Windows WGA 'Kill Switch'

sra

Just saw this:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=84

All complete speculation right now

Troubling for anyone who has a genuine copy of windows and has been having problems

Zahc

I'm wondering if Microsoft has the right to disable Windows functionality or the OS as a whole (tantamount to revoking my legitimate Windows license) if I do not install every piece of software that they send it updates.

I'm wondering that too. When you tic the agreement box, you're agreeing to the conditions there and then, not to being strongarmed into downloading (and using) buggy updates in the future. Might be time to change OS. I've been thinking about it for some time.

Browntoa

I thought that was IE7....lol

wonder if this is a spin off from Vista , something that is planned for that ??

leesmithg

There was an update for WGA today b.t.w.

Zahc

Lost track of Vista. Do you know of any brave sole beta testing?

sco0ter

Got Vista installed... Its been working like a charm.. No problemas or anything... Although as I said on another thread I think that XP is being used as a test system for Vista security. I have to admit Vista wants to dial home about everything (maybe because its beta)

computerwoman

:j well it does'nt seem that long ago when everyone wanted to upgrade to xp and now I see no more updates and support for 98 and ME so wondering how long it'll take for no more updates and support for xp, it might work better if they stopped chucking crap down at us which they call updates, I've got vista but I think they seriously need to do something with it before it goes on sale as it's no better then xp except it's got the failed media centre bundled in it, but not much else, I would'nt rush out to but it yet it's got along way to go, I've had suse linux professional 9.0 for years and I can't fault it, would be funny if everyone jumped ship, and went with linux, which I might add is open souce one disc many pc's no licence key, great just what we all want are you listening Mr Gates, T:jand yes IE7 and WMP11 are vista so is windows mail .

Zahc

I've had suse linux professional 9.0 for years and I can't fault it, would be funny if everyone jumped ship, and went with linux,

Thinking of it myself. Problem is that my beloved wouldn't be able to cope with the OS change, sigh

Gonna run it on the kid's machine instead:j

Poppycat

Try knoppix Zahc, its a bootable linux on cd no need to mess your pc up as long as you can boot from a cd via bias, most pcs can these days

http://www.knoppix.net/

danmanchester

What's so scary about these recent WGA issues is that genuine XP users pc's are being damaged!

I'm on the Windows Update page now staring at the terms and conditions of the latest "high priority" fix: Windows Genuine Advantage Notification KB905474...which already seems to be in my pc anyway as i see it listed in "add & remove" so I'm puzzled as to why M$ think my pc needs it again :rolleyes: !

From the EULA that has to be accepted before downloading the latest WGA patch:

"6. Computer Information. This supplement uses Internet protocols to send to Microsoft computer information, such as your Windows XP product key, hard drive serial number, PC manufacturer, operating system version, Windows XP product ID, PC BIOS information, user locale setting, language version of Windows XP, validation result and whether the installation of this supplement was successful. Certain information derived from your IP address, which cannot be used to identify you, is retained in association with this computer information."

Excuse me...but isn't that spyware Bill?

Zahc

Try knoppix Zahc, its a bootable linux on cd no need to mess your pc up as long as you can boot from a cd via bias, most pcs can these days

Thanks Poppy, I might just do that.:T