Pirates Get Blacked Out Vista News Discuss Pirates Get Blacked Out in the Windows Vista forums; Its a hoax? Damn...that would have been a really good idea to rid of the pirates....

[Wiggles]

Its a hoax? Damn...that would have been a really good idea to rid of the pirates.

[Snuffy]

Originally Posted by Vistanoob

There really is some kind of reduced functionality mode, if copy does not pass WGA right? I know of someone with a pirated copy of XP and it has some countdown setting, to reduced functionality if not activated.
Of course how many pirates go to Windows Update?
So much easier to bite the bullet, fork over the cash and get updates etc with a clean conscience. (those that I know of can well afford it) Too bad the other was a hoax.

Many Pirates use the "update" system.. that is the only way to VERIFY they are still 100% activated, that gives them bragging rights ( sort of ) among Pirates, Pirates also pass which KB not to DL/install that has the ability to disable specific (hack-crack-timer stop) etc etc... one patch eliminated the Timer Stop crack, another patch stops it from being DL to your computer..(Bit Defender does that by calling it a Virus) . one patch reads to insure you have not reset your time/date to install a (crack-hack-patch). several more patches eliminated some of the OEM Bios mods, other patches eliminate using (example) DELL OEM Bios Emulator on a Non Dell Bios, or using a ASUS OEM mod on a Acer system. Pirates also pass a list of current mobos that allow the use of Bios Emulators, and how to remove the Bios Manufacture Name..
Microsoft says the last "human error on WPA updates" only crashed 12,000 total Legit computers world wide... ( what a piece of crap) legit people around the world have posted on legit forums and such of up to 4 days wait to get "re activated" I was re activated in 15 hours, approx 1 hr after the FIX was installed...I then posted here 1hr15min after the FIX was in...(the trick was 1. No reboot for any reason) and your system did not relate that it was CRASHED. the next auto updates re-activated so many ppl did not know.. Many ppl shut there systems down at nite, or reboot when you install a program, or have a power failure or a component failure, many reasons. The work around was very easy... to get back out of Limited/reduced function .. for the majority of users... Beta testers knew how to bypass/work around very easily.

[Vistanoob]

I never realized that!! In that regard I know very little.So reduced functionality has huge drawbacks too. It would be very frustrating to those who didn't know why, or how to get out of it. And had payed!!!
I've been on quest to demystify both hardware and software since late 2003.(An enormous amount of information, from square 1) I've wanted to become my own tech support.(seriously) Ignorance is definitely not bliss when using computers. I wasn't affected personally, but I read about it. If I had been ,I would have not been happy!
I appreciate the info. This place is truly educational! I love all the gory details!

[Snuffy]

Yes, on being upsetting when you go into reduced function.
Years ago, (middle 70's)one of my instructors told my class.
When you first start, if you do not have anything else to do and really want to learn ... make it CRASH .. then REPAIR it.. then crash it again and repair it again... because you will never crash it the same way twice. Therfore you will learn to repair it .. make notes so that when you see it in real life, you can say. Ahhh, yes, I know now to repair that., this works on cell phones, computers, hardware, software, Ham Radios, TV's, Toasters, what ever you want to learn about.

Todays world is Buy cheap,when it quites throw it away and buy a new one... in my day, it was buy expensive (Normally the best) and when it quites - REPAIR it ... so you can find many very expensive items that do not work, and thousands of cheap ones, try to fix it ... computers, hardware, devices abound to be found and very cheap also... big city, small towns, they are the same.
computer shops might give you JUNK if you ask... and many are still Very Good, just OLD. I have found DVD-RW's at computer shows, memory chips, enought stuff to build a desktop all that worked, from different vendors who simply did not want to carry it back home.. I have found NEW CD/DVD at every MS show I have attended... many simply water stained or coffee stained. License included, all 100% legit, simply throwed away in trash cans.
No, I'm not a dumper diver, but when you see them trash items instead of packing in the correct boxes to return or ship back... The best time of any computer show is closing time... you might even get paid to throw this JUNK away. They can not sell scratched, dented or stained at the store.

[Vistanoob]

Excellent advice! I am so into hands-on learning. I'm also into collecting older machines. I have 2 laptops, Win 98SE, and an old Pentium MMX desktop running 98, as well. I did my first command prompt work on a Win 95 (486) that I had on loan for a while too. Throwing away fixable equiment is wrong on many levels.
What a good idea about computer shows!! I've never been to one, which to me would be "tech heaven". I have to look into it. Thanks again

[Snuffy]

Microsoft Denies Having Updated Vista's Anti-Piracy Platform - Or the WGA
By: Marius Oiaga, Technology News Editor

Microsoft denied having introduced any sort of updates to the anti-piracy platform built into its latest operating system, Windows Vista or to the Windows Genuine Advantage mechanism designed to safeguard over the legitimacy of the copies of the operating system. Reports independent of Microsoft and unconfirmed by the company, revealed the introduction of the Black Screen of Death to rival the ubiquitous Blue Screen of Death. The Windows platform traditionally returns an error message in white text on a completely blue background to an overall critical system crash.

But with the introduction of Windows Vista, and the new anti-piracy model complete with the intimate connection between Windows Genuine Advantage and the platform's Software Protection Platform, Microsoft has the potential to offer an alternative source of frustration to the Blue Screen of Death, courtesy of the Reduced Functionality Mode synonymous with the detection of pirated copies of Windows Vista.

In this context, ComputerWorld got its hands on an email message delivered to a Windows Vista original equipment manufacturer warning of enhanced anti-piracy measures to come into effect immediately for the operating system. Essentially, the email revealed that Microsoft was taking a more abrupt approach to fighting Vista piracy, as cited by PC World.
original equipment manufacturer = OEM

Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage mechanism can label illegitimate copies of Vista as non-genuine or pirated. In a non-genuine state, the platform losses functionality such as Windows Aero and Windows ReadyBoost until Vista is reactivated, and goes through the WGA validation process one more time. Reduced Functionality Mode provides the user with access to the browser for just 1 hour every day but places a Black Screen of Death where the desktop was supposed to be, as well as removing the Start Menu and the Task Bar.

In response to the initial reports, Microsoft indicated that it did not introduce any updates to the Software Protection Platform or to the Windows Genuine Advantage mechanism. The Redmond company stated that the information provided by the original news outlet was inaccurate.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Micro...rm-65445.shtml

Read the entire EMail.
http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/id;1029262671

Black screen of darkness to haunt Vista pirates
Buy the software or suffer the consequences
Rodney Gedda (Computerworld) 11/09/2007 12:22:37
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The ad concludes with "Don't risk it!" and "make sure your customers always get genuine Windows Vista preinstalled".

Notice only in AU. it seems. they must be getting there version of Vista from
Thailand (Black Market). It seems that all the RUMORS started in AU. and maybe they are not RUMORS in AU.. but RUMORS for the rest of the WORLD.

[Snuffy]

http://www.tweakvista.com/Article39153.aspx

excellent article... and until Microsoft removes the ability to rearm. (rumors are it will SP1) .

For those that might need sometime... visit the link, save the page or print so you have for future reference.

This is not a HACK or a Pirate thing, it is HONEST and a MS MVP was the first to show us the procedure.

[Vistanoob]

Excellent article. So straightforward, and really not hard once one knows the steps. Very hand to have as a reference.