Windows 7 Activation Technologies Update now live, ready to be dodged

Remember that polarizing Windows 7 Activation Technologies Update we told you about? You know, the one that helps you to "verify that the copy of Windows 7 that is running on your computer is activated correctly and is genuine?" It's available for download now through Windows Update, and it's not particularly easy to spot. The main label simply says "Update for Windows 7," though we'd be sure to avoid KB971033 if you weren't up for having this thing looking into your business. Your call, though.

[Thanks, Elijah and bighap]

[KeegdnaB Posted Feb 24th 2010 1:23PM]

Let's play "who here on Engadget pirates their OS"

Clearly anyone who's paranoid about this. If your installation is legit, why are you worried?

[PGPProtector Posted Feb 24th 2010 6:34PM]

@KeegdnaB
True, MS NEVER has any False Positives on their detection.

[Picklesworth Posted Feb 24th 2010 1:25PM]

Engadget, could you guys please stop encouraging software piracy by actively writing about how to get by with one's cracked copy of Windows 7? It really fucks up competition in this industry.

[gr689 Posted Feb 24th 2010 1:30PM]

@Picklesworth

Yur name says it all!!

[hjustin93 Posted Feb 24th 2010 1:25PM]

Thanks for this! Engadget just saved my whole family... lol, besides me, I have a Mac. xD

[loftyDan Posted Feb 24th 2010 2:25PM]

Why does the poster think the update is hard to spot? For me it is clearly labled and disabled by default:

"This update to Windows Activation Technologies detects activation exploits and tampering to key Windows system files. These exploits try to bypass regular Windows activation and are sometimes included within counterfeit copies of Windows."

Doesn't seem like they are forcing anything or trying to slip it in, to me.

[AzurePhoenix Posted Feb 24th 2010 4:24PM]

I have a cracked version (although it was not installed by me rather my uncle who did it w/o my permission >.

[Slappy Wag Posted Feb 24th 2010 11:26PM]

@AzurePhoenix

And here you continue to use it. Not a real smart fella, are ya? Your computer will begin shutting down right about now...

[AzurePhoenix Posted Feb 24th 2010 11:45PM]

@Slappy Wag Lawl, no it hasen't! xD i was smart enough to turn off all updates so that my laptop doesn't double cross me mwahahah!

[Slappy Wag Posted Feb 25th 2010 11:28AM]

@AzurePhoenix

So, yeah, back to my original assessment of you... you're not a real smart fella, are ya? You do realize that you are leaving yourself open to EVERY SINGLE EXPLOIT on the Internet if you do this, yes? You better not put anything of value on that machine. But what am I saying, you're a genius, so you will never have problems. :rolleyes:

[timta2 Posted Feb 25th 2010 5:58PM]

@Slappy Wag

If you were really smart you would realize that Microsoft is using Fear to sell more copies of Windows 7 and increase profits. There aren't any exploits in copies of Windows 7 that were acquired from reputable sources other than retail or Microsoft.

[AzurePhoenix Posted Feb 24th 2010 4:34PM]

I have a cracked version (although it was not installed by me rather my uncle who did it w/o my permission >.

[Rick Goodman Posted Feb 24th 2010 5:18PM]

I installed it and my hacked activation is still good :)

[anarchyuk Posted Feb 24th 2010 7:32PM]

It didnt show on my updates so i downloaded it from ms download centre and my windows is still activated saying genuine! Must be aimed at a different type of activation as this was pre activated.

[daewootech Posted Feb 24th 2010 8:44PM]

weak, turned my off laptop and it autoinstalled...

[AzurePhoenix Posted Feb 24th 2010 10:58PM]

I have a cracked version (although it was not installed by me rather my uncle who did it w/o my permission) He used Hazar Loader, Will i be ok if i update???

[trois Posted Feb 24th 2010 11:01PM]

@brown like dookie
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/downloads/PrivacyInfo.aspx

[Pork Posted Feb 24th 2010 11:04PM]

Engadget, are you trying to suggest that
1) using pirate Win7 is good
2) genuine activation is BAD

First of all, this patch is not spyware or anything like that. And it does NOT look into your business.

Think before you post, Engadget people.

[timta2 Posted Feb 25th 2010 6:01PM]

@Pork

It does look into your business and reports home. Microsoft doesn't care about you or your privacy. You are sadly mistaken if you believe that.

[mkhpalm Posted Feb 24th 2010 11:15PM]

I was getting worried that MS was going to go back out there strong realizing that their money isn't in windows itself. Its in the applications that *run on* windows that drives *any* windows sales. I guess they don't care and just want to keep developers like me bleeding away from the windows platform. And with that, the ship keeps on sinking now doesn't it? 10 different licensing options and a hard time every time I want to re-install my windows? Nah, thats ok. I'll just switch to OSX or Linux. I've already watched the GMC business model fail miserably.

[Slappy Wag Posted Feb 24th 2010 11:28PM]

@mkhpalm

He proclaims from a Windows machine... :rolleyes:

[Hexidecimal Posted Feb 25th 2010 12:41AM]

Doesn't detect loaders, installed on a couple test bed machines to see what would happen. Answer: Nothing.

Microsoft: 0
14 Year Old Russian Hackers: Eleventy Billion

[AzurePhoenix Posted Feb 25th 2010 12:59AM]

@Hexidecimal are you absolutley sure it doesnt work on loaders???

[Hexidecimal Posted Feb 25th 2010 6:22PM]

@AzurePhoenix Well, I'm looking at a machine that has the update installed and uses a loader, and it says Windows is Activated, and Windows Update still works, so does WGA. So I'm going to go with yes.

[dannyyang524 Posted Apr 9th 2010 2:30AM]

@Hexidecimal Seriously?

[NeatOman Posted Feb 25th 2010 2:32AM]

My "friend" didn't dodge it, and nothing happened. Maybe because my "friend" used a oem loader instead of a crack and thoroughly checks what he installs onto his craputer. My "friend" is smrt.

[idanny Posted Feb 25th 2010 3:12AM]

Well I have a legit copy, but I think it just broke my RAID 1 array and won't boot.

File: \Boot\BCD
Status: 0xc000000e

Fail. :(

[KamasamaK Posted Feb 25th 2010 3:18AM]

I took the plunge to see what would happen. Turns out nothing.

[TheWB Posted Feb 25th 2010 7:12AM]

You dodged it, for now.

Wait until SP1 hits -- you will not dodge it here, unless you do not want to upgrade to SP1? It will be in Win 8 when it comes out.

[timta2 Posted Feb 25th 2010 6:03PM]

@TheWB

There sure are a lot of people out there running pirated XP SP3 without WGA aren't there?

[anarchyuk Posted Feb 25th 2010 7:19AM]

people, this doesnt kill ur windows straight away lol, i done mine last night, done a few reboots and still fine! woke up and the nag was on the screen and it wanted me to become genuine! but....
1) uninstall the update
2) re activate using an activator that's new (cough open 7 activator)
3) go through the genuine activation using WindowsActivationUpdate.exe from the ms website (windows will ask you to make genuine using that also)
4) enjoy windows and stop downloading updates you know are unsafe :-p

[TheColonel Posted Feb 25th 2010 9:01AM]

Hmm, think I won't be installing this patch on my bootcamp partition

*cough*

[deepen03 Posted Feb 26th 2010 6:36PM]

hey atleast this "optional" update is better than all that WGA bullshit in XP and Office..

[Beangas Posted Feb 27th 2010 12:24PM]

Got my Compaq notebook in Taiwan six months ago -- has an OEM badged Win7 x64 OS. I didn't get any OS copy with it -- they told me it will update forever and all I need to do is backups of image if I wanna transfer to a new machine later.. Still, I think I'll avoid the patch -- too much hassle if the machines kacks right when I need answer the bosses emails...

[philds391 Posted Apr 6th 2010 3:11AM]

Just dodged it now. Allmost installed it but I remembered the story about it a while back and stopped the download. Thank you engadget for helping me stick it to the man!