and cash in on as much as they can.. see my point?

Good day

If i may ask then..how do you make a patch so to make you're copy genuine? Also. why can i not view video clips in my firefox browser, there appears a question mark at the middle of the supposed player, has it something to do with windows scripting host? If so. how do i resolve this?