One in five Windows installs not genuine - bit-tech.net Forums

Tim S · 24th Jan 2007, 08:29

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/01...s_not_genuine/

DougEdey · 24th Jan 2007, 08:43

Not surprising at all. Look at China's massive illegal software and piracy market.

djellison · 24th Jan 2007, 08:51

I figure 22% of my time is spent wondering why XP is being clunky, giving me grief or causing me technical issues - maybe it's the balance of nature for XP to be pirated to the tune of how much is can annoy people

At least it's cheap compared to Vista.

Doug

r4tch3t · 24th Jan 2007, 09:00

I am not surprised at this figure,

Quote:

Originally Posted by DougEdey

Not surprising at all. Look at China's massive illegal software and piracy market.

That is were the largest portion would be from. What percentage would it for the rest of the world?

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Article

Reporting pirated versions of the operating system grants the customer a free genuine version of the operating system in return for providing information about where the bootlegged software was obtained.

Totally untrue, my dad bought a computer which came with XP pro, and when he went to validate it, it came back counterfeit. Promptly rang M$ and told them everything. Their answer "for the low low price of $100 more than what it cost in the shop, we will validate yours for you"
He promptly told them to **** off and just went on without those precious updates.

Emon · 24th Jan 2007, 09:17

What about the people who have genuine copies obtained illegally? Corporate licensing coming back to bite them in the ass, now is it?

**Notice: This post does not imply that I may or may not have or had an illegal installation of a legitimate license that may or may not have been obtained through a person who may or may not be my brother who may or may not work at a university which may or may not be named CWRU.

WhiskeyAlpha · 24th Jan 2007, 09:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emon

What about the people who have genuine copies obtained illegally? Corporate licensing coming back to bite them in the ass, now is it?

**Notice: This post does not imply that I may or may not have or had an illegal installation of a legitimate license that may or may not have been obtained through a person who may or may not be my brother who may or may not work at a university which may or may not be named CWRU.

Wow, why don't you just phone Microsoft and give them his details.

You fallen out with your brother? lol

EDIT: On a side note, I run a genuine copy of XP pro obtained through MSDNAA. Out of curiosity though, is windows update (and WGA validation) the only way to obtain updates for XP? I know there are sites like this one that allow you to manually update but does it still depend on a WGA check? If not, how would this ever deter pirates?

DougEdey · 24th Jan 2007, 09:33

Corporate licensing keys are only legal for that company/license.

IF you're talking about the FCKGW then thats just stupid. MS have banned that for years.

If you obtain a Genuine Copy Illegally then how can it be Legal?

oasked · 24th Jan 2007, 09:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by DougEdey

IF you're talking about the FCKGW then thats just stupid. MS have banned that for years.

Yeah, thats so 2002.

I've got a legit copy of Windows XP Home, which was conveniently free from Uni.
I am tempted by Vista Home Premium though, I think I'll get it with my next upgrade.

DougEdey · 24th Jan 2007, 09:58

Vista Business is on MSDNAA

WhiskeyAlpha · 24th Jan 2007, 10:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by DougEdey

Vista Business is on MSDNAA

Doug, I have the Business version from MSDNAA but I'm yet to install it.

Do you know what restrictions are in place in terms of changing hardware (i.e. mobo) on the MSDNAA license fpr Vista Business?

I know with the OEM copy it's a bit of a no-go, with full retail you get like 10 validations or something so what's the deal here?

chimaera · 24th Jan 2007, 10:30

Is it bad that I honestly thought that 20% was lower than expected?

DougEdey · 24th Jan 2007, 10:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiskeyAlpha

Do you know what restrictions are in place in terms of changing hardware (i.e. mobo) on the MSDNAA license fpr Vista Business?

I know with the OEM copy it's a bit of a no-go, with full retail you get like 10 validations or something so what's the deal here?

I've not changed any hardware, but I think it won't cause any problems, it's a specific MSDNAA keycode, so when you re-activate it shouldn't cause a problem.

I know this because there was a problem with our Universities MSDNAA account and my original key was rescinded temporarily untill the problem was sorted. I got a warning from Windows that a hardware change had occurred and Windows needed to be re-activated, it refused my original key (I didn't realise the problem with the Universities account originally) and I had 30 days to get a new one. I got an email from MSDNAA with the new one and there was an option to request a new key (IIRC) if you needed one. So it should be OK.

WhiskeyAlpha · 24th Jan 2007, 11:02

Cheers mate

,

When I get home from uni today, I'll give it a whirl.

mikeuk2004 · 24th Jan 2007, 13:49

With the price tag for an OS and the fact that every PC needs one and the fact that most people have a PC now and MS pushing for every home in the world to have one ,and that there is no real other choice. Is it realy that suprising that 1 in 5 are pirated.

I would expect there to be 1 legal Windows to 30 pirated.

Yes there Unix Linix and what have you but they are not compatible with 90% of the software and hardware out there like windows.

ChromeX · 24th Jan 2007, 14:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeuk2004

I would expect there to be 1 legal Windows to 30 pirated.

Yeah ditto, i'll be totally honest with you I don't know a single person who runs a legit copy of the OS. Now I don't think £50 for a copy of XP home is a bad deal its just that when its so easy to get a copy for free and theres no fear of retribution what ya gonna do?

DXR_13KE · 24th Jan 2007, 20:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChromeX

Yeah ditto, i'll be totally honest with you I don't know a single person who runs a legit copy of the OS. Now I don't think £50 for a copy of XP home is a bad deal its just that when its so easy to get a copy for free and theres no fear of retribution what ya gonna do?

i think i am the only person i know that has a legit copy of it.....

wehopeuchoke · 24th Jan 2007, 20:31

There is a workaround with windows server 2003 std that will allow WGA authentication all the time every time. If it can be done to their server software surely it has been done with XP?

I must admit I don't know anyone who has a legit copy either, unless it came with their pc as oem.

I don't use XP but would probably consider buying an OEM copy of vista as around £100 aint that bad for an os that should last a good few years + all the updates/service packs that will come FOC. However to limit the changes you can make on your hardware is a bad, bad move. Not much point buying the damned software if I'm guna have to run a crack when I change my hardware!

*oops old sig with a win xp machine, cant quite remember if that one was legal....*

*fixed*

oasked · 24th Jan 2007, 21:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChromeX

Yeah ditto, i'll be totally honest with you I don't know a single person who runs a legit copy of the OS.

I'm guessing that most of those people have an old computer or built their own computer?

99% of users buy a box and it comes with Windows. Unless the store is particularly dodgy it will come with a legit copy.

matt.slysnake · 24th Jan 2007, 22:39

Years ago when i got my PC upgraded at a shop they put corporate winxp on my PC... ofc i didn't know anything about PC's then and i didn't even notice till a couple of years later :Z

r4tch3t · 25th Jan 2007, 02:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by DXR_13KE

i think i am the only person i know that has a legit copy of it.....

Heh, same here.

24th Jan 2007, 08:29	#1
Tim S Pewlius Caesar bit-tech Staff Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Ascot, Berks Posts: 18,021	One in five Windows installs not genuine http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/01...s_not_genuine/ __________________ Tim on Twitter \| Tim's Blog \| Tim's Flickr The bit-tech Blog \| bit-tech on Twitter \| Join the bit-tech & Custom PC folding team (#35947)

24th Jan 2007, 08:43	#2
DougEdey I pwn all your storage Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Southampton Posts: 13,933	Not surprising at all. Look at China's massive illegal software and piracy market. __________________ Burnout: Paradise Stats!XBL: DougEdey Bindi PSN ID: DougEdey Twitter

24th Jan 2007, 09:33	#7
DougEdey I pwn all your storage Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Southampton Posts: 13,933	Corporate licensing keys are only legal for that company/license. IF you're talking about the FCKGW then thats just stupid. MS have banned that for years. If you obtain a Genuine Copy Illegally then how can it be Legal? __________________ Burnout: Paradise Stats!XBL: DougEdey Bindi PSN ID: DougEdey Twitter

24th Jan 2007, 09:58	#9
DougEdey I pwn all your storage Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Southampton Posts: 13,933	Vista Business is on MSDNAA __________________ Burnout: Paradise Stats!XBL: DougEdey Bindi PSN ID: DougEdey Twitter

24th Jan 2007, 11:02	#13
WhiskeyAlpha Hypermodder Join Date: May 2006 Location: East London Posts: 831	Cheers mate , When I get home from uni today, I'll give it a whirl. __________________ Intel Q6600 @ 3.6Ghz \| ASUS P5K Premium \| 4GB G.Skill DDR2 PC2-8000 \| Nvidia 8800GTX @ 702/1728/2214Mhz \| 750GB HDD Storage \| Corsair HX 620W \| Dell 2007WFP \| Tannoy Reveal Active 5A \| Beresford MK6 DAC Customised Mountain Mods U2-UFO \| ThermoChill PA120.3 & PA120.2 \| D-Tek FuZion \| EK-FC8800 GTX \| Alphacool Repack Bay Res x2 \| Laing DDC x2 \| 1/2" Tygon \| Feser One Coolant

24th Jan 2007, 08:51	#3
djellison What's a Dremel? Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 8	I figure 22% of my time is spent wondering why XP is being clunky, giving me grief or causing me technical issues - maybe it's the balance of nature for XP to be pirated to the tune of how much is can annoy people At least it's cheap compared to Vista. Doug

24th Jan 2007, 09:17	#5
Emon Hypermodder Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 672	What about the people who have genuine copies obtained illegally? Corporate licensing coming back to bite them in the ass, now is it? **Notice: This post does not imply that I may or may not have or had an illegal installation of a legitimate license that may or may not have been obtained through a person who may or may not be my brother who may or may not work at a university which may or may not be named CWRU.

24th Jan 2007, 10:30	#11
chimaera Modder Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 57	Is it bad that I honestly thought that 20% was lower than expected?

24th Jan 2007, 13:49	#14
mikeuk2004 What you Looking at Fool! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Sheffield, UK Posts: 3,048	With the price tag for an OS and the fact that every PC needs one and the fact that most people have a PC now and MS pushing for every home in the world to have one ,and that there is no real other choice. Is it realy that suprising that 1 in 5 are pirated. I would expect there to be 1 legal Windows to 30 pirated. Yes there Unix Linix and what have you but they are not compatible with 90% of the software and hardware out there like windows. __________________ -\|- Xfire - Mikeuk2005 -\|- Xbox Live - Mike UK 2006 -\|- Playstation Network - Mikeuk2004 -\|- Last edited by mikeuk2004; 24th Jan 2007 at 14:00.

24th Jan 2007, 20:31	#17
wehopeuchoke What's a Dremel? Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 12	There is a workaround with windows server 2003 std that will allow WGA authentication all the time every time. If it can be done to their server software surely it has been done with XP? I must admit I don't know anyone who has a legit copy either, unless it came with their pc as oem. I don't use XP but would probably consider buying an OEM copy of vista as around £100 aint that bad for an os that should last a good few years + all the updates/service packs that will come FOC. However to limit the changes you can make on your hardware is a bad, bad move. Not much point buying the damned software if I'm guna have to run a crack when I change my hardware! oops old sig with a win xp machine, cant quite remember if that one was legal.... fixed __________________ PD 3.0Ghz Dual Core \| 2Gig DDR2 \| 400Gig SATA x 2 \| 2003 Server \| Audigy 2 \| 9800Pro \|22" VX2235wm Widescreen \| Sweet Silence 12" Powerbook 1Ghz Last edited by wehopeuchoke; 24th Jan 2007 at 20:42.

24th Jan 2007, 22:39	#19
matt.slysnake Banned Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Daventry, England Posts: 164	Years ago when i got my PC upgraded at a shop they put corporate winxp on my PC... ofc i didn't know anything about PC's then and i didn't even notice till a couple of years later :Z