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How To Make a Custom Vista Disc AIO

odeeee report How To Make a Custom Vista Disc All In One in our forum.
download - comments - 26.1.2007

ReadyBoost in Windows Vista: Does it Make a Difference?

USB memory keys are compact little devices that can store and transfer anywhere from 128MB to 8GB of data, all it takes is a USB slot.
windows - comments - 27.8.2007

Users may need Vista to make most of Server 2008

Companies installing Windows Server 2008 may have to buy extra Microsoft software, such as Windows Vista, to use more advanced features, analyst firm Gartner has said.
windows - comments - 3.11.2007

Last OS Standing: Make the Most of Windows Vista

Now that Windows XP is no longer being sold by Microsoft, PC users will be stuck with Windows Vista. Here's a roundup of PC World's best tips for making Vista easier to use.
windows - comments - 3.7.2008

MS Vista to make official debut in Israel

Microsoft Windows team development head Steven Sinofsky will unveil Vista at Tech-Ed Israel 2006.
windows - comments - 4.4.2006

NSA Helped Microsoft Make Vista Secure

Microsoft has confirmed that the U.S. government agency best known for eavesdropping on telephone calls had a hand in the development of the Windows Vista operating system.
microsoft - comments - 12.1.2007

What's Genuine About Windows Genuine Advantage?

An article over at Microsoft-Watch has been posted about what Windows Genuine Advantage is all about.
windows - comments - 10.6.2006

Windows 7 – 20 Features to Make Users Forget Vista SP1/SP2 and XP SP3

Microsoft is currently moving onward with the development of Windows 7, having passed Milestone 3 with the operating system.
windows - comments - 15.11.2008

Do not make Win 7 too Mac-like

Blogger Paul Thurrott has written a couple of interesting posts about the difference between “simple” and “easy” in the context of Windows 7.
windows - comments - 4.12.2008

Why Apple does not make a netbook

As netbooks continue their inexorable rise up the wish lists of gadget hounds, businesses and ordinary folk alike, the clamor for Apple to join the market continues to increase from all sides.
common - comments - 5.3.2009

Is Google going to make Microsoft look good?

Why do we like Google? Is it because they are the “do no evil” company? Is it because they are not Microsoft? Is it because they make our lives easier through their search, email, and other services? The fact of the matter is that a lot of people from users, to developers, to workers, and to investors like Google. Heck, even I like google! (Look at the ads.)
common - comments - 3.8.2006

Why buy a genuine Windows Vista when pirated is easier and better?

Recently Microsoft had a 50% price cut for Home Basic and Home Premium Editions of Windows Vista. The price cut is mainly targeted at China which has the 2nd highest software piracy rate in the world after Vietnam. Thanks to thepodest for this post on the blog.
windows - comments - 8.8.2007

Microsoft Blogs Make Room for Ads

Microsoft's MSN Spaces blogging features are set for a major upgrade to incorporate a revenue-sharing advertising option and a new partnership with Amazon.com, according to various sources.
microsoft - comments - 26.1.2006

Hollywood to make shows for Xbox 360

Microsoft, seeking to expand offerings on its Xbox 360 console, has reached an agreement with a company headed by Peter Safran, the veteran Hollywood producer and talent manager, to produce original shows for distribution on the system.
microsoft - comments - 31.3.2008

Even with Vista SP1, Hackers Still Crack Windows Genuine Advantage

The fact that Microsoft has relaxed its antipiracy mechanism built into Windows Vista concomitantly with the release of Service Pack 1 failed to stop hackers from providing a crack for the latest version of Windows Genuine Advantage Validation.
windows - comments - 1.4.2008

Microsoft to eventually make Office a web application

Microsoft is leaping into hosted applications big time. InformationWeek reports that Microsoft plans to offer hosted implementations of SharePoint, CRM and ERP applications. But the best quote in that article was left till last. A "Microsoft insider" was asked which other products and services Microsoft would host and the reply was: "Everything. Hosted Office. Everything hosted."
microsoft - comments -

Microsoft: Make our HD Photo format a standard

Such is the reasoning behind a step Microsoft plans to announce Thursday: it will submit its HD Photo image format to a standards body.
microsoft - comments - 8.3.2007

Microsoft Gambles One EU Customer Will Make its Case

It has been "Issues Week" all week for Microsoft, and Thursday, the company took on the dreaded interoperability issue. But its choice of message was called into question a bit yesterday after Microsoft boasted of having signed up its first official customer for its communications and interoperability IP licenses: Quest Software, the manufacturer of the Toad data modeling system.
microsoft - comments - 10.3.2007

TechEd 2007 Preview: Now It's Developers' Turn to Make Changes

With Windows Vista already a firmly entrenched product in many homes and some businesses, and with Windows Server 2008 cruising toward a final release in the second half of this year, Microsoft may feel it's time for its many partners and developers with an interest in Windows' success to stand and deliver.
microsoft - comments - 4.6.2007

Ultimately, Touch Will Make the Killer Windows 7 Applications

Undoubtedly it is the ecosystem of third-party software solutions that make Windows the platform that it is today, sharing the operating system's success.
windows - comments - 12.11.2008

Microsoft Only sold 244 copies of Genuine Windows Vista in China

Microsoft spent millions of dollars advertising its next generation OS 'Windows Vista' in China, in fact the IT juggernaut threw up the biggest Vista Ad on the 421 meter high Jin Mao tower in Shanghai China.
windows - comments - 20.4.2007

Microsoft Promotion: make MSN Your Homepage & Win a Zune

How badly does Microsoft want to promote the Zune? Not badly enough to think of anything particularly ingenious. Unique? yes. Succesful? No.
microsoft - comments - 15.2.2007

Windows Vista Genuine Validation Fails Due to Incorrect BIOS Data

Thanks to Steve Jobs for this post in his blog. Even if the operating system was activated properly.
windows - comments - 27.6.2007

How-To: Remove the Windows BSOD icon in Leopard, make OS X a little less smug

It's pretty clear that Apple left no stone unturned in Leopard, making changes and fixes throughout the new operating system.
common - comments - 31.10.2007

OneCare Death to Make Room for Free Morro Antivirus for Windows 7

A future core antimalware solution will replace Windows Live OneCare, which, considering the price of a one year subscription, has already qualified for an alternative to free security software, come mid-2009.
windows - comments - 25.11.2008

Make No Mistake About It, the XP SP3 RTM Direct Download Links Are Live

Make no mistake about it, the gold bits of Windows XP Service Pack 3 are available for download straight from Microsoft, contrary to what the company is claiming.
windows - comments - 1.5.2008

Windows Vista Stop Time Crack + Genuine file NEW CRACK

zapp2 report this next Windows Vista Stop Time Crack and Vista Genuine file NEW CRACK in our forum. This is first Vista WGA crack.
download - comments - 12.2.2007

Genuine Windows Vista vs. Pirated Windows Vista

Enlarge picture Essentially there is absolutely no difference between a genuine and pirated copy of Windows Vista in terms of functionality. Sure, there is a very good chance that the counterfeit version of the operating system would contain malicious code and that the user experience would be gravely diminished because the fabric of the platform has been tampered with in the cracking process.
windows - comments - 12.9.2007

Is your copy of Windows genuine?

How to Tell helps you verify that your Microsoft products are genuine.

To begin, choose the product category that best describes your Microsoft product. On the following product category page you will be able to select your specific product and the method by which you acquired it to learn more about genuine Microsoft products.
common - comments -

Windows update without Microsoft Genuine 2

Not only will it keep you up to date with the latest updates from Microsoft, it will also keep software and drivers from other vendors updated. However, that functionality is currently missing.



common - comments -

Microsoft changes 'Windows Genuine Advantage' name

Microsoft will be changing to name of it's activation and validation system from "Windows Genuine Advantage" to "Windows Activation Technologies" according to a report by Mary-Jo Foley. However, the "Genuine" brand isn't completely disappearing. A press release states that Microsoft will continue to deliver genuine updates and notifications for XP users. The program has been criticized for its punishment tactics and false-positive results, even though Microsoft has fixed some of these problems in Vista SP1. According to Microsoft, Windows 7's activation will be built on the same software protection platform that was part of Vista, with some minor tweaks made for Windows 7.

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 08.05.2009

Windows Vista Validation Update (KB929391)

Microsoft have just posted a Windows Vista Genuine Validation Update to Windows Update. The update provides the latest information to the Windows Vista validation components, and is marked as an "Important" update.

It seems that the aim of the update is to further prevent "cracked" copies of Windows Vista from being able to run. Install the Windows Vista validation component updates to make sure that your copy of Windows Vista is genuine and is correctly licensed. If a problem is detected, the update will provide additional instructions.


jcxp.net - 15.12.2006

SP1 Unsuccessful in Preventing Vista Hacks

It seems that Microsoft has been unsuccessful with SP1 in preventing hackers from turning a pirated, non-genuine copy of Vista into genuine copies that pass activation. The article initially looked at two of the most popular hacks (OEM BIOS hack and the grace timer hack) but after a little digging ZDNet were able to transform a non-genuine install into a genuine one. 'After a few minutes of searching the darker corners of the Internet and a few seconds in the Command Prompt I was able to fool Windows into thinking that it was genuine.'




winbeta.org - 11.02.2008

MS Office Validation Now Mandatory

Want to use the extra features within Office? Be prepared to verify that your copy of the productivity suite is genuine. While the so-called Office Genuine Advantage has been around since April, Microsoft did not make it mandatory until Friday...
betanews.com - 28.10.2006

22% of Windows Installs Non-Genuine

Microsoft disclosed Monday that over one in five Windows installations were deemed non-genuine through the company's Windows Genuine Advantage program, which requires users to validate their operating system before downloading updates from the company...
betanews.com - 23.01.2007

Microsoft slams the door on Vista pirates

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes: With the launch of SP1 Microsoft promised to put an end to two popular hacks used by pirates to allow a non-genuine install of Windows Vista to function in the same way as a genuine install. Testing that Ive carried out in the lab today suggests that Microsoft has been true to its word.



The two most common hacks used were the OEM BIOS hack and the grace timer hack (of which there were two flavors which were widespread).



Testing both these methods of circumventing Windows activation and Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) has shown me that SP1 effectively ignores both these hacks. Systems that previously were shown to be genuine prior to the installation of SP1 then require activation - and if the system isnt activated it is marked at non-genuine and enters the nag state.




winbeta.org - 11.02.2008

Microsoft Debuts New Licensing Program to Enable Resellers to Help Enterprises That Are Victims of Counterfeit Software

Q&A: Cori Hartje, director of Microsoft's Genuine Software Initiative, discusses the Get Genuine Windows Agreement and other efforts the company has put in place to help customers become properly licensed and acquire genuine Microsoft software...
microsoft.com/presspass - 02.10.2007

Microsoft Seals Cracks

With the impending release of Service Pack 1 for Vista, Microsoft looks to slow down the pirates by cutting off two popular hacks to circumvent the Windows Genuine Advantage Program.

Testing both these methods of circumventing Windows activation and Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) has shown me that SP1 effectively ignores both these hacks. Systems that previously were shown to be genuine prior to the installation of SP1 then require activation - and if the system isn’t activated it is marked at non-genuine and enters the nag state.


jcxp.net - 11.02.2008

Microsofts Genuine Software Initiative Makes Steady Progress on Protecting Customers

Q&A: Cori Hartje, Worldwide Director, Microsoft Genuine Software Initiative, discusses Microsofts continued investments to help customers and partners realize the value of genuine software...
microsoft.com/presspass - 08.04.2008

Vista SP1 to Replace 'Reduced Functionality'

A service originally designed to compel unpaid Vista users to obtain genuine licenses is apparently being scrapped in Service Pack 1, to be replaced with a more "in-your-face" approach.



In a prepared Q&A released by Microsoft this morning, corporate vice president for Windows product marketing Mike Sievert divulged that Reduced Functionality Mode (RFM) -- a service that disables certain features of Windows Vista until the user activates the system, assuming she can -- will be scrapped in Service Pack 1. In its place will be something that reduces the user's experience instead.



"Although our overall strategy remains the same, with SP1 we're adjusting the customer experience that differentiates genuine from non-genuine systems in Windows Vista and later in Windows Server," Siever stated.



"Users whose systems are identified as counterfeit will be presented with clear and recurring notices about the status of their system and how to get genuine. They won't lose access to functionality or features, but it will be very clear to them that their copy of Windows Vista is not genuine and they need to take action."



More at source.




jcxp.net - 05.12.2007

Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications (v1.8.0031.0)

Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications is a tool to help reduce software piracy. This tool will confirm that the copy of Windows installed on the PC is genuine and properly licensed. If it is not genuine, the tool will provide periodic reminders to help you take the appropriate action.



This is the most current release of Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications. We encourage you to upgrade to this version. This release includes enhanced features that reflect ongoing input from customers, as well as Microsofts continually improving anti-piracy technology.




winbeta.org - 27.08.2008

Pirating Windows? No free Security Essentials for you!

Microsoft has confirmed via its Genuine Windows Blog that only those Windows users running genuine, validated copies will be able to download and install the new Microsoft Security Essentials software. The Director of Microsoft's Genuine Windows team, Alex Kochis, stated in his post that, "During installation, you'll be asked to validate Windows running on your PC to make sure that it's genuine." Windows validation is by no means a new technology, and has been implemented in many of Microsoft's software packages with a few notable exceptions: Internet Explorer 8, for example, and Windows Update which allows users running pirated copies of Windows to download essential security patches without validation.

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 01.10.2009

Microsoft prepares Genuine Software initiative

The recently rolled out Office Genuine Advantage, along with its widely known Windows counterpart, seems to have made Microsoft decide to protect all of its paying software using a Genuine Advantage initiative.

The new tool, named simply Genuine Advantage Initiative, is aimed at protecting all Microsoft retail desktop software other than Windows and Office, which will both remain under their own Genuine Advantage. It is based on the Office version, but the changes it adds from this version is currently unknown.


jcxp.net - 28.07.2006

Microsoft Discounts Vista in China

Aiming to curb piracy, Microsoft said it had slashed prices on its Windows Vista as much as 67 percent to encourage consumers to purchase genuine copies of its software...
betanews.com - 03.08.2007

Vista, Acronis TrueImage 11 and GRUB Error 22

Jonathan Schlaffer: Those of you with Vista know that there can be boot problems after you have cloned your existing installation to a faster or larger hard drive (it works best when its both). And, sometimes after cloning, there can be activation issues as well which I have encountered in the past.



Some say those issues are gone due to updates to the way WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage) works in Vista but Microsoft should rename their DRM protection system to Windows Genuine Annoyance.



These problems did not exist under XP but it appears that Vista places undue importance on the hard drive when deciding whether or not to deactivate itself. I am aware that SP1 changes the way WGA works slightly but that cannot change what has happened in the past.




winbeta.org - 25.12.2007

Even with Vista SP1, Hackers Still Crack WGA

The fact that Microsoft has relaxed its antipiracy mechanism built into Windows Vista concomitantly with the release of Service Pack 1 failed to stop hackers from providing a crack for the latest version of Windows Genuine Advantage Validation. Various reports point out that Genuine Advantage Validation and Notifications versions 1.7.69.1 (1.7.0069.1) and 1.7.69.2 released in March 2008, following the March 18 availability of Windows Vista SP1 through Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center, have been cracked.

The workaround is designed to be integrated with pirated copies of Windows XP and Windows Vista in order to render useless the WGA Validation mechanism. According to the reports, applying the WGA crack will permit users of counterfeit versions of Windows to access and download items from Windows Update, Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update. The pirated operating systems with the cracked WGA will pass all validations on Microsoft's websites and offer anything from updates to applications that are restricted to users of genuine operating systems only.


neowin.net - 02.04.2008

Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications Update

Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications is a tool to help reduce software piracy. This tool will confirm that the copy of Windows installed on the PC is genuine and properly licensed. If it is not genuine, the tool will provide periodic reminders to help you take the appropriate action.



This is the most current release of Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications. We encourage you to upgrade to this version. This release includes enhanced features that reflect ongoing input from customers, as well as Microsofts continually improving anti-piracy technology.



Specific features of this version include:

  • Improved Setup “ A new installation wizard provides an overview of the tool, and shows validation results immediately at the end of the installation process. No reboot is required following installation.
  • Redesigned User Interface - The system tray notifications have been redesigned to make them more visually appealing with clear links to full details of each message and further options for resolving any problems.
  • Improved User Assistance “ Improved messaging for users who are unable to complete validation, along with links to more and better self-help tools.



winbeta.org - 15.12.2007

Vista SP1 to replace 'Reduced Functionality' with nagware

A service originally designed to compel unpaid Vista users to obtain genuine licenses is apparently being scrapped in Service Pack 1, to be replaced with a more "in-your-face" approach...
betanews.com - 04.12.2007

Get Genuine Kit

The following download links include a 1 page document containing information for resellers to help customers get legal when they have non-genuine Windows XP Professional installed on their PC and a 4 page document containing frequently asked questions (FAQ) on the Get Genuine program.




winbeta.org - 21.11.2007

Microsoft to add the Genuine Advantage ‘nag' to Office

Microsoft is set to begin a pilot of a new Genuine Advantage anti-piracy mechanism for Office that will add a “nag-like” feature, akin to what is now part of Windows Vista, to Office.

Office already currently includes an Office Genuine Advantage (OGA) validation mechanism (for Office XP and Office 2007), but Microsoft doesn’t do a whole lot to “punish” those it deems to be running non-Genuine versions of Office. However, as part of a new OGA notifications pilot program — which Microsoft is launching in Chile, Italy, Spain and Turkey, according to an April 8 announcement buried in a Q&A on Microsoft’s Web site — Microsoft is set to turn up the unpleasantness a notch.


neowin.net - 09.04.2008