authentication passed off as critical update

[code_wrong]

Recently I took unusual step of visiting Windows update. This was just to
double check that the system I was working on was absolutely up to date.
Automatic update was set to Auto.

Windows update website informed me that a critical update was required .. it
turned out to be the Windows Bogus (Genuine) Advantage Authentication... I
had no choice but to "Activate" the system before I was allowed to continue
checking for updates.
Bloody cheek! passing off this 'Genuine advantage authentication' as a
critical update.

One day I am bound to come across a system that does not pass this
authentication.

Will the system be usable or will they lock the system until I have made a
grovelling phone call... or worse .. have to inform my
customer/neighbour/friend of a friend that "Sorry ,. I know you just wanted
me to check your system was up to date but now you must pay £200 for an
Operating system"

yes I know piracy blah blah not good, software prices, not good for
industry, theft etc .. but they have no business making false assertions
about licence validity checks

cw

 

[Alias]

Recently I took unusual step of visiting Windows update. This was just to
double check that the system I was working on was absolutely up to date.
Automatic update was set to Auto.

Windows update website informed me that a critical update was required ..
it turned out to be the Windows Bogus (Genuine) Advantage
Authentication... I had no choice but to "Activate" the system before I
was allowed to continue checking for updates.
Bloody cheek! passing off this 'Genuine advantage authentication' as a
critical update.

One day I am bound to come across a system that does not pass this
authentication.

Will the system be usable or will they lock the system until I have made a
grovelling phone call... or worse .. have to inform my
customer/neighbour/friend of a friend that "Sorry ,. I know you just
wanted me to check your system was up to date but now you must pay £200
for an Operating system"

yes I know piracy blah blah not good, software prices, not good for
industry, theft etc .. but they have no business making false assertions
about licence validity checks

cw

There's a workaround. Once the WGA is downloaded and installed, open
IE/Tools/Internet Options/Programs/Manage Add Ons where you can disable the
program that is only a hassle for paying customers, not pirates. Once
disabled, close IE for it to take effect. Open IE again, go to Windows
Update and download whatever your heart desires and ignore the stupid
balloon that pops up to tell you you've disabled WGA.

Alias

 

[code_wrong]

There's a workaround. Once the WGA is downloaded and installed, open
IE/Tools/Internet Options/Programs/Manage Add Ons where you can disable
the program that is only a hassle for paying customers, not pirates. Once
disabled, close IE for it to take effect. Open IE again, go to Windows
Update and download whatever your heart desires and ignore the stupid
balloon that pops up to tell you you've disabled WGA.

Done thanks ... I am not confident however that a change in a hardware
configuration would not provoke a system lockup courtesy of Big Brother AKA
Microsoft ..

 

[Alias]

Done thanks ... I am not confident however that a change in a hardware
configuration would not provoke a system lockup courtesy of Big Brother
AKA Microsoft ..

Don't confuse Product Activation with Windows Genuine Advantage. How could
you do that? LOL! Yes, if you change enough software, a different bubble
will pop up demanding that you activate and if you don't pass, you have to
call and grovel because MS assumes you are guilty until proven innocent.

Wonderful, ain't it?

Alias

 

[Jon]

System Restore to a recent restore point removes it, with the exception of 2
files that are "resistant" to System Restore and can easily be deleted
manually.

C:\Windows\Downloaded Program Files\LegitCheckControl.inf

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Windows Genuine
Advantage\data\data.dat


Jon

 

[Alias]

Don't confuse Product Activation with Windows Genuine Advantage. How could
you do that? LOL! Yes, if you change enough software,

Oops. Should be "hardware".



a different bubble

 

[plew]

Don't confuse Product Activation with Windows Genuine Advantage. How could
you do that? LOL! Yes, if you change enough software, a different bubble
will pop up demanding that you activate and if you don't pass, you have to
call and grovel because MS assumes you are guilty until proven innocent.

Wonderful, ain't it?

Alias

Windows "update" require IE which I don't use. Looks like m$ got
away with something with violating the lawsuit "agreement" in that
m$ was supposed to decouple the OS from IE? Auto-update with IE
is not decoupling it from the operating system.

 

[Alias]

Windows "update" require IE which I don't use. Looks like m$ got
away with something with violating the lawsuit "agreement" in that
m$ was supposed to decouple the OS from IE? Auto-update with IE
is not decoupling it from the operating system.

I believe that was Windows Media and only in Europe.

Alias