WGA=Windows Guinine Advantage Removal

**Modulok** · Posted: Sun, 02 Jul 2006 19:03:14 Post Subject:

I know, but I'm just pointing out that MS has the ability to not let you access your own pc.

Hellfire · Rated XXX Joined: 05 Aug 2003 Posts: 3473

There are tons of software that becomes disabled if you do not register or purchase it within a certain amount of time. THis is not something Microsoft came up with. It's been around longer than MS has put it in Windows.

Personally, if you have a legit copy, there is NO reason not to activate it when you install it.

I hate having to call them when I reinstall it, but it's a necessary evil. There's so much piracy that happens, I can't faul them for putting in safeguards to try to protect their software.

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Sun, 02 Jul 2006 19:29:34 Post Subject:

Well, there may be some reasons not to activate upon installation... At my job we use industrial PCs with Windows on our equipment... We install the computer, the OS, and the applications we require, but do not activate because it is not technically ours. The customer needs to do that. But, sometimes our equipment can sit in a warehouse for a year or even years before being installed as the customer gets all their ducks in a row. Then we get the calls about Windows not working, and we just have to explain that they have to do it. Made even harder as these machines generally aren't allowed to be hooked to a network, and are installed in rooms with no phones and where cellphones may not be permitted. Laughing

Blue|Fusion · Posted: Sun, 02 Jul 2006 19:30:49 Post Subject:

I believe that it's not something completely evil that MS did. If I made something to cost money, I'd probably invest in putting safeguards in it like that, too.

If you need to pirate Windows, just get Linux. My one-convert-per-week campaign has been going pretty well so far. My sister's now switching over to Gentoo.

**Modulok** · Posted: Tue, 26 Sep 2006 15:47:17 Post Subject:

WGA Worse than we all feared

a quick update on the WGA....seems like WGA for XP is just "beta testing" for Vista

Hellfire · Rated XXX Joined: 05 Aug 2003 Posts: 3473

Nothing that we didn't already know really. WGA I can agree with to a point. They have a right and need to protect their investment.

Out of the hundreds of systems I have built at work, not one of them has been flagged as not valid. Maybe I'm lucky.

Also, out of all the times I've reimaged my home computer, other than having to call MS and reactivate (which again I agree with them doing) I've never had a non-valid WGA event with any of my 6 home installations (and they each have their own XP license).

edvallie · Posted: Tue, 26 Sep 2006 17:32:41 Post Subject:

Hellfire · Rated XXX Joined: 05 Aug 2003 Posts: 3473

**Modulok** · Posted: Tue, 26 Sep 2006 18:05:36 Post Subject:

I just installed Ubuntu 6.06 AMD64 to dual boot with XP for games. There are ways to play games on linux but not all games are supported yet. Ever think there will be a time where games will make linux versions? would be nice!

at work I dont allow wga to install...I know every copy of xp is using our corp copy and don't need something else slowing our pcs down. (we have xp installed on old compaqs with 400mhz and 320mb ram)