Microsoft updates Windows XP Pro anti-piracy tool

by Brad Linder Aug 27th 2008

Microsoft is starting to roll out a new version of its Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) software for Windows XP Pro, which the company describes as the "most pirated edition of Windows XP." WGA is the software Microsoft uses to detect versions of Windows using fake or stolen license keys.

If you're running Windows XP Pro, you'll probably receive the new version through Windows Update soon. If you just can't wait to find out if your operating system passes the test, you can also visit the direct download page.

The new version of WGA will work much like the anti-piracy software implemented in Windows Vista. Your PC will not be immediately disabled if it fails the WGA check. Rather when you login you'll see a black desktop background instead of your background of choice. You can change the background, but every 60 minutes it will reset itself to black.

There will also be a warning notice that you cannot make go away unless you enter a valid Windows license key.

[via ZDNet]

Tags: piracy, wga, windows-genuine-advantage, windows-xp, windows-xp-pro

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Golther said 8:11PM on 8-27-2008

If Microsoft is abandoning XP for Vista why would they even care anymore?

Fred Thompson said 10:34PM on 8-27-2008

Microsoft's idea of "choice" is to remove any option other than that which they want...

Gerald Mitchell said 8:39PM on 8-27-2008

Sir. .can you tell me where i can download 256 color.i lost it some how.and dont know where to look for it.I have a restore CD;License# DE443C22D062.for the restore.bit is wont work.nd i cant play games with out.256 Color.thank You.Gerald Mitchell

Aaron said 7:14AM on 8-28-2008

M/S XP pro is a fantastic peice of kit, no headaches (well, not as many as some) works well and has been proven. So why oh why would M/S be concentrating on XP while they have tons of problems with the visa (which I found to be the worst thing in the software development since automatic download updates). My best experience using vista was deleting it. Now theres a new windows on the horizon?

Unregistered said 7:14AM on 8-28-2008

My background is always black.

Seanross said 9:25AM on 8-28-2008

A black background and a constant warning notice is not really much of an incentive to go drop a few hundred on another version of XP

Mike said 11:27AM on 8-28-2008

Rancid greed and idiotic design. Not only is Microshaft so stupid that they completely screwed up Vista, now they're backporting their Nazi spyware back to XP.

Todd said 11:50AM on 8-28-2008

"You may be a victim of software counterfeiting."

Huh? I am? You mean Microsoft is. Love that little bit of Orwellian Double Speak.

DarkeSword said 4:10PM on 8-29-2008

Well...at least they're not accusing you of being a criminal.

WL said 11:58AM on 8-28-2008

They're forcing the pirates to upgrade to Vista.

Doc said 8:15AM on 8-29-2008

Open source is looking better all the time!

zephroelectro said 8:46PM on 8-29-2008

Vista has anti-piracy measures in place?
Well.....this fact is a new one for me.

angelique said 3:19PM on 9-03-2008

Okay I have a few questions:

1. Why are people STILL using automatic updates? Get your lazy butt off the couch and see what your pc downloads BEFORE it downloads.
2. Why not download the Windows XP Service Pack 3 ISO-9660 CD Image File? Windows XP Service Pack 3 - ISO-9660 CD Image File? Link: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=2fcde6ce-b5fb-4488-8c50-fe22559d164e&displaylang=en
3. Why the hell would Microsoft even care at this point? They are no longer selling XP and supposedly are moving on to bigger and better things.
4. What's next...are they going to lock down 95, 98, 2000 and ME?

Mike said 10:24AM on 12-07-2008

Check out the article elsewhere on this site:

"Now we have a number, thanks to a survey by Devil Mountain Software: nearly 35% of new Vista machines are being downgraded."

So Microsoft's response is to poison their one acceptable operating system with spyware. They know Vista's useless, so they want backport their spyware to it.
CLUELESS.

Featured Time Waster

Civiballs is a beautiful, soothing physics puzzle Time Waster

I have an absolute weakness for physics games, and while Civiballs isn't the strongest physics-based game, what it lacks in the physics department it makes up for a few times over in style and fun.

In Civiballs, you are presented with a few colored balls, and your goal is to get those balls into the same-colored urn on the level. The "civi" part of Civiballs is that there are 3 sets of levels to play, each representing a different civilization. While the civilization doesn't affect gameplay, the artwork for each level is beautifully themed to it's appropriate era.

To play the game, you are given only one tool - a sword with which to cut the chains that are holding the balls. The puzzle part of the game is in figuring out what order, and with what timing to cut each chain. Do it right, and all the right balls end up in the right urns, with no stray balls entering an urn (a no-no). Do it wrong, and you get to start over again.

Civiballs is not terribly deep on gameplay; the entire game can be completed in about 15 minutes. But if you enjoy this type of game, it will be a very enjoyable 15 minutes.

View more Time Wasters