Vista "Kill Switch" Eliminated in SP1

Tue Dec 4, 2007 11:55AM EST

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Before its release, Vista earned some wallops for its inclusion of a "kill switch" feature that would cause rebooting in the middle of your work and other nefarious features, if Microsoft deemed you were using pirated software. Microsoft eventually trimmed back the kill switch's awfulness, but a version of it ended up in the final product: If Vista determines your license key isn't genuine, it will immediately drop into a "limited functionality mode" and bombard you with "you're a criminal" messages.

Now the good news: Bowing to consumer pressure, Microsoft is yanking the kill switch from Vista when Service Pack 1 arrives next year, or at least toning it down. Systems deemed counterfeit will still get the pop-up messages, but reduced functionality mode is headed out the door. That's great news: In fact, I've been wrestling with a Vista PC stuck in reduced functionality mode for days... a brand-new PC straight out of the box.

Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA), the tool Windows uses to determine if software is legitimate, has had a series of setbacks throughout 2006 and 2007.

Rest assured, Microsoft is still clinging to anti-piracy technologies. Vista will still require product activation and periodic validation from the mothership. As Microsoft itself says, "It's worth re-emphasizing that our fundamental strategy has not changed."

LINK: 'Kill switch' dropped from Vista

Comments on Vista "Kill Switch" Eliminated in SP1

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  • 6 Posted by drpaulblewis on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    Buy an Apple and forget Microsoft. Leopard works great. PBL

  • 7 Posted by radicalrat324 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:25PM EDT Report Abuse

    I don't understand why people can't get Windows or Vista to work at all. I've been using Windows all my life. Yeah, I've gotten the "blue screen of death" a couple of times, but that's because I did something wrong. I went back afterwards and fixed the problem and learned from my mistakes. I've had a HP computer with Vista Premium since August and I've never had a serious "I want to change to Mac" experience EVER! I love Vista! It lets me know everything! I guess people just don't want to think anymore and let the computer do all the thinking for them. For some reason that just bothers me a little. I'm not saying Macs are bad computers because that would not be true. They are good computers, but I prefer using a computer where tell it what to do and not the other way around.

  • 8 Posted by d.tfish95 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:33PM EDT Report Abuse

    I love Star trek! All though this is kind of wierd, I mean whats the point in buying it if its not going to work. what stopps the other person from selling it?

  • 9 Posted by brighamg5 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:13PM EDT Report Abuse

    Thank you "radicalrat324"!!! I totally agree. I've never had a problem with something that I didn't cause or that couldn't be fixed. I was skeptical and even had some hurdles to overcome but overall, I love Vista! The people who say, "Buy a Mac" are ridiculous. Great solution; those are the people who are part of the problem in the first place. I also agree that Macs are great for certain things and people like them but talk about overpriced machines that really aren't as user friendly as you'd like to think (and yes, I actually had a Mac so I know a bit about them). Spot on comment!!!

  • 10 Posted by tehawsomeness on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:59PM EDT Report Abuse

    that is so stupid, Microsoft is just getting worse and worse everytime i hear about them, and now this is just sad.

  • 11 Posted by cnull on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    agustin - Basically, Microsoft keeps discovering stolen/pirated license keys, so something that was legal yesterday may be discovered to be illegal tomorrow...

  • 12 Posted by pcofmind1 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:04PM EDT Report Abuse

    Funny how you mentioned you've been "wrestling with a Vista PC stuck in reduced functionality mode for days..." I've had a Vista notebook PC since July, and I'm of the opinion that Vista has permanently reduced functionality, as it is without question a sloppy operating system that is as slow as molasses -- and that's on a good day! And this is with me running kick-a hardware (Core2Duo, 2GB RAM, dedicated graphics card). Again, I ask Microsoft: $6 billion FOR THIS?

  • 13 Posted by ripley2000_es on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:42PM EDT Report Abuse

    I was willing to buy a laptop some months ago, but finally I didn't, as I couldn't find any without the hatred Vista. Some other people I know wanted to upgrade their machines but they didn't either for the same reason. This must be the reason why their selling less and less new PCs, when I REALLY have the need of a new one, I'd rather get a mac, but certainly I'm NOT buying a maching with such OS like Windows Vista.

  • 14 Posted by riverwest2 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:42PM EDT Report Abuse

    It's making me think about getting a MAC next time.

  • 15 Posted by nichole1670 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:37PM EDT Report Abuse

    I bought a new Sony Vaio and after dealing with Vista for 8 months I down-graded to XP. Vista was nothing but a headache. Until Microsoft works out all the bugs, and the "kill-switch" as well as "cancel/allow" features, my Vaio will continue to run XP.

  • 16 Posted by kupriaa1 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:54PM EDT Report Abuse

    nhcole1670- your first problem was you bought a sony vaio. I will leave it at that.

  • 17 Posted by terminalman on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:01PM EDT Report Abuse

    It's just sad that they spent five years working on Vista and it comes out as Gates last project at MSoft, and it's worse than XP. Some gui improvements (most remind me a lot of my neighbor's Mac), and a few truly innovative things as well. But many existing machines struggle to run it, a lot of old drivers don't work, my external DVD burner isn't supported, the list goes on. If this is Gates "legacy" he must be as disappointed as we are.

  • 18 Posted by daveman198124 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:37PM EDT Report Abuse

    Maybe the death knell for Microsoft. Certainly not right away, but the beginning of the end.

  • 19 Posted by jgdowntown on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:34PM EDT Report Abuse

    I like my new laptop with Vista Basic - it works fine. But my disappointment and anger is that I've had to buy a new printer, PDA and I'm out of money to buy a new digital camera. And it's hard to find any that are compatible. However, I had so much trouble with XP that I'm pretty happy with Vista as an OS. I'm glad to be forwarned of what could happen!

  • 20 Posted by jeddy_01760 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:31PM EDT Report Abuse

    If y'all are so fed up with Microsoft, why do you continue to use their products ? Switch to either an Apple or install linux. While Rome wasn't burnt in a day, if the software industy and computer users made their choices on who makes the best products, Microsoft could be put out of business in 6 months.

  • 21 Posted by jwimpenney92240 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:45PM EDT Report Abuse

    hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

  • 22 Posted by jwimpenney92240 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:45PM EDT Report Abuse

    hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

  • 23 Posted by doggedad on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    I am looking for another operating system. It could have lots less functionality, as long at is NOT SUPPLIED BY MICROSOFT.

  • 25 Posted by letsgoboating06 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    ...its funny. The very guy whole might have made the richest software bootleg in history, i.eld. stole his very first product and rewrote code to sell his flag ship that started it all (DOS)...knows first hand that people share, borrow, reuse, sell and pirate software ...as he himself did/ might of did or probably did.

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