So...It's been suggested that come September...

[FatalSaviour]

Correct me if i'm wrong but the most heavily pirated version of XP, the corporate licensed version, cannot be 'legalised' simply by installing a fully licensed retail version of XP over the top?

Hence, there will probably be millions of users with a big headache of how to legalise their pirate copy of XP with the minimum of disruption (i.e. avoiding a full re-install).

I believe you are correct Taz...I certainly gave up a few months back on a client's PC when it was obviously going to take me more than 30 mins to look for a solution.

[Rave]

<goes to read up on Linux>

[mart_haj86]

I have been running a legit version of windows for a couple of years now, before hand i admit i wasnt... but surely if M$ charged a reasonable rate for the software, less people would source pirated copys?

[directhex]

I have been running a legit version of windows for a couple of years now, before hand i admit i wasnt... but surely if M$ charged a reasonable rate for the software, less people would source pirated copys?

unlikely to make any difference to those concerned - for some, they feel a god-given right to get the best version of software for free (e.g. they pirate 'pro' software when the company's free 'home' version does all they need)

[Funkstar]

These are also the same people that will be quite happy to download patches and cracks to get their system working too though, so really as long as someone breakes the WGA problem (which they will) then it has no net effect.

[Chris P]

WGA can be easily removed from your system, so I can't see this making any ground in combating piracy of XP.

The Inquirer even posted instructions of how to remove this from your system

[Funkstar]

Microsoft even have a knowledge base entry for it as well.

[yamangman]

I don't see why legitimate users should be worried.

I think Vista is a far more irritating prospect.

[dangel]

I don't see why legitimate users should be worried.

..because you can trust a large corporation to a: never make mistakes and b: have your best interests at heart? Not that convinced personally..

[Mike Fishcake]

I don't see why legitimate users should be worried.

In theory you're quite right, however, there needs to be a customer-friendly contingency plan for when the system fails, because no system is 100% fault free (no Microdollaroft jokes please)

There have unfortunately been examples of the WGA failing on legit systems.

[5lab]

you can uninstall WGA by rolling back the automatic update, but its not easy

afaik, when the license runs out, you can just buy a new key direct from ms

[TiMeZeRo]

i have no problem with this as i run legit copies but i have friends who have already cracks the WGA system

TAZ you can know get a key changer from the microsoft website to change from corp to oem or retail keys i install usinga corp disk as its all automated then i change my key once its finished installing

[Chris P]

you can uninstall WGA by rolling back the automatic update, but its not easy

afaik, when the license runs out, you can just buy a new key direct from ms

The easiest way to is the kill wgatray.exe ( MS Spyware ) is in Task manager and then immediately delete the file from its directory. You have to be quick as wgatray.exe re opens itself within a second or 2….

This is according to the inquirer anyway

[Anders]

The WGA update doesn’t auto install because you have to accept the EULA ... reject the EULA and tick don’t prompt for this update again.

[directhex]

honestly, i hope this happens.

microsoft are wintih their rights to do whatever they like - after all, you accepted their EULA in the first place

and i have no sympathy for pirates or people hit by bad software

[Jonny M]

I have been running a legit version of windows for a couple of years now, before hand i admit i wasnt... but surely if M$ charged a reasonable rate for the software, less people would source pirated copys?

Let's say you wanted to be totally beyond doubt legal with your software and were starting fresh with your OS along with building yourself a new computer. So you went out at the end of 2001 and bought Windows XP Home retail edition, at a cost of £170. Vista won't be out until the end of this year / early 2007 at the most, so that's five years you've been able to use that copy for, and transfer it between computers. Or £34 a year. Or one game a year. When Vista comes along and you want to upgrade, you can do just that, buy an upgrade version. The nice flexible retail license allows you to move it between computers as often as you like, as long as it's only one machine at a time.