Software counterfeiting warning!!!!!

[Simon Kay]

Thanks in advance for your relies.

Obviously I mean replies !!

Although I’m sure your relies are really nice too. Apart from Auntie Nora (but we shouldn’t go into that just now).

Cheers :lol1:
Simon.

[Andrew McCreadie]

Hi Simon

Looks like your copy of windows isn’t legal (haven’t heard of any phishing regarding the Microsoft Windows Authentication).

Same thing happened to a friend of mine, had an illegal copy of windows on his pc but he followed through the procedure of authentication, which allowed him to purchase an OEM version for £90.00.

Hope this helps

Andy

[Andy Gorman]

First thing I would do is to run one of the online adware checkers. It sounds suspiciously like bollock5 to me, but then I’m not very bright when it comes to technical matters. Swearing I’m brilliant at, but computer techical stuff, no.

[Shane Drew]

Read this mate, this explains it better than I can, but it is a real message from all accounts

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060427-6687.html

The latest updates have the ability to check on legitamate software or not. Its valled ‘nagware’, but I think you can disable it.

Cheers

[Gav]

do a google for this

KB905474

This explains what has happened.

[David Rogers]

In short, Microshaft release a ‘special’ update called ‘Genuine Advantage’. Every time it connects to the internet it calls home with the serial number of the windoze you’re using. If it’s not valid you get the nag warning – and blocks future updates, nothing more. It doesn’t disable any functionality, not that XP needs any help in that regard!!

There have been MAJOR issues with this – specifically that even PC’s bouhgt from high street stores like PC World & Dixons have shown the warning. If you DO have a real version customer services will manually validate it – look for the ‘hologram’ sticker on the PC case, or in the documentation.

If it’s a fake / cloned / borrowed copy, then short of paying for it to go ‘legal’ (I won’t suggest any circumvention measures) you could just live with the nag until such times as you feel like donating to Billy’s retirement fund.

Dave

[Shane Drew]

Not sure, but can you try going to a previous restore point? say a few weeks old?

[Marcella Ross]

Sounds like a con to me Simon……! Run a virus check and hopefully that will get rid of it. Someones having fun winding folk up!!!!!!
As Andy said it’s ‘bollock5’ 😀

Oh and whatever you do …. don’t click on anything that claims to ‘resolve’ the issue! 😉

[David Rowland]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Genuine_Advantage

Yep.. most likely it is a real warning… lets say you got a friend to build you a computer and said cheap as chips.. well they would have shaved £70 off the price for Windows.

[Garrie]

sorry to sound like a pariot but this is deffo a genuine Windows warning like others have advised.

There is a cheeky patch for it, just use google 😉

[Peter Normington]

This is genuine, but you must have had auto upgrades on for it to happen,
The next upgrade then checks for other mickeymouse Microsoftware, such as any office applications. Bills really getting peed about pirates….

Peter

[Micheal Donnellan]

find dll file delete the spyware and find out about suing the rich cunt.
he has $47Billion dollers, sue him for undisclosed spyware and buy youself something/someone to compensate for the stress it causes.

bill gates is evil 👿 whats worse he is a evil geek. (his rich so i cant stand the twat)

[Peter Normington]

Micheal, just vote with your feet, dont use microsoft if you hate bill that much 😀

Peter

[Micheal Donnellan]

hate the git but use his products as they rule the world and macs are for little "arty" types. Microsoft could use some anger management corporate style. you are the richest man in the world please go away and retire so you no longer afflict us with your presence, besides you already rule the world.

[Shane Drew]

quote Micheal Donnellan:

and macs are for little “arty” types..

A few mac users here mate, You may have some explaining to do :lol1:

[Peter Normington]

Micheal, how can you hate someone who has done you no personal harm, and has helped you to improve your life. (he is the richest guy in the world, but he has also donated more than any other individual to education)
If you dont like him fine but try not to be jealous.
😀 Peter

[Micheal Donnellan]

Shane are you a "mac" such a pity 🙁 😀 😀
That hand of yours playing up any bit since yous decided to play amateur surgeon? 😀

Peter
So I’m jealous bite me 😀 😀 😀
Nice doggy by the way, dos it bite?

[Peter Normington]

No Micheal, she dont, this one could!!!

Peter

[Micheal Donnellan]

😮 BIG doggy

Whats he like ADD, hyper, calm, lazy or laziest dog in world, attitude to life. neighbours have small dog, its bonkers another neighbour has a saint Bernard, damn that dogs lazy and HEAVY.
My view is small dog = crazy (napoleon complex), big dog = calm lazy (I am big and I know it).
My own dog is medium size and varies from one view to another.
Does the big dog do the open door and flatten master who was about to come in routine?

[Peter Normington]

Micheal, ozzie opens and closes doors, sleeps where he wants, and has heard all the horse jokes before!
I am the master, dogs need a master, lynn told me that 😀

Peter

[Lynn Normington]

sorry to disagree suzie is the master stood behind ozzie if su su wants the door opened ozzie opens it.

Lynn

[Micheal Donnellan]

horse jokes? I never said any horse jokes, I might though 😀 could also say a lot more, but that would get me a ban probably 🙁

[John Childs]

quote Micheal Donnellan:

macs are for little “arty” types

I’ve never been described like that before! 😮

I prefer to think that PCs are for people who like piddling about with computers (and need to start and contribute to threads like this one to sort them out) whereas Macs are for people who just want their computer to work and get the job done. 😀

[David-Foster-]

quote John Childs:

Macs are for people who just want their computer to work and get the job done.

Well said John 😀 The new Macs can run Windows if you need to, best of both worlds (well Windows isn’t best but I don’t think Signlab runs on OS X :lol1: )

Micheal, I think that quote of ‘arty’ types may come back and bite you on the arris. There should be a bit of ‘arty’ in you if you are a designer of signs. 😛

[Tim Painter]

YAWNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN……………….

Please let’s not get on the MAC / PC debate…………..it’s boring it’s OLD and it doesn’t help any of us 🙂

[Simon Kay]

Thanks for all your replies – even the ones with photos of a dog 😕

Truth be told I think I had just reactivated the microsoft auto update thing for some reason that I’m sure was important at the time but escapes me now 🙁
Normally I have the thing switched off.
The computer was bought from an ad in the paper but not from a shop so I suspect that the guy may have built several computers and used the same serial numbers on each.
I have other brand new copies (unopened) of Windex XP. I wonder if I could load one of them over the top?

A cunning plan Baldrick but not cunning enough.

I bought an Iomega external hard drive to free up all my drives. Copied all the files for all the jobs – dye sub / vinyl / clothing/ heraldic stuff – onto it.

It was brilliant.

For about 2 weeks. Now it won’t be recognised by any computer. Because it worked so well and consistently I deleted all my files from all my (3) work computers.

I’m not happy Jan.

Can’t access any old files.

Any work can obviously be reproduced again. But it’s just such a waste of time.

Stoopid huh?

Oh yeah and both my dye sub printers have gone down at the same time.

How does that song go again…."Always look on the bright side of life .. Do Do do do Do Do.

😮 😀 😥 Simon.

[Marcella Ross]

Oh Sh1t Simon! Well a bucket load of sh1t actually! 😮

Keep whistling that tune ……!!!!! 😀

[David Rogers]

Re: The Iomega drive.

IF it’s hard drive based and not an antiquated ZIP disk or the super-dooper ‘REV’ cartridge, open it up and take out the drive.

It’ll PROBABLY be a standard IDE type, connect it up as a SLAVE in one of your other PC’s as a secondary drive – if the drive itself works – you’ll retrieve your info….if not, it’s gone for good. 🙁

A good independant PC repair shop (not PCW) might be able to help.

Dave

[Shane Drew]

quote Micheal Donnellan:

Shane are you a “mac” such a pity 🙁 😀 😀

nah mate, never been a ‘mac’ fan myself, cut my teeth selling windows based stuff (actually cut my teeth selling the vic20 but that is another story 🙄 ) but I know a few on here are mac users … I see you’ve met a couple already :lol1:

Not saying ‘macs’ don’t have a place guys 😳 before anyone jumps on me, just that I think Apple themselves, as a company, have a few too many tickets on themselves.

I have a mate who is an editor/owner of a sign industry mag here, and I get enough lectures about Mac v PC to last me a few lifetimes. I don’t need anymore lectures here.. trust me… 😛

Hands getting better by the way, thanks for asking 😉

[Shane Drew]

Simon, Dave Rogers advice here is good mate, worth a try. If you don’t feel confident to do the slave/master thing yourself, drop by my place and I’ll do it while you wait.

Also, any files you have sent me are still on file here, if that helps.

Cheers