[typoon]

http://www.betanews.com/article/Micr...ole/1109293194

Microsoft is closing a loophole that enabled unscrupulous resellers to use Windows XP product keys that were stolen from large OEMs. The result: customers who purchase Windows on a new PC will not be able to activate, nor reinstall their operating system without first calling Microsoft.

The problem lies in the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) labels on PCs, which often contain unused unique product keys because OEMs preinstall Windows and bypass product activation.

These keys could easily be copied and sold by a smaller computer dealer complete with a counterfeit COA. Because the product key was never actually used by an end-user, a customer would have no trouble activating Windows via the Internet and never know the difference.

But Microsoft plans to change all this. Starting February 28, Microsoft will indefinitely begin to disable Internet product activation on OEM keys used by the top 20 worldwide PC makers.

If a customer attempts to activate Windows XP with an OEM key from a COA, they will be directed to call customer support specialists to obtain an override code - provided they can prove that their copy is legitimate by answering a series of questions.

Jupiter Research senior analyst Joe Wilcox said the change shouldn't affect many PC buyers. "Seeing as how the typical OEM would normally preactivate Windows XP, most legitimate users shouldn't have much need to go through the activation process," noted Wilcox.

"But it would be possible for someone to lift a COA number from, say, a PC on display at a local store and activate a OEM copy of Windows on another computer. Similarly, a smaller dealer could reuse the same key on multiple PCs of the same configuration," added Wilcox.

Microsoft expects to expand the Internet product activation ban to all pre-activated Windows PCs in the next quarter.

Other recent actions that Microsoft has taken against piracy include the Windows Genuine Advantage program, in which Windows users must verify their license in order to access Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center. Incentives, such as special downloads and discounts on Microsoft products, are offered to users with legitimate licenses. Even non-legit users, however, will continue to receive critical updates to Windows.

[starman]

[Big Mac]

/. went crazy over the report. This is a good thing for all Windows alternatives, and I believe it's a great thing for Apple. The Mac is and will remain the only viable competition to Windows, so every hurdle M$ puts in front of its users will translate to a loss for M$ and a win for the Mac.

[typoon]

Originally posted by Big Mac:
/. went crazy over the report. This is a good thing for all Windows alternatives, and I believe it's a great thing for Apple. The Mac is and will remain the only viable competition to Windows, so every hurdle M$ puts in front of its users will translate to a loss for M$ and a win for the Mac.

We can only hope.

[olePigeon]

Please wait for the next available Microsoft representative. Due to the high volume of calls, your call will be taken in the oder it was received. The approximate wait time is... 40... minutes... Thank you for registering your wondering Microsoft products today! While you wait, here are a few words from our sponsors:

Have a problem getting your little "soldier" up? Then give us a call at ......

[milhous]

In the event that OS X is someday made available to x86 machines, I'm sure Apple would follow suit.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Glad I already installed XP in virtual PC.

[typoon]

Originally posted by olePigeon:
Please wait for the next available Microsoft representative. Due to the high volume of calls, your call will be taken in the oder it was received. The approximate wait time is... 40... minutes... Thank you for registering your wondering Microsoft products today! While you wait, here are a few words from our sponsors:

Have a problem getting your little "soldier" up? Then give us a call at ......

[typoon]

Originally posted by milhous:
In the event that OS X is someday made available to x86 machines, I'm sure Apple would follow suit.

AS long as Steve is in charge I doubt we will ever see it made available to x86 machines. then again Apple has surprised us a lot in recent years. I don't think the would follow suit. The would want to get as many people over to OS X eas possible restricting it like MS doesn't wouldn't be the way. Even when Microsoft does this people will still find ways around it.

[turtle777]

I couldn't care less.
*yawn*

-t

[macmad]

Originally posted by turtle777:
I couldn't care less.
*yawn*

-t

Thanks for sharing
*yawn*

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Originally posted by turtle777:
I couldn't care less.
*yawn*

-t

Well you did care enough to come in here in the first place AND post about it.

[turtle777]

Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
Well you did care enough to come in here in the first place AND post about it.

I couldn't care less about what you think

-t

[Skip Breakfast]

I just don't want stickers all over my case unless they're sponsoring me.

[E's Lil Theorem]

Originally posted by typoon:
...Even when Microsoft does this people will still find ways around it.

They already did. The cracked version of XP completely skips the activation process. This new call-to-activate-business will mostly affect those that pay for the software. And it's likely to piss them off at that.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Originally posted by turtle777:
I couldn't care less about what you think

-t

And you cared enough to come back AND care enough to reply to my post.

Now that is what I call caring.

[effgee]

Originally posted by E's Lil Theorem:
They already did. The cracked version of XP completely skips the activation process. This new call-to-activate-business will mostly affect those that pay for the software. And it's likely to piss them off at that.

And you don't even need that - simply grab one of the billions of corporate serial #'s floating around and you're set. No activation, no crack. In the meantime, us poor honest schmucks have to activate our legitimate copy ...

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by E's Lil Theorem:
They already did. The cracked version of XP completely skips the activation process...

...until three minutes later when you need to run Windows Update to get that latest security patch - the one which prevents your machine being turned into a zombie by some nice spammer or pedophile.

Nice timing M$. No other cute little computers which don't run Windows available for under $500 at the moment!

[malvolio]

"Okay, that's one activation loophole closed, only 7389 to go."

[Athens]

Originally posted by typoon:
AS long as Steve is in charge I doubt we will ever see it made available to x86 machines. then again Apple has surprised us a lot in recent years. I don't think the would follow suit. The would want to get as many people over to OS X eas possible restricting it like MS doesn't wouldn't be the way. Even when Microsoft does this people will still find ways around it.

Every one I know uses a downloaded Corp edition of XP so it never needs to be activated.

[Athens]

Originally posted by Sherwin:
...until three minutes later when you need to run Windows Update to get that latest security patch - the one which prevents your machine being turned into a zombie by some nice spammer or pedophile.

Nice timing M$. No other cute little computers which don't run Windows available for under $500 at the moment!

Just downloaded the newest SP2 copy of Corp Windows XP, all the updates and patchs work just fine.

[TailsToo]

...just when Windows was getting SO MUCH good press (yeah, right) this comes out.

Perhaps they should announce that Nuns and Orphans will be banned from using Windows in the future.