Is Microsoft tricking its users? [WGA]

[OMGIRC] /miT · July 24th, 2006, 06:50 PM

I'm sure everyone here has read about US users filing a class action against Microsoft alleging that the WGA Tool is spyware.

Well a buddy of mine had a non-redundant XP hard drive go out. Not being able to find his XP Pro cd he attained one in some way or another, and without copying his current legit windows key, had already formatted and used an illegal key to "get by" till he bought himself another copy of XP.

I notified him of the WGA act and informed him not to install that update from microsoft. Having done so, he reports that windows says there are no more updates left to install. Yet when he shuts his PC down, there is a lovely "Install updates and shut down the computer".

Now, i am unsure if there is a way to check what updates it's actually looking to install at shutdown. Unfortunately, he had already bought a copy of XP and reinstalled with his new CD key before i could sit down and try to poke around to figure out what it wanted to install.

Long story short, do you think MS is secretly installing WGA behind its users backs?

**GroundZero3** · July 24th, 2006, 07:27 PM

Quote:

I notified him of the WGA act and informed him not to install that update from microsoft. Having done so, he reports that windows says there are no more updates left to install. Yet when he shuts his PC down, there is a lovely "Install updates and shut down the computer".

I have seen it do that several times on legit machines.

if it some how installed itself

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/921914

[OMGIRC] /miT · July 24th, 2006, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GroundZero3

I have seen it do that several times on legit machines.

if it some how installed itself

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/921914

Yeah, that was one of the things i sadly could not check. To see if it's listed in the Add/Remove Application list after he did the Install + Shut down.

Having googled for this issue, i cannot find anyone else that is as curious as i am. Maybe i'll hear more about this issue down the line.

Chapper · July 24th, 2006, 10:14 PM

They surely did it secretly to me and after it finally messed up my system I couldn't even dream of getting into add/remove, let alone get into the BIOS! Delightful...no?
It was an OEM that I had been using for a long time and not a pirated version...oh well...life with M$$$
Weird thing is, I can use my XP hd in an external enclosure and all my files are there and not TOO messed up. Still can't get into the BIOS!

[OMGIRC] /miT · July 25th, 2006, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chapper

Still can't get into the BIOS!

Not getting into the BIOS has nothing to do with XP or Microsoft at all, as it's not an OS you're booting but an actual firmware that is installed on your motherboard.

Did you try to update your BIOS and failed? That could be a reason you cannot get into BIOS.

What happens when you boot your computer? Is it just a blank screen? Is the HD Activity light solid?

Chapper · July 25th, 2006, 01:42 PM

thnx OGIRC; haven't tried to update the BIOS, but will try.When it boots up it's just a blank/black screen for a long time; F1, F8, F8 don't do any thing. However, the wall paper opens, but with no icons or task bar and just hangs.
The LED blinks.
As I said, this XP hd works in an ext enclosure while running 2000 Pro on C drive. though it boots up also with the black screen for a long time, and then Windows 2000 opens.

demon_wolf · July 25th, 2006, 02:04 PM

I acidently installed this Software onto One of my Machines.

My Copy of XP Pro was purchased from a large retail outlet, and was not an update or OEm version, but the full version.

After the Software was installed it reported that my Copy was not legit!!!

So, I worked out a way to remove it, and stop the Auto Updates from reinstalling it.

On Two other Systems it is constantly asking to install updates before shutting down the Systems. When I look at the Updates it is trying to install, guess what, the Program from Microsoft is one of them. Luckily I now have the System ask if I want to install updates before actually installing them.

Microsoft should face a large Law Suite over this. When I first installed XP pro, no where in the User license does it say that they can install whatever they want, and monitor anything of mine.

This Software is Spyware, even if MS says it is not!

**GroundZero3** · July 25th, 2006, 02:06 PM

technically you dont own the os, you pay to use it

[OMGIRC] /miT · July 25th, 2006, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chapper

thnx OGIRC; haven't tried to update the BIOS, but will try.When it boots up it's just a blank/black screen for a long time; F1, F8, F8 don't do any thing. However, the wall paper opens, but with no icons or task bar and just hangs.
The LED blinks.
As I said, this XP hd works in an ext enclosure while running 2000 Pro on C drive. though it boots up also with the black screen for a long time, and then Windows 2000 opens.

This could be caused from a couple things.

Do you have onboard video as well as a PCI or AGP video card that you are using?

When your computer boots up it could be using the onboard until you get into windows, which uses the Video card instead. From there, it seems like your XP is indeed having problems. I have never booted any type of OS from an external drive, so i cant say for sure why that would or would'nt work.

I have experienced something simular to this before, it was caused from XP using SVGA and the monitor using VGA. When i booted the computer up, i got my BIOS and the Post screen, but when i would hit the welcome screen my monitor would go into hibornation mode as if there was no connection to the video card at all.

To solve my problem, i had to use "Start Windows with VGA Mode" from the F8 boot screen before XP actually loaded.

You seem to be having the exact opposite of the problem i was having, which makes me think there is some type of hardware conflict with your video output.

Have you intsalled any new hardware recently?

Chapper · July 25th, 2006, 02:30 PM

I don't have on board video, I have an AGP card. Could the card be dead? It's about 5 years old and last year it had a scorch mark on it from heat. I've never had a problem with it though and at least the monitor hookup works. I have noticed lately, however CD videos I was able to run before don't open now.
Also I don't actually boot from the external drive; I can open it as drive F once 2000 has opened.