Wondering why your PC has been infested with malware, random popups, intermittent shut downs and all sorts of other atypical garbage since the day you installed that downloaded copy of
Windows 7? In case you aren't capable of determining that your copy of Windows isn't genuine (as in, you didn't
buy it from a legitimate source),
Microsoft is about to lend you a serious hand. In the "coming days," the software behemoth will be pushing out a new update for Windows Activation Technologies, which will look for over "70 known and potentially dangerous activation exploits." It sounds as if the update is intended to alert folks who purchased complete PCs from the back of their local White Van that they may have gotten ripped off, but either way, we're not particularly stoked about having yet another item running in the background, consuming system resources and telling us that we've been naughty. Thankfully it's a voluntary update, but keep your eyes peeled if you don't want to okay the installation accidentally.
[Thanks, Troy]
posted February 11th 2010 8:59PM
1 important available update: KB00700666 Windows will update and strengthen your security by detecting a series of exploits meanwhile Windows will installed and run a nagging screen of death until you've pass Windows genuine. Click here if you want to be screwed.
[click]
Hopefully it will be like before, download and run RemoveWGA and the new piece of crap will be gone. This is the one thing with Windows that always makes me wish Linux was good enough. I look forward to Linux having good video editing programs (or at least one).
@sonicyoof
Check out Ubuntu Studio. It is geared towards media editing. Despite what Linux geeks say it is more complicated but i have edited videos in it before, its just a little overwhelming how many options there are. It still has a ways to go but it usually gets the job done with a little google-ing
WIll this effect the soft mod to the bios via Daz loader
Microsoft must be happy, for once in a few years, they have an OS that people actually bother to pirate!!!!
I'm not ashamed to say I don't even care about the article, I just like the cat photo.
"but either way, we're not particularly stoked about having yet another item running in the background, consuming system resources and telling us that we've been naughty"
Way to be hypocrits engadget... you guys got chrome in that screenshot, the most resource consuming browser, running multiple processes all the time that cannot be uninstalled without removing the all package.
@Beastage Are you okay? Chrome uses less memory than both firefox and IE
PS more processes means greater stability and less crashes
Activating Windows have always been easy with out the need of a key. Just call the activation center and the nice chap in India will give you and activation code over the phone.
"Wondering why your PC has been infested with malware, random popups, intermittent shut downs and all sorts of other atypical garbage"
I haven't dealt with these problems since very early XP days. We're talking like 8 years ago. It's pretty sad if you can't afford to buy a new OS every 6 or 7 years. What does that work out to? Less than $2 / month?
Use task manager every time after you reboot.
I wouldn't mind paying for Windows 7 if it were reasonably priced...but come on, Vista came out like 3 years ago and even if you bought the full version of vista x64 ultimate (I believe around 400$ at the time), they want you to pay ANOTHER $200 for Win7 x64 ultimate upgrade? so that's almost 600$ for software? Come on.
As of right now I just use krow's VLK's that they have sitting around but if that wasn't an option you bet I would be downloading pirated versions. And for those asking why I need the ultimate version it's because it has bitlocker and windows media center, plus some other kewl stuff.
@DoctarPeppar I know right? Im in that situation too. I just bought a new car from Hyundai about 4 years ago, and when I walk in there the other day they have this craaaaaazy idea of making me pay more money for another new car.
Its like, gawd, I just totally bought a car from you guys, why do I have to pay for another.
@R Planteer
Yeah; the biggest insult of all is that they now admit that Vista was shit...Awesome! Wanna give all those people their money back then, or offer W7 upgrades at a low price for Vista users? Of course not :P
It should be called Windows Activation Technology but Windows Crippling Technology.
They gave me my copy (House party! :D).
I think it's funny that Microsoft thinks people care about whether or not they have a legit copy. They peg these tools as a tool for those who want to find out. I doubt anyone cares, other than MS.
The thing most people seem to be missing here is that you have to take Microsofts' word that this patch/update/whatever does what they say it does. You basically have to trust the company you all seem hell bent on ripping off.
Remember when auto update for XP started doing stuff on-line even when people were logged out? Remember how Microsoft wasn't to keen to answer all the questions about what exactly auto update was doing?
Just a thought.
I see very little to complain about here if you own a legit copy of Windows. Honestly I see this news story being put front-and-center, with a decidedly negative and slanted tone to it, as an example of Engadget's bias towards Apple products. Never have I heard anything made by Apple described in this manner while they certainly have their share of software and PR screwups (like, for instance, getting rid of small developers apps that include sexual content but leaving the Playboy and SI Swimsuit apps within the app store: http://www.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct2=us%2F4_0_s_1_1_aa&ct3=MAE4AkgBUAFqAnVzegF0&usg=AFQjCNGDY_fzJwcDQ7dAjxUBTykY5VKihw&sig2=VsTwsnT4yB6sCGUWqZLc_Q&cid=8797503938203&ei=uXmFS_CYMY7slQTJp9sK&rt=HOMEPAGE&vm=STANDARD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.computerworld.com%2Fs%2Farticle%2F9161618%2FApple_targets_objectionable_apps_leaves_i_Playboy_i_i_SI_i_in_App_Store_%3FtaxonomyId%3D77)