Updates without registration?

[Doug Kanter]

In the past, my wife has refused to use credit cards over the web. Now,
she's taking computer paranoia to new levels. I'm about to install Win XP
Pro and she's concerned about registering the product, due to privacy
concerns. If I don't register, will Windows Update still function? Or, will
I have to download administrative versions of all the MS updates and track
them "manually"?

 

[Gordon Burgess-Parker]

In the past, my wife has refused to use credit cards over the web.
Now, she's taking computer paranoia to new levels. I'm about to
install Win XP Pro and she's concerned about registering the product,
due to privacy concerns. If I don't register, will Windows Update
still function? Or, will I have to download administrative versions
of all the MS updates and track them "manually"?

You are confusing Registering with Activation. Activation is compulsory, and
no personal information is given to Microsoft. Registration is completely
optional.

You might also like to tell your wife that in general, using Credit cards
over the internet is FAR more secure than handing it to a waiter in a
restaurant, who then takes it out of your sight! What does he do with it
when it's out of your sight?

 

[willit]

Registering is optional, Has no effect on your ability to
get up-dates

 

[Doug Kanter]

You are confusing Registering with Activation. Activation is compulsory, and
no personal information is given to Microsoft. Registration is completely
optional.

You might also like to tell your wife that in general, using Credit cards
over the internet is FAR more secure than handing it to a waiter in a
restaurant, who then takes it out of your sight! What does he do with it
when it's out of your sight?

So...will the OS run without activation, or simply not be "updateable"?

As far as credit cards, I agree with you, but no amount of truth or logic
will convince my wife. I've even explained to her that my father's AMEX
# has been hijacked 5 times in 3 years and he NEVER uses computers.

 

[anonymous]

For credit card usage try the Visa virtual account number
generator. It creates a different account number each
time used and expire date is always 'next' month. I have
used this Visa feature every time and no problems. Just
used it today on half.com to buy registry book.

 

[Gordon Burgess-Parker]

So...will the OS run without activation, or simply not be
"updateable"?

As far as credit cards, I agree with you, but no amount of truth or
logic will convince my wife. I've even explained to her that my
father's AMEX # has been hijacked 5 times in 3 years and he NEVER
uses computers.

if you don't activate the OS will stop functioning after 30 days.

 

[Doug Kanter]

For credit card usage try the Visa virtual account number
generator. It creates a different account number each
time used and expire date is always 'next' month. I have
used this Visa feature every time and no problems. Just
used it today on half.com to buy registry book.

I have no problem with it. And, I've spent my last effort trying to convince
my wife. If she wants to risk her sanity driving through hideous traffic
to go to Barnes & Noble, when the mail man is perfectly happy to deliver the
same book, that's her problem.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

In the past, my wife has refused to use credit cards over the web.
Now, she's taking computer paranoia to new levels. I'm about to
install Win XP Pro and she's concerned about registering the product,
due to privacy concerns. If I don't register, will Windows Update
still function? Or, will I have to download administrative versions
of all the MS updates and track them "manually"?

Registration is completely optional, and there are no problems if
you don't do it. What you *must* do is activate Windows. If you
don't, it will stop working at all, except for Safe Mode, after
30 days. But activation is completely anonymous and any privacy
concerns she might have about it are unwarranted.

 

[Doug Kanter]

Registration is completely optional, and there are no problems if
you don't do it. What you *must* do is activate Windows. If you
don't, it will stop working at all, except for Safe Mode, after
30 days. But activation is completely anonymous and any privacy
concerns she might have about it are unwarranted.

Thanks.

Now, assuming I have no fear of ANY computer problems, and I begin with a
reformatted hard drive on a modern Sony laptop (less than 2 years old), how
many liters of bourbon are recommended for the installation?

 

[cimex]

I would recommend keeping a liter at hand, although it most likely will not
be needed.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

In the past, my wife has refused to use credit cards over the web. Now,
she's taking computer paranoia to new levels. I'm about to install Win XP
Pro and she's concerned about registering the product, due to privacy
concerns. If I don't register, will Windows Update still function? Or, will
I have to download administrative versions of all the MS updates and track
them "manually"?

You must activate or the OS will stop working. However, they don't require
any personal information from you to do this, so privacy should not be an
issue at all.

HTH
-pk

 

[Alex Nichol]

In the past, my wife has refused to use credit cards over the web. Now,
she's taking computer paranoia to new levels. I'm about to install Win XP
Pro and she's concerned about registering the product, due to privacy
concerns. If I don't register, will Windows Update still function?

What you have to do is *activate* it. This relates solely to the
hardware, and you need have no personal information at all included - or
even present on the machine. *Registration* which sends in personal
information about its owner, is entirely voluntary, and I don't bother.