Victum of Counterfeit Software

[Guest]

Recently I have been getting pop up windows and have a star icon in the lower
right of my window stating that I may be a victum of counterfeit software.
How do I resolve this and fix it please.
Help....damsel in distress!!!
thanks a ton

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "smaui" <[email protected]>

| Recently I have been getting pop up windows and have a star icon in the lower
| right of my window stating that I may be a victum of counterfeit software.
| How do I resolve this and fix it please.
| Help....damsel in distress!!!
| thanks a ton

Please post the EXACT (word for word) text of the message.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Description of the Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications application:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/905474

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Recently I have been getting pop up windows and have a star icon in the
lower
right of my window stating that I may be a victum of counterfeit software.
How do I resolve this and fix it please.
Help....damsel in distress!!!
thanks a ton

 

[Guest]

The message says: You may be a victum of softwre counterfeiting.
That would be a popup that I get from time to time during an hour and also I
have a star icon that placed itself in the lower right hand tool bar next to
the "time". When you drag the cursor there, it says the same thing. When
you right click on it, it says that I can resolve it by buying a Genuine
Microsoft License. I have that already and am not sure what happened that
now after 3 years I am getting this info.
Do you suspect that I have a virus or trojan that worked itself into my
computer or did I get hacked or something?
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks a bunch!
Sandie

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "smaui" <[email protected]>

| The message says: You may be a victum of softwre counterfeiting.
| That would be a popup that I get from time to time during an hour and also I
| have a star icon that placed itself in the lower right hand tool bar next to
| the "time". When you drag the cursor there, it says the same thing. When
| you right click on it, it says that I can resolve it by buying a Genuine
| Microsoft License. I have that already and am not sure what happened that
| now after 3 years I am getting this info.
| Do you suspect that I have a virus or trojan that worked itself into my
| computer or did I get hacked or something?
| Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
| Thanks a bunch!
| Sandie

No. I suspect MVP Ramesh Srinivasan had it distilled to teh right answer.

 

[DaWalRus]

Description of the Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications
application: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/905474

So, in other words, everyone that has somehow been duped is now screwed?

 

[Leythos]

So, in other words, everyone that has somehow been duped is now screwed?

Or, anyone that is running a non-legit copy of Windows is now aware of
it and responsible for their non-legit copy.

None of the computers we're running it on have had any problems with it,
and we installed it on purpose.

 

[DaWalRus]

Or, anyone that is running a non-legit copy of Windows is now aware of
it and responsible for their non-legit copy.

None of the computers we're running it on have had any problems with
it, and we installed it on purpose.

I am thinking that anyone that intends to use pirated OS would not
participate in this new option and avoid Windows update to continue their
pirating successfully. The only ones that would suffer are the ones that
HAVE been duped and I would think that Microsoft would come up with a scheme
to be more simathetic to that individual and try to get the illegal dealers
out of business. I am sure there are many authorized dealers that are not so
clean but do they get an 'inspection' at any time?

 

[Leythos]

The only ones that would suffer are the ones that
HAVE been duped

I just don't see where anyone has been "Duped" as I've not seen it fail
on 1800 machines we've had it installed on, none of my MSDN XP machines
failed, none of our laptops have failed, etc....

I don't feel duped, I feel more like the vendor is working to protect
it's rights and it's been no inconvenience to me or our clients.

 

[MAP]

I just don't see where anyone has been "Duped" as I've not seen it
fail on 1800 machines we've had it installed on, none of my MSDN XP
machines failed, none of our laptops have failed, etc....

I don't feel duped, I feel more like the vendor is working to protect
it's rights and it's been no inconvenience to me or our clients.

 

[MAP]

I just don't see where anyone has been "Duped" as I've not seen it
fail on 1800 machines we've had it installed on, none of my MSDN XP
machines failed, none of our laptops have failed, etc....

I don't feel duped, I feel more like the vendor is working to protect
it's rights and it's been no inconvenience to me or our clients.

You are too close with this topic (emotionally) try rereading "DaWARus's"
post again, this time take a more neutral stance so your mind is "less"
clouded.

 

[Leythos]

You are too close with this topic (emotionally) try rereading "DaWARus's"
post again, this time take a more neutral stance so your mind is "less"
clouded.

I'm not to close, just tired of all the whiners complaining that they've
been abused by the mighty giant. No one is forced to install Windows OS,
no one is forced to use it, it's a choice like all other choices in
life.

The WGA update, where it alerts you to pirated software, is a great
idea, does not impact legit users of the OS, and has only caused
problems for those that appear to have pirated copies.

 

[DaWalRus]

I just don't see where anyone has been "Duped" as I've not seen it
fail on 1800 machines we've had it installed on, none of my MSDN XP
machines failed, none of our laptops have failed, etc....

I don't feel duped, I feel more like the vendor is working to protect
it's rights and it's been no inconvenience to me or our clients.

Why would you feel duped? I meant the OP might though.

I am sure someone like you is for real but I am thinking of some of the
smaller shops that have smaller turnover and are less scrupulous. I have
dealt with them many times and know how they can be. The OP seemed to
possibly have fallen into that category. Some years down the road they find
that thinks are not the way they thought because of the change in
technology.

The dupee would be the uneducated EU not the vender. The EU now can check
the new OS when they get home but have never been able to do so until now.
Why doesn't Microsoft use a hardware key like the real software developers
require making this all a non issue. Maybe the rumor is true that MS would
rather have a pirate Windows OS on PCs than a legal OS from the competition.

 

[DaWalRus]

I'm not to close, just tired of all the whiners complaining that
they've been abused by the mighty giant. No one is forced to install
Windows OS, no one is forced to use it, it's a choice like all other
choices in life.

The WGA update, where it alerts you to pirated software, is a great
idea, does not impact legit users of the OS, and has only caused
problems for those that appear to have pirated copies.

OK, I see where you are coming from. So why don't you chose not to respond
if you
are getting so tired? I bet many are tired of your likes to. Now that you
are also whining do you want to be the kettle or the pot this time?

 

[Leythos]

Why would you feel duped? I meant the OP might though.

I am sure someone like you is for real but I am thinking of some of the
smaller shops that have smaller turnover and are less scrupulous. I have
dealt with them many times and know how they can be. The OP seemed to
possibly have fallen into that category. Some years down the road they find
that thinks are not the way they thought because of the change in
technology.

The dupee would be the uneducated EU not the vender. The EU now can check
the new OS when they get home but have never been able to do so until now.
Why doesn't Microsoft use a hardware key like the real software developers
require making this all a non issue. Maybe the rumor is true that MS would
rather have a pirate Windows OS on PCs than a legal OS from the competition.

I understand that people can get Windows without it being legit, and
without them knowing that they got a pirated copy of it, but I suspect
that the number of people in that group is very small when you compare
it to the number of people that either think they have or know they have
a pirated copy of Windows.

I've yet to find a OS that completely replaces Windows XP, security
issues aside nothing on the market or free works as well with as many
different applications, hardware, drivers, systems, etc... Linux is
great, and I love my FC4 and FC5 systems, but the business world is the
limiting factor on how far Linux can reach at this time.

I think it will be interesting to see how end-users deal with
vendors/sellers that have provide pirated software.

 

[Leythos]

OK, I see where you are coming from. So why don't you chose not to respond
if you
are getting so tired? I bet many are tired of your likes to. Now that you
are also whining do you want to be the kettle or the pot this time?

Because if I didn't reply and point out that it's not causing any
problems for any legit installations that I've seen, not any problems
for any legit installations I've learned about, then only people stating
it's evil and bad would be read.

What are you afraid of? If it works like it's suppose too, detecting
pirated copies and not bothering legit copies, what do you care?

 

[MAP]

and has only caused
problems for those that appear to have pirated copies.

And what recourse does a person have if this is not the case?

Remember on 4-11 their were 5 hotfixes released 3 of them have caused major
problems because they were poorly written/tested, one of them was so bad
that it required a fix for the fix, did the same person/team write the WGA
update?

Of the 1800 systems you talk about with no problems haw many of them are the
same?
the same make/model vid/sound cards, the same programs installed? you are
talking about a work enviorment are you not? Not a very good cross referance
to the home user who has many other installations installed that would not
be allowed in a work station.

I ordered my computer from Dell 2 years ago,Dell is licensed by MS and given
key codes to install on their computers why do I need to verify that I'm not
pirating XP over and over again? now MS wants to put yet another running
service on my system,just so I can prove to them that I'm not doing
something illegal, I don't think so. Most third party security applications
address an issue long before MS issues a hotfix for it,I'll rely
on them for a time.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=appear

 

[DaWalRus]

Because if I didn't reply and point out that it's not causing any
problems for any legit installations that I've seen, not any problems
for any legit installations I've learned about, then only people
stating it's evil and bad would be read.

What are you afraid of? If it works like it's suppose too, detecting
pirated copies and not bothering legit copies, what do you care?

I am not concerned personally but it brought to mind some people like I
mentioned. One guy was ripping off people that didn't know it at the time.
This was with Win98 so it was real easy then. I would have liked to see him
have to pay some how but this seems never to happen. The EU is at bottom of
the food chain and that does bother me when I read about that possibility.
No one seems to give a care and then you go on the defensive to alienate
even more.

If Microsoft would apply the same rules to the authorized dealers then
thinks might equal out a bit.

Look, I am not trying to start something here and if you are offended then
I will let you have your way for the sake of conversation.

Peace.

Wally

 

[DaWalRus]

I understand that people can get Windows without it being legit, and
without them knowing that they got a pirated copy of it, but I suspect
that the number of people in that group is very small when you compare
it to the number of people that either think they have or know they
have a pirated copy of Windows.

I've yet to find a OS that completely replaces Windows XP, security
issues aside nothing on the market or free works as well with as many
different applications, hardware, drivers, systems, etc... Linux is
great, and I love my FC4 and FC5 systems, but the business world is
the limiting factor on how far Linux can reach at this time.

I think it will be interesting to see how end-users deal with
vendors/sellers that have provide pirated software.

I am positive that this will work great. The vender will now know that he
will get away with nothing. The EU will have to deal with it legally or
otherwise.

 

[All__Things__Mopar]

Today DaWalRus attempted to dazzle everyone with this
profound linguistic utterance

[sni]

The only ones that would suffer are the ones that HAVE been
duped and I would think that Microsoft would come up with a
scheme to be more simathetic to that individual and try
to get the illegal dealers out of business. I am sure there
are many authorized dealers that are not so clean but do they
get an 'inspection' at any time?

"Microsoft sympathetic" ...is that an oxymoron like "Microsoft
security"? Being a publicly held company, I would expect M$ to
be "sympathetic" first to the needs of their shareholders -
i.e., make more money - then, their creditors, then, Bill the
Gates, then their employees. Way, way, way down the list would
be the customers. Why the hell would they care about us, any
more than Toyota does or HP or <whatever company you like> does?