Windows Genuine Advantage Failed

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gadz00ks1

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Hey,

It seems one of my customer's has a pirated copy of Windows XP Pro SP 2. I had to install some 90 updates only to find this out. Has anyone had to break this news to their customers?
 
how did you find out that it was pirated? How did you update it if it was pirated? Did you use offline updates or something?

I have a program that I carry with me that checks to see if windows has been registered and activated and if it comes up saying that it is pirated I will tell them that I can't fix their computer until it is legal.

You never know what kind of problems customers will have with their pc when it is running pirated versions and if you fix their computer with the pirated version installed, it could come back to haunt you! They could blame you for the problems, word might spread that you helped out someone even though they use pirated software, etc.
 
syst3merror said:
how did you find out that it was pirated? How did you update it if it was pirated? Did you use offline updates or something?

I have a program that I carry with me that checks to see if windows has been registered and activated and if it comes up saying that it is pirated I will tell them that I can't fix their computer until it is legal.

You never know what kind of problems customers will have with their pc when it is running pirated versions and if you fix their computer with the pirated version installed, it could come back to haunt you! They could blame you for the problems, word might spread that you helped out someone even though they use pirated software, etc.
Click to expand...

Well thats the thing, offline updates would not work, so I had to install the updates online and wouldn't you know it, WGA validation failed and there is no OEM sticker with a valid license. I will inform the customer tomorrow and let you all know how it goes.
 
Time to sell them a new license key. Double check for a license sticker though, its possible that it is a legit copy that didnt pass.

If not, just tell it as it is. "Whoever installed the operating system beforehand has installed a pirated copy. You can either fix this and purchase a license key for $XXX which makes it legitimate. Or leave it and be bothered by frequent "this copy is not genuine popups". Be legitimising it, it allows you to keep recieving security updates from Microsoft which keeps it safer online blah blah blah."
 
Bryce W said:
Time to sell them a new license key. Double check for a license sticker though, its possible that it is a legit copy that didnt pass.

If not, just tell it as it is. "Whoever installed the operating system beforehand has installed a pirated copy. You can either fix this and purchase a license key for $XXX which makes it legitimate. Or leave it and be bothered by frequent "this copy is not genuine popups". Be legitimising it, it allows you to keep recieving security updates from Microsoft which keeps it safer online blah blah blah."
Click to expand...

Thats exactly the course of action I plan to take Bryce!
 
I think Microsoft gives you a big discount if you sign up through the web page it sends you to when it fails. Personally I'd just tell them they should take it up with whoever sold them the computer, or installed the pirated version on there.
 
The last time this happend to me was about 6mths ago. A lady who I work with at my regular job said that her son had fixed it a while back and now just can't do anything with it. I find out it was part of a VLK and the thing from MS was if I remember correctly was 140.00 or so... the price of an OEM version. What I didn't get was that she had a valid key for XP Home on the side... don't know why her son thought it would be alot better to have XP Pro.... who knows... but I guess I knew everything to when I was a teenager...LOL

Darren
 
I think I would fallow the same course of action as Bryce on this one as well. That being said I have seen the WGA pop up on some legit systems. It actually took a call to Microsoft to get things right.
 
We just had a customer come in with 2 computers, both pirated. One was just a data retrieval, the other was for cleaning off spyware and updating. Neither system had any Service Packs, and they didn't have license keys.

So I called the customer and asked her about them, and she said that a friend installed for her. I told her, that without the COA we couldn't do anything because otherwise it looks to be pirated versions. Anyways, she was understanding, I gave her options, and she paid us for our time.
 
yeah, with my customers, if I find that they are running pirated windows I will suggest them purchase a valid license otherwise I will not repair their pc.

I won't touch pirated computers. I had to pay for everything that I use to repair their computer and I'm not gonna repair a computer for someone that stole what I have to repair.

Thats like working on a stolen car knowing that it's stolen....my ethics won't allow it.
 
Does you guys use any tool that would allow me to check/verify the Product ID w/o connecting to the Internet?
 
syst3merror said:
yeah, with my customers, if I find that they are running pirated windows I will suggest them purchase a valid license otherwise I will not repair their pc.

I won't touch pirated computers. I had to pay for everything that I use to repair their computer and I'm not gonna repair a computer for someone that stole what I have to repair.

Thats like working on a stolen car knowing that it's stolen....my ethics won't allow it.
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I don't have an ethics issue with it. I just would not want something breaking later and it comming back to me. If they want to steal from Microsoft its their business.
 
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my ethics issue is that they can rip off Microsoft for $150 but I have to spend $300 for software to FIX their pirated computer....I guess it ticks me off more than anything! I have so much money wrapped up in software (different install discs for windows, recovery software, etc) and tools (backup drives, computer repair kits, etc) and they can just download their entire operating system off of some dang piracy site...just doesn't seem right to me so I won't work on their computer and red flag them in my customer files.
 
What software did you buy to fix their computers? I'm just curious what everyone has spent money on (software) since the only thing I was planning on spending money on was Acronis True Image or something similar.
 
I was interested in Acronis but the license only covers MY computer and I would have to buy a license for each computer I would need to repair.

I own original discs of:
Windows 98
Windows ME
Windows 2000
Windows XP Home (retail and oem)
Windows XP Pro (retail and oem)
Windows Ultimate

As for repair software, I bought:
active@ Boot Disk corp. license = $99
avast! BART CD - Serviceman License 1 year = $598

those are the main ones I've purchased that cost a bit of money. I like the bart cd but I'm looking for cheaper alternatives. My biggest thing is that I want to make sure that I have the proper licensing for my softwares. I don't want to use a home edition of software and get busted because I used it in a corporate environment.
 
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syst3merror said:
I was interested in Acronis but the license only covers MY computer and I would have to buy a license for each computer I would need to repair.
Click to expand...

I was planning on installing it on my computer and plugging their hard drives into a USB -> SATA/IDE adapter to image their drives. Seems like that should be within the EULA.
 
I wouldn't not work on a system because it had a pirated version of Windows on it. I don't really see the ethical dilemma there. Once you inform them of the problem and how to correct it, your responsibility is over with. It's up to them to get their licensing in order. Copyright infringement is a civil matter, not a criminal one.

It's not my business to keep an eye out for Microsoft. My responsibility is to the customer, and it's their responsibility to get right with Microsoft.
 
I wouldn't work on the system due to legal issues moreover ethical issues. All the service fees I charge the client wouldn't be enough to cover my legal fees for a MS Audit; which seems to happen regularly nowadays.
 
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