Microsoft Puts a Bullet in my Laptop

I get an annoying pop-up notice saying that my windows vista is not genuine. Bought the laptop new in a computer shop. Worked fine until that stupid windows update started all the crap flying. Now the notice won't go away. I reported it to microsoft who wrote back through a "third-party" technician, who basically said "we're sorry you have an invalid windows, but we can't help you" I hate windows and I hate microsoft. My next computer is gona be an apple.

Bruce, this machine was wiped before Win 7 was installed. It's true, I could have used the product key on the label pasted to the machine's bottom to activate XP, if I had a clean install CD for XP. But that wasn't the goal for this machine in any case.

Why didn't you just eliminate the "pirated" Windows 7 software and use the machine's legal copy of XP? Not as cool as telling friends you've got Windows 7, I suppose, but as my old English mother used to say, "Sounds like six of one, half-a-dozen of the other."

I have been using XP on my 2 desktops for the last 2 years and I have not had any hangups or lockups or reboots. Why? I can only beleive it is because I run all of the updates, I paid my fee's and I run Avira and spybot. My Daughters who have a Macbook and an HP laptop with Vista are always using my desktops (which is why I have 2 of them...). Both the HP and the MACBOOK have been in shop within the last year with various problems. However, I think Microsoft has forgotten that the reason why they became the main OS of the business world was because I only had to actually bye one copy of windows or DOS and I could still load it onto multiple machines without any problems. It kept my businesses alive without the extra costs. I just wish some at microsoft would learn to give the software writers older PC's (like 5 year old machines) so that they would write more efficient code... I can't imagine what it is like to be on a dialup and having to wait several hours for the download/update to be completed....

I've always heard MS could do this via "updates" but this is the first clear description I've read. If nothing else, it's a good reason to turn off automatic updates, and only do an update when you're at a good stopping point in your work. It would be more than annoying to have MS cripple your computer an hour before the boss needed that big report. I would like to think the Linux is a good alternative to the MS OSs, but my first try has been thoroughly disappointing. I've been running several Win XP machines for years, with the usual predictable annoyances, but very few instances of complete hanging, blue screens, or spontaneous reboots. A month ago I installed Ubuntu Linux on a spare machine and proceeded to re-discover random hanging like I have seen my days of ZX81s and Commodore 64s. At random intervals, the machine will suddenly and totally stop responding; no mouse pointer movement, no response to any key press, no warning message, no sound, no nothing. I have re-installed the OS many times, gotten all the current updates, and made sure not to install ANY extra software, and yet it still hangs at a rate that might average once an hour or so. Looking at the BBC news via the pre-installed Firefox seems to cause it particular trouble, especially if there's a video on the page. Another frequent problem is that apps will spontaneously close themselves with no explanation. Ubuntu is supposed to be a particularly user-friendly pre-packaged version of Linux, but based on my experience, it's nowhere near ready for prime time yet. Yes, it's free, and yes it's worth every penny and not a penny more.

It's almost a guarantee that a discussion about Windows updates will, within a few posts, evolve into "you should get Linux". In the real BUSINESS world, that isn't an option for most people. Is Windows perfect? Of course not. But as soon as Linux became the world's OS, the world's hackers would be busy exploiting holes in it. The problem, in this situation, is that an Steve was duped by the guy who sold him the laptop. Microsoft could have done a better job preparing people - and perhaps give them a window of time to resolve the situation before taking down a system. And Steve already admitted his fault - of not verifying. Plenty of blame to go around.

Microsoft is hardly a 1-product company. Programs that I use daily to feed and shelter my family include Windows 7, Word, Powerpoint, and Visio. Sorry, I do not begrudge Microsoft the few hundred dollars for software that enables me to work at a high efficiency level. As for eBay harboring crooks, I guess that's true. I do not see how you can police a bazaar making more than a million sales a day from almost as many sellers. Buyer definitely beware. Note, I didn't buy from eBay nor did I know that my seller had bought from eBay until all was revealed after the fact. I have made more than 300 eBay purchases with only one problem over the last 10 years. I'm pretty careful about what I buy and who I buy from. Caveat definitely emptor.

What is absolutely clear to me is that it is in Micro$oft's vested interest in selling software with bugs in it. Apart from X-box they are a one-product company which if they actually get the software right won't sell anymore product. Hence a new version every year or two which keeps the over-priced $billion revenue stream going, each with new bugs and new security holes. And the government has allowed this crazy monopoly to survive and prosper; it is a total disgrace. Let's hope Android or some other version of Linux will give them some real competition asap.

What is absolutely clear to me is that it is in Micro$oft's vested interest in selling software with bugs in it. Apart from X-box they are a one-product company which if they actually get the software right won't sell anymore product. Hence a new version every year or two which keeps the over-priced $billion revenue stream going, each with new bugs and new security holes. And the government has allowed this crazy monopoly to survive and prosper; it is a total disgrace. Let's hope Android or some other version of Linux will give them some real competition asap.

I like Bill Gates , but unfortunately I have no big compassion for Microsoft. They are a runaways train filled with greedy people.I agree with everyone above.IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE!!!! As far as "checking" computer software I did have a few cases ESPECIALLY with Microsoft Update.DO NOT EVER USE IT! If you have a software that is 6-7 years old like an Old Office it will disable it(I do have a licence).Back in a days it was THE MOST expensive program that existed.I only paid more when I purchased Photoshop(another rip-off company).I have top of the line custom machine and update checker would not even run on it.When I forced an execution of a program it rendered my 2 year old machine not compatible with Windows7. I will stay with XP and Linux.Sorry about your experience with Microsoft.I hope that they are sending you an original Windows7 DVD.If not , call and request it...or you will go through hell when computer crashes. As for e-bay.....it is a real asylum for cheaters and thieves and I would never buy any program there.

It is because of this "remote control" that MS enforces that I have worked on migrating all my computer needs to Linux. At this point, only my stock/option trading software from Fidelity still requires Windows to run, which I do in an XP virtual machine running on my CentOS workstation. Everything else is either running as native Linux software (90%) or with Wine (10%). I'm voting with my pocket book. MS will never see another penny from me if I have anything to do with it.

lesson learned: use UBUNTU or use SOLARIS (google it) do not use Microsoft windows, but if you need to run windows based software then just install WINEHQ to your ubuntu to execute windows programs.

These stupid validation scheems are BS if microsoft would just sell the blipping software for a fair price not no blippin $200 and fix all the bugs people would get a real copy as for me I just use old software, its cheap and workd, plus all the bugs are documented and workarounds abound, I'd love to go Linux but hardly any software developers realy support it and so pepple have not real alturnative, either go with Microsloth or go with out. All these validation apps are a scam anyway, what they realy want is to get all your personal information, it has nothing to do with software piracy. They also glean information on what software your using and on which web sites you visit, its spyware plain and simple! People need to start suing the hell out of them, get a class action suit together and tske microsoft to the cleaners.

It's useful to know that you can check the "genuine" status of Microsoft Windows or Office at any time, to avoid surprises. Just got to microsoft.com/Genuine/ and click the corresponding Validate button. Whenever buying a secondhand, upgraded, or non name-brand PC, it is advisable to do this before closing the deal. This runs the same validation tool as was shipped along with the update. If the seller declines to do this, you can strongly suspect he knows the software is counterfeit, and knows this tool will cripple the computer, just as it did after the update.

Strange as it seems, Microsoft updates to legal products have been even more deadly in the past. I am begining to wonder if the viruses are easier to correct than Microsoft.....

Any Windows problem is sure to bring out the Linux weenies like a dead fish draws flies. No matter, While those that suggest XP is faster and more stable are correct, XP is getting harder and harder to find. I have ALWAYS blocked the Windows update servers (3- ways: ZoneAlarm, Router, and Hosts.txt- I use all three). THat way, Microsoft cannot do damage (intentional or otherwise) without MY EXPRESS permission.

@ Steve I have the same problem of too much software that I use in windows but I am slowly weening myself off of windows and onto LINUX. I have found that Open Office is very compatible with Word so far, the gimp works great once you learn how to use it, and firefox works better, faster and safer with LINUX that windows. One other benefit is that when your system completely crashes or you get a new computer, you can immediately download and install a new operating system and all of the tools that you like for free and without hassles.

Why not go back to XP? It is a very stable OS and you own a copy from the original install.

To my Linux followers: I use my laptop for business. I need Microsoft Office for compatibility with clients (not Open Office, Star Office, or any other sort-of-compatible office). I use Paint Shop Pro for image editing (not GIMP or Photoshop or any other image editor). I routinely use about 100 programs in all. They all run on Microsoft Windows. Perhaps 20% might run on Linux in some way. Although I have designed computers and written chunks of operating systems for a living, I do not do that currently. I create content, in English. Linux just doesn't do it for me. I'm happy if it works for you.

Depending on how you use your laptop, Linux may be ideal. Linux on the desktop has come a long way in the last 5 years or so. If you haven't checked it out in a while, it's definitely worth a shot. Check out Ubuntu, Linux Mint, or OpenSUSE - these all have very useable desktops without a huge learning curve.

why did ebay allow sale of generated serial numbers? shouldn't they be banned?

"Don't trust lawyers"? "If it seems to good to be true, it probably is"? I don't really blame you for trusting the guy, but it strains credibility that an attorney would be dumb enough to believe that buying an email'd code of auth code of eBay (for what I'm guessing was less than $20) could in any way be legitimate. I certainly wouldn't steer any real business to that guy!

Strange, I have never had Linux do that to me.