Microsoft admits WGA failures “coming up more commonly now”

[Paul Komski]

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=142

This isn't new but worth bringing up because, 6months on, the problem is becoming commoner and commoner. I have seen posts about it and have had two local businesses contact me about it.

The way that Vista works doesnt bode well for the future either.

[PrntRhd]

Of course very few staff within Microsoft will publicly admit there is a problem, after all Steve Ballmer, MS' CEO, is talking publicly about "ratcheting up" the WGA system to weed out more "pirate" Windows installs.
The McAfee Internet Security tool that caused some of this on systems it was installed on is only one avenue of failure to properly validate installs.

[PrntRhd]

More of the same thing you were posting about, Paul:
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2007/02/vista_still_pla.html

[Paul Komski]

It's unreal - it simply is. How long has this "WOW" product been out? This time they even delayed the launch and it still has all the hallmarks of being a mess. If it wasn't for the OEMs it wouldn't stand a chance in the market place IMHO.

One thing from your article that is worth remembering is:
One more thing: if you run into this issue and can't figure out what to do, go to Command prompt in Windows. Type in "slui 4" and then do phone activation for your copy.

Only thing that strikes me is that if you cant get in to the OS how does one get to its Command Prompt. But maybe one still can get in but just be told that ones genuine copy of Vista is not so.

[jlreich]

It is a mess. Vista has only been out for three weeks and there are a ton of problems.

If I had paid $450 and had to go through this I would be at MS's door ready to strangle someone. :mad:

I am telling customers if they want vista they have to buy a retail version and either deal with MS themselves, or pay me hourly to deal with it.

That might sound harsh but I am warning all away of vista right now and am not going to take on support for a junk OS. If they really want it they can deal with it or pay me to. I will install it as part of a build, but will not offer support for vista as part of the package.

[Fruss Tray Ted]

But maybe one still can get in but just be told that ones genuine copy of Vista is not so

Vista is a copy-cat. This has already been going on with XP for quite some time. Why is it, if you use your licensed copy of XP on an install, it makes you need to use Safe Mode after 30 days but if you buy a copy of XP preloaded on a system without a COA, after 30 days the only problem is with updates?

Makes me wonder why we have so many members in forum who nearly refuse to divulge their systems specs. As if it would make a difference.

Seems MS with that practice is only condoning those who don't mind compromising their system because they know it can be fixed,,, by the likes of us...:rolleyes:

[HomeSA]

Walking up and down the isles of brick and mortar stores, all I see is Vista. I don't think brand name manufacturers (Dell, HP, and such) are offering XP anymore. I haven't checked the on-line sellers. your average computer buyer will be pushed into using Vista just that simply. That's the partnership between MS and OEMs. Of course your major software makers will be just behind them pushing the Vista version of their software that is not considered 'upgrade' anymore. The hardware guys will only be glad to bring the latest and greatest to support Vista. It is a never-ending cycle that has repeated time after time. So, your average computer buyer who just wants to surf, e-mail, and type up a letter has to go through all this upgrade expense, or MS BS validation routine & aggravation to be able to just do that.

Makes me wonder why we have so many members in forum who nearly refuse to divulge their systems specs

In my case, I have too many computers to try to list the specs. I am assuming many members may fall in the same category if they are into tinkering with computers.

[azzey]

I was at BestBuy the other day (taking my laptop for repairs...) and of the 50 laptops and desktops on display, TWO had XP... and they were open box.

[SufferWell1396]

Thing that gets me is Vista's system requirements!
I have a fine built PC here:
512 mb RAM
120gig HDD
2gig HDD
1 CDROM
1 DVDROM
Onboard 810e graphics

The graphics card may be a flaw, but this computer runs GREAT on XP, i wouldnt have it any other way, but now that Vista is out, this thing can barely handle it and for what, to make your programs go slower?!?! Vista is also a harddrive eater, hell, i concidered getting vista, even after the high system requirements... but after i saw its size i just totally blew it off, im gonna keep running XP until its a necessity to upgrade, so i will/can run XP for numbers of years to come

[Paul Komski]

Got my first proper play with Vista today on a new Dell Laptop. 1gig RAM and it's more stodgey than XP on 256mb. Bells and Whistles and Bloat that's what WOW means. My first impressions are that I don't like it. I remember similar thoughts about Bells and Whistles and Bloat with WinXP but I liked it straightaway I got my hands on it. Added insult is that there are problems running Office 97 on it (OK its an old version but it is a Win32 app) and there are no stable versions of Firefox or Thunderbird to install on it and I wonder how much other good software that runs on XP is going to be junk until the software developers get their upgrades made or patches distributed.

Horrible. Who want's a bet on when the first SP will be released?

[jlreich]

Paul, that's pretty much the way I feel about vista. Junk...

Interesting though I didn't have any problems installing FF or TB on it. I am using RC1 though. Which is the ultimate version. I would guess you probably dealt with home basic or home premium.

Who want's a bet on when the first SP will be released?
Second Tuesday of next year knowing MS. :rolleyes:

[azzey]

Back to the topic of the thread...

I was reading Slashdot today and it seems that Microsoft is changing the way WGA works... now instead of the software analysing the computer and either reporting it as being "genuine' or 'non genuine', it now has a third category 'not decided' if the computer fails one or two tests, but not all of them. This obviously is in response to the growing number of false positives being reported. Look here (http://slashdot.org/articles/07/02/27/184223.shtml) for more details.

[Paul Komski]

Interesting though I didn't have any problems installing FF or TB on it.
Mozilla don't list Vista for Thunderbird (http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/system-requirements.html) and it seems to be in beta. I'm thus reluctant to try it for a client though would try it if it were for myself. And, yes, its Vista Basic. I would have ordered a model with XP but that wasn't available shipped with a new Inspiron 1501 and which is what had been requested that I set up and transfer data onto.

[jlreich]

Yeah I wouldn't try it on a customers machine either. And yes getting a new machine without vista on it has become very scarce.

I have been needing a new laptop, I should have bought one before vista was released. When I do get one I will have to wipe it and install XP. :(

[mjc]

I have been needing a new laptop, I should have bought one before vista was released. When I do get one I will have to wipe it and install XP. :(

I'd just be tempted to get a new drive at the same time and then swap out the drives...putting the Vista drive into storage and putting XP on the new one...

[jlreich]

Actually I would image the whole drive including any hidden partitions before I wipe it. That way if I want or need to move to vista in a year or whatever I could restore it and still have a valid install of vista.

[mjc]

The problem with that idea is that I wouldn't put it past MS to require the OEM versions to do something like read the firmware version of the drive when installed and have some sort of WGA problem develop if the image is restored to a different drive...hmmmmm

[jlreich]

Well I didn't mean restoring to another system but to the laptop it came from so I would have a valid legal license. :) I just hate to throw away a perfectly good license even if I don't plan on using it for a long time. Because eventually vista will become the norm and we'll be forced to follow along if we want to keep up with certain things. :(

[mjc]

I meant to the same system too...remember, Vista is supposed to use more hardware scanning/hashes than XP did but be more user friendly regarding changes...but we still don't know exactly what Vista is going to consider enough of a change to spit out a 'reactivate' message or start causing problems.

[jlreich]

...but we still don't know exactly what Vista is going to consider enough of a change to spit out a 'reactivate' message or start causing problems.
Good point. You would think restoring an image to the exact same hardware would be fine, but like you said these things are yet to be seen.

Well, if nothing else we can say the next year will be interesting dealing with vista problems. :rolleyes:

[mjc]

Yeah, Bill Gates must have gotten a couple of old Chinese guys pretty mad...

May you live in interesting times...

[SufferWell1396]

Originally Posted By mjc
Vista is supposed to use more hardware scanning/hashes than XP did but be more user friendly regarding changes

Yeah, i got a friend who says its not much different from XP and it doesnt bother him much, i havent tried it, and by reviews, i dont plan to any time soon...

[mjc]

The key thing is going to be what secret combination of hardware changes Vista considers enough to call a 'new system'...

[Fruss Tray Ted]

but we still don't know exactly what Vista is going to consider enough of a change to spit out a 'reactivate' message or start causing problems.
Do you actually think Microsoft will realize what a monster they've created?

Or better yet, admit it?!?!?!

[bob Bios]

:mad: Well, it looks like Vista is a memory hungry slow dog to me, so why not stick to XP - or for those more clever people who can get it to work: Linux?
A couple of weeks ago I heard the US forces were not going over to vista for at least 2 years......it seems now, there has been a change of mind (bribery?) & it will now happen in a years time.......
Bob