Worldwide WGA outage... Vistas invalidate themselves... | The Coffeehouse

YearOfTheLinuxDesktop
Seven of Niner! Resistance is Futile!

I wonder if MS will get rid of WGA after this...

If you have vista and go on a page that asks for a genuine advantage validation it looks like your copy will get invalidated. this sucks Sad

maybe it's time for MS to drop the useless activation and WGA. for the cost of a little more piracy (that never hurts) they'd prevent paranoid users from moving to other platforms and help their public image, especially now that this mess happened and that everybody's going to know about it.

P.S. Coincidentally tonight I dreamed that MS did something to WGA to simulate a disservice in order to have an excuse to close genuine advantage in order to increase their marketshare in third-world countries that live upon piracy. (well the dream (or should I call it nightmare since I dreamed of endless people calling me to reinstall XP [C]) was more complex but that part was really there :O)

mcampbell

http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=337083

evildictaitor
if( !succeed( try() ) ) { while(true) try(); }

Only if your copy is not previously validated. A fix is expected by Tuesday.

blowdart
Peek-a-boo

Laughable really.

Hmm, I assume they won't try the WGA nonsense on Win2007 Server will they?

TommyCarlier
I want my scalps!

But with WGA you get Genuine Advantage!

vesuvius
La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans

I've always had a problem with the nomenclature WGA. After forking out the amount of money I have for an OS, don't patonise me and tell me that I've an advatange over illegal copies of the Windows OS, especially if I've no access to the aforemetioned features which kicked of this thread.

MS need to remember that they charge a fortune for their OS's and the applications they offer as WGA are the least I'd expect, from a pecuniary aspect. They really ought to be ashamed of themselves for this problem, and saying things like "I won't sleep" sound good, but one knows that ones own judgement is impaired as a consequence. The Genuine Advantage here is lots of sleep for a clearer mind and better decision making!

YearOfTheLinuxDesktop
Seven of Niner! Resistance is Futile!

TommyCarlier wrote:
But with WGA you get Genuine Advantage!

after this they'd better rename it Windows Genuine Annoyance Big Smile

W3bbo
The Master of Baiters

blowdart wrote:
Hmm, I assume they won't try the WGA nonsense on Win2007 Server will they?

Debateable.

OGA/WGA was created to prevent the "casual piracy" you get with dodgy OEMs not licensing Windows properly and friends copying software for other friends. It may have a slight effect on warez (i.e. those who do piracy and are unaffected by DRM and the like).

But Windows Server machines aren't made by your dodgy OEM, there's no consumer market and only businesses and developers really need it.

I know there are cases of dodgy ISPs using unlicensed copies of Windows Server for dedicated and shared hosting servers, but these are in the minority and the BSA typically gets involved in these cases.

But such as it is, Microsoft has never done squat against warezed installations of Windows Server 2003, not once since it went RTM. There was no product-key revokation in SP1 or SP2.

Given this attitude, I don't think we'll see WGA on Windows Server any time soon.

What's the word on Vista Aero Glass being on Server 2008 btw?

yman

W3bbo wrote:

What's the word on Vista Aero Glass being on Server 2008 btw?

I think I saw an option in Server Manger to install "Advanced Themes" or something.

ZippyV
Fired Up

I booted in Vista just now, checked for updates. The system was taking very long to find any and eventually gave me an error message.

Now I get a message that I have to install an update before I can continue with searching for updates. Would this be an invite for the WGA annoyance messages?

YearOfTheLinuxDesktop
Seven of Niner! Resistance is Futile!

ZippyV wrote:

I booted in Vista just now, checked for updates. The system was taking very long to find any and eventually gave me an error message.

Now I get a message that I have to install an update before I can continue with searching for updates. Would this be an invite for the WGA annoyance messages?

if you haven't updated vista in the last few months it's normal, there has been an hotfix for windows update.

ZippyV
Fired Up

I'm having Process Explorer on standby. Wish me luck...

ZippyV
Fired Up

Installed updates and rebooted: valid,
Went to Microsoft's "Is this copy of Windows legal" site: valid,
Downloaded Powershell requiring validation: valid.

Mad

evildictaitor
if( !succeed( try() ) ) { while(true) try(); }

yman wrote:

W3bbo wrote:
What's the word on Vista Aero Glass being on Server 2008 btw?

I think I saw an option in Server Manger to install "Advanced Themes" or something.

Why would you want Aero glass on a server?

mstefan
Windows SDK coders do it without a .NET

evildictaitor wrote:
Only if your copy is not previously validated. A fix is expected by Tuesday.

Some folks have said that their legal copies of Windows have been invalidated by this. By and large, I'd say that unless you absolutely have to run the gauntlet by installing updates or downloading software from Microsoft that requires WGA validation, you don't do anything until they give the all-clear.

It seems, based on what's been posted to Microsoft's forums, they really don't have a clue as to what the underlying problem is. In the end, whoever is responsible for this fiasco needs to be taken out behind the barn.

YearOfTheLinuxDesktop
Seven of Niner! Resistance is Futile!

Chinmay007 wrote:
Clearly, everyone is uses Windows is a pirate. I'm glad Microsoft finally found a way to prove it.

Still better than being a ninja. Ahrrr!

evildictaitor
if( !succeed( try() ) ) { while(true) try(); }

mstefan wrote:

evildictaitor wrote:Only if your copy is not previously validated. A fix is expected by Tuesday.

Some folks have said that their legal copies of Windows have been invalidated by this. By and large, I'd say that unless you absolutely have to run the gauntlet by installing updates or downloading software from Microsoft that requires WGA validation, you don't do anything until they give the all-clear.

It seems, based on what's been posted to Microsoft's forums, they really don't have a clue as to what the underlying problem is. In the end, whoever is responsible for this fiasco needs to be taken out behind the barn.

It's not affecting updates - it seems to be only the first time WGA server that is affected.

evildictaitor
if( !succeed( try() ) ) { while(true) try(); }

YearOfTheLinuxDesktop wrote:

Chinmay007 wrote:Clearly, everyone is uses Windows is a pirate. I'm glad Microsoft finally found a way to prove it.

Still better than being a ninja. Ahrrr!

What!? Heresy!! Fly my ninja robot monkeys! FLY! KILL him AND his wench!!!

blowdart
Peek-a-boo

Apparently it's fixed.

Custa1200
Havok13andaThird

evildictaitor wrote:

yman wrote:
W3bbo wrote:
What's the word on Vista Aero Glass being on Server 2008 btw?

I think I saw an option in Server Manger to install "Advanced Themes" or something.

Why would you want Aero glass on a server?

I am using server as a desktop OS for development. It's the only true way to be running on the same platform as we release on. Maybe I want my life to be a little more exciting that the same GUI that shipped with Windows back in '95.

cheong

evildictaitor wrote:

Why would you want Aero glass on a server?

Actually, I thought the "Reduced Functionality Mode" for a Win2008 would not be focus of the "UI difference" like Vista. Most server owners won't login their server more than once a week, so it would hardly affects them.

I think it would be something like "generating broadcast to other computers in the same subnet that a pirated copy of server is found on <whatever IP>", or making the console/remote desktop session logs out every 5 minutes. Of course all the dialog and prompts about non-genuine copy of Windows is being used should sit on the desktop, so if a victim who brought counterfeited license logged in, he can immediately know what happened.

DCMonkey
Monkey see, monkey do, monkey will destroy you!

I hope everyone that can causes MS every bit of pain possible over this WGA crap. They deserve it. They need to scrap it. Now. I didn't really care before, and this didn't affect me this time, but now I don't trust MS not to fsck it up again and fsck me out of the legal use of my legally licensed operating system.

It's been said many times, and I'll say it again:

STOP TREATING YOUR USERS LIKE CRIMINALS!

Outlaw
Delicious!

YearOfTheLinuxDesktop wrote:

If you haven't updated vista in the last few months it's normal, there has been an hotfix for windows update.

i was wondering what exactly that hotfix did, there's no knowledge base reference number in the update details, and all the language packs have disappeared off my optional updates list.

i hope no one minds my changing the topic. Smiley