Windows 7 Activation Technologies Update now live, ready to be dodged
By Darren Murph 
posted February 24th 2010 8:47AM
posted February 24th 2010 8:47AM
[Thanks, Elijah and bighap]
posted February 24th 2010 8:47AM
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i hate activation
@MSM
I hate Activision.
@MSM Dammit! Too late. My legal license of Windows 7 is now infected with this shit.
I hate OSX
@aubreyq
Am I missing something here? I've bought a genuine copy of windows 7, so what disadvantages will installing this update bring me?
@MSM
Dude MS actually had the decency of deselecting this update amongst other ones by default. And yes I can confirm that.
You know, if you used Linux, there would be no activation. And they wouldn't care if you gave it to all of your friends.
@Flanjygo: You know that there's no Office for linux... So if we all used linux, microsoft would be broke (no revenue coming from windows & office), therefore, bill gates wouldn't be as rich as he is now... Therefore he couldn't donate as much money as he does to charity / "save the environment campaigns".... Ergo -> Using Linux == Killing the World.
@Craig Exactly, there is zero disadvantage if you're legit. Expect a bunch of whining posts about "broken Windows activation" from people running cracked copies soon.
@rloaded and Craig,
WGA created problems for legit licenses of Windows XP, so it's reasonable to anticipate Microsoft will screw this up, too.
@vvnraman Consider this the second confirmation that this update is not mandatory, as it was unchecked in Windows Update by default. I installed it anyways, as I have no reason not to (my copy of Windows 7 Pro is actually legitimate) and I have had no problems. I've never had any problems with WGA on ANY (XP, Vista, and 7) version of Windows on any of the several computers I maintain, so that makes me wonder if the people that had issues were actually using a copy that was (NOT) "legitimate," or that they simply have nothing better to complain about.
@Craig
More of your system's resources being used unnecessarily.
I dodged it last night....
@KGB
*unchecks box, hides update*
That was rough...
@KGB
Oh please, its deselected by default. Very decent of Microsoft.
@KGB eh, not me. When I was shutting down it was installing two updates. Crafty MS
@amneziac It auto-installed 4 updates for me sometime today, but this one is sitting there waiting for me to install it manually. I don't see any reason I need it, and it will probably slow my start-up times, so I don't plan on installing it.
Son of a bitch, just installed a pile of updates on a fresh install and what do you know, there it is...
Oh well, I've got a genuine key so I guess there's nothing to wor
@Leindurstit I like how your pirate copy of Windows was kind enough to hit "submit" for you before it shut down! ;)
@Leindurstit
As long as you're a good, honest citizen what could possibly go wro
@Leindurstit Well I hope there isn't a mix up of Genuine Licenses and Fake ones like a Twirl a Whi
@Delta
Welcome to Itchy and Scratchy land, where nothing can possiblaye go wrong... Possibly... Go wrong... That's the first thing that has gone wrong.
@Ryan P
Grr, I'm still running the 7100 RC build and it says it's going to time bomb in 5 days :(
Well, let's hope one of my W7 OEM keys still works...
Luckily my key is genuine and best of all Free :P
@ratchetnclank same here :) ahh the benefits of a university!
@manifest3r
Windows 7 for $7, doesn't get much better than that
other than free of course
@manifest3r
But then again you're paying some insane tuition.
@ratchetnclank
buy me a copy kthx
@cardfan
...Unless you live in a socialist paradise like Finland, where universities are free, no tuitions. Free universities that offer free copies of Windows 7, how nice is that? On the other hand, I mainly use the socialist's favorite OS, aka Linux, so I haven't really had much use for that free Win7 so far.
No matter what your say about Linux, the fact that you don't have to worry about keys and such is really nice.
ps. I know that the univiersities are paid via taxes, so they aren't exactly free, but it doesn't stop me from liking it.
@cardfan
bah, not if you're smart enough that they pay you to come to college.
@ratchetnclank
Tell me about it. I'm getting paid to go to grad school (tuition paid for as well) in the US and am able to get pretty much anything excluding M$Office free through MSDN departmental subscription with licenses good forever... w00t free WinServer2008 as well!
So gay, it says my MSDN key will expire in 7 days. How does that work? My MSDN account is expired now, I can't get another key until I renew.
@djameson I thought he meant happy. Funny how words evolve without anyone's permission or approval...
@sethmo My own Windows 7 machine (activated with a now-expired MSDN subscription key) keeps deactivating itself. I can enter the key again, and it is fine for a few days, but then my wallpaper will disappear, and I'm back to needing to activate...
@sethmo I installed a pirated version as I wanted to try the OS out first before buying it.
Microsoft really did a good job, and I don't mind shelling some dough for it. So should you
@sethmo Wait so you are saying that they are checking for keys generated for MSDN and/or Technet accounts to see if the generating account is still valid/active?
@KAL326
I don't know what is wrong with mine. It shouldn't be flagged because my MSDN is expired. I saw the popup in the corner the last two days but it is gone today and under System properties it says it is activated? I've had this copy installed since the RTM was released on my student MSDN.
Sorry for the derogatory "gay" I threw in lolz.
@djameson
Dude...your homophobia is showing. You'd never get away with that crap if you switched out "Homosexual" for being black, or jewish, or hispanic...etc. If you ever use another persons personal sexuality as a pejorative put-down on these boards again, I'll not only report you to Engadget, but to GLAAD as well for using Hate Speech. This sh*ts gotta stop NOW!
@stevielee
So sensitive. I bet you created the "That's so gay" commercials. Hate me for not being gay, I already apologized :)
@stevielee
Windows 7 is so Indian!! >:0
@stevielee
I've got no problem with homosexuality but quit acting like a little prissy homo.
Well despite having a genuine version I'm not touching this thing. My windows 7 is working great and I'm not installing anything that has a chance of messing it up. Even if it is from Microsoft.
@Chas19 Same here. I've downloaded updates for Office like this which resulted in me losing my activation key... Which is fine if I'm at home, but I was on a 2 week trip :-/
@Chas19 Specially if its from Microsoft
@Chas19 If you are not paranoid then I don't know what you are. You probably shouldn't be running a Microsoft product at all.
This update did not show up for me, even though others did.
I specifically set windows update to not automatically install. But when I shut the computer down it installed it.
Thinking about re-installing the OS out of spite.
@jcmoonraker you could always uninstall the update
@jcmoonraker
its not selected as default, so only you need to select to install.
@jcmoonraker ya you'll really show them.