Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
By Joris Evers
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Published: October 4, 2006, 6:00 AM PDT
If Vista is not activated with a legitimate product registration key in time, the system will run in "reduced functionality mode" until it is activated, said Thomas Lindeman, a senior product manager at Microsoft. In this mode, people will be able to use a Web browser for up to an hour, after which time the system will log them out, he said.
The new technology is part of Microsoft's new "Software Protection Platform," which the company plans to announce on Wednesday. It will be part of future versions of all Microsoft products, but debuts in Windows Vista and Windows Server "Longhorn," said Cori Hartje, director of Microsoft's Windows Genuine Software Initiative. Vista, the successor to Windows XP, is slated to be broadly available in January.
Microsoft has escalated its battle with software pirates during the past two years through the "Genuine Advantage" add-ons for Windows and Office, its biggest cash cows. The company is now expanding its push by baking antipiracy features into its new products and taking more drastic action when it finds that a product was illegitimately acquired.
Many users shouldn't be confronted by Vista's antipiracy technology, however. People who buy a PC with Vista installed from companies such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Gateway, for example, should find the operating system activated already.
"Everything is going to be good to go right out of the box," Hartje said. "This is more for those who install after the fact."
Those who install Vista themselves, for example on existing PCs, will have a 30-day period to activate the operating system and validate with Microsoft that they have a legitimate license. "During those 30 days, you get warning messages, it counts down. During the last three days they get very frequent," Lindeman said.
If ignored, after 30 days Vista will display four options. The first will allow the user to activate online, the second is to run in reduced functionality mode, the third is to enter a product key and the fourth displays instructions to activate by phone, Lindeman said.
"In reduced functionality mode, we will let you use your browser for periods of up to an hour before we log you off," Lindeman said.
Barring people from using their PC is a significant change from the antipiracy features that Microsoft bolted on to Windows XP with Windows Genuine Advantage. In XP, the piracy-busting features only put a block on downloading additional programs from Microsoft's Web sites.
"Piracy is one of the most significant problems facing the software industry," Hartje said. More than a third of all software installed last year was pirated or unlicensed, she said, citing figures from the Business Software Alliance, a software industry group.
Microsoft will continue to check if Vista was legitimately acquired, even after activation. This happens, for example, when downloading additional Microsoft programs. Should a license key be deemed illegitimate, the user will be given another 30-day grace period to acquire a legitimate license key, Microsoft said.
During this grace period warnings will be displayed and Vista will block access to the Windows Defender antispyware tool, ReadyBoost memory expansion feature and Aero advanced graphics option, Microsoft said. Also, a persistent text will display in the lower right hand of the screen: "This copy of Windows is not genuine."
If Vista is not validated after the 30 days, the user will again be locked out.
As part of the increased effort to make it harder to pirate its products, Microsoft is also changing the way businesses license its software. New licensing systems will replace the current volume license keys, which have been widely abused, Hartje said. "Fifty percent of the piracy, we think, uses keys issued to volume licensing customers," she said.
Volume license keys are registration codes for products that Microsoft gives out to large organizations in plain text. One key can be used to activate and run an unlimited number of copies of the product, for example Windows XP or Office XP.
Starting with Vista, Microsoft will offer two different types of keys and offer three different ways to distribute them within an organization. In all cases, some more work will be required on the part of the technology department at a company.
"They will just need to do a little extra planning," Hartje said.
The first type of product key to replace the current system is called "multiple activation key," or MAK. An IT pro at a company can install a key on a machine that will then need to be validated online. Alternatively a proxy can be set up centrally to activate multiple systems at once, according to Microsoft.
The second licensing option is called "key management service," or KMS. This requires the organization to set up a KMS service on the corporate network that will activate client machines. The Vista PCs will silently find the KMS service and activate, according to Microsoft.
:source: Source: http://news.com.com/Microsoft+to+loc...tag=nefd.pulse
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
Those Ubuntu Linux CD's I recieved a little while back are looking all the more appetizing...
Though I'm sure that when it's time to abandon XP for Vista, there will be numerous hacks to remove the limitations.
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Damnatory
... there will be numerous hacks to remove the limitations.
Exactly, microsoft will come up with 1 way to stop pirated copies of windows and people will find many ways to get around it or remove it. Its just a never ending process.
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
I don't understand why so many people use a cracked version of Windows on their home computer.
I don't pay for most of the software I use but I don't mind paying ~100/150 euros for an OS I use every day.
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
Quote:
Originally Posted by
{I}{K}{E}
I don't understand why so many people use a cracked version of Windows on their home computer.
I don't pay for most of the software I use but I don't mind paying ~100/150 euros for an OS I use every day.
....and have approximately a 6-year life span.
The sticky part is when you have more than one computer to upgrade.
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
Quote:
Originally Posted by
{I}{K}{E}
I don't understand why so many people use a cracked version of Windows on their home computer.
I don't pay for most of the software I use but I don't mind paying ~100/150 euros for an OS I use every day.
Agreed. :yup: I've never had anything against M$ anyways...:huh:
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
I never pay for anything Microsoft , never have never will . That's a promise , if I run in to trouble I'll try some thing else .
Why the fuck do I have to pay for an O/S for my spanking brand new computer ? Like it works with out it ? Give me a fucking break !
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
Quote:
Originally Posted by
peat moss
I never pay for anything Microsoft , never have never will . That's a promise , if I run in to trouble I'll try some thing else .
Why the fuck do I have to pay for an O/S for my spanking brand new computer ? Like it works with out it ? Give me a fucking break !
Sure it will run without it. :blink:
Windows is just one of several OS's. Any one of which you'll have to buy.
@IKE - I'm the same way. I'll always buy my OS and my anti-virus. I like the peace of mind.
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Skizo
Quote:
Originally Posted by
peat moss
I never pay for anything Microsoft , never have never will . That's a promise , if I run in to trouble I'll try some thing else .
Why the fuck do I have to pay for an O/S for my spanking brand new computer ? Like it works with out it ? Give me a fucking break !
Sure it will run without it. :blink:
Windows is just one of several OS's. Any one of which you'll have to buy.
@IKE - I'm the same way. I'll always buy my OS and my anti-virus. I like the peace of mind.
Your missing my point Skizo , I "think " an Operating system should be included with a new system or at the very least an OEM version at a very low cost . Yes I can use a "free" O/S but thats not the point .
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
now i am lost trying to follow the logic
if you buy a new system (not home built) i always thought they came pre installed with an operating system.
even if you build your own box i still dont understand your thinking,why is it microsofts fault and not the hard drive manufacturers for not pre installing an operating system?
or maybe we can blame the motherboard maker and so on .
i as well purchase windows.
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
Quote:
Originally Posted by
peat moss
Your missing my point Skizo , I "think " an Operating system should be included with a new system or at the very least an OEM version at a very low cost . Yes I can use a "free" O/S but thats not the point .
I'm not missing the point, I was trying to make one. :wacko:
A brand/type of OS is just another one of the many things that you can select when buying a computer. Sure, for the most part Windows is the standard, but it's still just an option. Just like choosing which type of graphics card, or monitor.
Monitors are required, but certainly are not included in all PC purchases.
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
I'm not paying for Windows unless it comes preinstalled (like it did on my laptop) or they start pricing it much cheaper, we have three desktops in the flat and I'm constantly upgrading them (leading to problems with reactivation). The current pirated version I use (Microsoft Windows XP Pro MaxData Compilation Version - Unattended) is better than vanilla XP anyhows. And the price of an OEM version of Windows is a rip off here, £100 each. Fuck that.
Vista will be cracked, so if I do decide to "upgrade" I'll be able to.
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
Quote:
Originally Posted by
peat moss
I never pay for anything Microsoft , never have never will . That's a promise , if I run in to trouble I'll try some thing else .
Why the fuck do I have to pay for an O/S for my spanking brand new computer ? Like it works with out it ? Give me a fucking break !
:blink:
What are you on about, petey?
The OS does come with the new system.
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
Quote:
Originally Posted by
MCHeshPants420
I'm not paying for Windows unless it comes preinstalled (like it did on my laptop) or they start pricing it much cheaper, we have three desktops in the flat and I'm constantly upgrading them (leading to problems with reactivation). The current pirated version I use (Microsoft Windows XP Pro MaxData Compilation Version - Unattended) is better than vanilla XP anyhows. And the price of an OEM version of Windows is a rip off here, £100 each. Fuck that.
Vista will be cracked, so if I do decide to "upgrade" I'll be able to.
Quote:
Originally Posted by me
The sticky part is when you have more than one computer to upgrade.
Agreed
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
my opinion is it will end up being easy for the 'filesharers' but a major hassle for legitamate users, after all, when has a popular software never been cracked
also when you buy a computer with the os preinstalled it is usually full of junk or uneeded stuff, which slows your computer from day1
so i choose to use a 'pirated clean' operating system, and can reformat whenever i see the need
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
exactly! if someone figures out how to work in the world of bittorent, then you must have some computer know how.
my mom was like the email is stuck together, what do i do? (the reply and original was "stuck together). i pressed enter and saved the day for her. people like her will be the ones with the toughest time.
and if a regular user can activate a program, there must be a way that other people can!
btw i have a legitimate copy, that came with the system.
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
Well the 30 day grace period can be increased to 90 days with the copy of Vista floating around atm. Somewhat sadly, given my habit of breaking my installations, 90 days is more than enough for me.
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
If you buy a new system with XP installed then imho you have paid for XP.
If you then choose to format the HD and do a fresh install, using the same OS but a "clean" version without all the other shite they put on then no foul say's I.
You have improved the machine you paid for, using an OS you paid for. You're just getting rid of all the junk you didn't want, that folk are trying to force upon you.
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
Quote:
Originally Posted by
JPaul
If you buy a new system with XP installed then imho you have paid for XP.
If you then choose to format the HD and do a fresh install, using the same OS but a "clean" version without all the other shite they put on then no foul say's I.
You have improved the machine you paid for, using an OS you paid for. You're just getting rid of all the junk you didn't want, that folk are trying to force upon you.
You can install your os again and as long as you use the same serial key it will still be legitimate in the eyes of microsoft.
Im gonna stear clear of vista for a long while. Being a beta tester for a new microsoft os really isnt what i want.
Re: Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
I disagree with 4play. As I found out, when those "major hardware changes" happen and XP complains, it will ask for the product key again.
And when you enter the same one you bought, it will tell you it has already been used and you need a new one.
But for a casual re-install it may be fine.
