Vista and when illicit software/data is detected

Well, Vista apparently phones home for more than one thing!

After you install your legal copy of Vista and activate it... apparently Vista starts doing some digging into your personal computer!

Well, I had a lot of mp3s that I downloaded when Napster was around. I would also like to note that I have downloaded a few games that I decided to purchase, however, I downloaded them first to test and make sure they run on my computer before buying. As well, I have a legal copy and key for Office 2003 Professional. However, Office 2003 Professional is already installed on my main computer that is running Vista and is activated. Therefore, so not to mess up the activation and everything, I decided to use a "crack" for Office 2003 Professional. YAY! It worked!

It starts...
After a few hours/updates/reboots... something starts to happen. My network connection says something about unknown server... I can no lonnger play any mp3s... Vista no longer displays my computer score...

Yup! Vista didn't like that I had mp3s that I didn't purchase, nor did it not like the fact that Office 2003 was "cracked activated". Also, it did not like the fact that I had installed the games that I downloaded. How would it know? Because Microsoft went through my whole computer!!!

Well, there you have it. I honestly think this is the first step for me to look into a Linux computer!

Vista has officially started the anti-pirate war!!! As well the crackdown on users who did not legally purchased their downloaded music, regardless that it was back when Napster was around!!!

So, if you have illegal software installed or mp3s that you didn't legally purchased, VISTA IS NOT FOR YOU!

I only did that so that I wouldn't have to worry about having two activations. I'm not completely ready to go to Vista! I just want to make sure that everything works and is compatable. If you would have read the rest of the statement, you'd understand that. I'll activate Office 2003 when I'm completely ready.

Till then, I'll just use openoffice.org!

And the purpose of this thread is to enlighten people who complain that Vista doesn't work properly! And this is why! If you have pirated software, Vista will downgrade itself automatically and make it harder for you to use your computer until you decide to officially purchase a legal copy of all your software!

Don't use pirated software. It's that simple. I know people are used to getting the latest games / software that they don't want to purchase from various bittorrent sites out there... but now that's no longer an option.

Boo hoo.

Seems to be two conflicting statements. You're not completely ready to go with Vista, yet your main computer is running Vista? And on that main computer Office 2003 functions a-ok? I really don't follow you...

I know people are used to getting the latest games / software that they don't want to purchase from various bittorrent sites out there... but now that's no longer an option.

Of course it is. The operating system can't differentiate between valid and pirated software, stop being silly.

And I agree, I believe if Vista detects a keygen or activation crack, it will mess up Vista.

No. It really doesn't. If you have a heart attack on a day it was raining, it doesn't mean rain causes heart attacks.

All right... I get what you're saying... and I should have realized that it's impossible for the OS to differentiate between the two. However, Vista does have some ability to detect malicious code and if I'm not mistaken, many cracks / keygens contain malicious code, correct?

If Vista detects a keygen or something similar, it automatically labels it as pirated.


Of course it doesn't.

Vista does have some ability to detect malicious code and if I'm not mistaken, many cracks / keygens contain malicious code, correct?

Sort of. Depending on security settings, Vista breaks a lot more when faced with malicious code. I'm a little unsure why that would be worse than having malicious code install on your machine instead.

Well, this is all becoming confusing. I was hoping to help as well as figured out what caused my Vista machine to fully come to a point where it was useless.

At one point in this thread, it was considered that the crack ran for Office was the cause...

Later on... in this thread, it was stated that the crack ran "malicious code" which caused Vista to mess up.

So, what is it that we're really trying to say?

Well, 24 hours after Vista was installed and Office 2003 was "cracked activated", none of my mp3s would play.

Also, my network connections icon kept saying "Server not detected... blah blah blah" and mp3s don't work and index score doesn't show up anymore.

Might have been the "malicious code".

The keygen app is the issue and the method it used, not the cracks. It sounds like it might have tried an old DCOM attack - which still works in XP but not as well in Vista. Also, alternative apps would have been the better application choice in this case. Vista didn't tattle on you.

Well, I'll give Vista one more try sometime this weekend. But before I do that, I'm gonna back up all my data on all my hard drives and format all the hard drives. Then, I'll try a clean install of Vista. Also, I'm about to order Office 2007 Professional. Found it for $200 I'm not talking about the upgrade either, the full package 8)

As for mp3s... I'm going to back up all my music. After I get Vista reinstalled, I'll put my mp3s onto one of my hard drives and give Vista a few weeks. An IT guy told me that within 3 weeks, if Vista doesn't see a "license key" for your mp3s *shudders*, it will delete the file due to DRM. Anyone else shed any light on this?

Also, anyone else have any issues with Vista messing up because of use of illicit software?

You need to stop conversing with these types of "IT" guys, they are obvisouly completely clueless if they say things like that and should immediately no longer be considered credible for anything else they say.

I had to use a few illicit cracks and keygens for some months for some of my old apps that were de-supported, as well as a few that I lost the e-mail license for. None of them failed me. I also just used a torrent app. to repair a bad hard drive. I have since found good alternative freeware replacements. DRM does not delete or modify media files, it just doesn't play them or changes their quality while playing them back. If you don't use iTunes, BLU-RAY, HD-DVD, or other hi-def equipment, I find it hard to believe that DRM will impact you very much at all.

Just so everyone knows, I'm not trying to bash Vista. I'm just trying to get all the facts straight.

Like I said, I ran a crack for Office 2003 so that Office 2003 in XP would still be elgible for updates. I'm not fully ready for Vista since I do a lot of gaming.

However, I think ever since I ran the Office 2003 Activation crack, my Vista system became useless (errors after errors). As someone else might have stated, when cracking Office 2003, it could have possible mess up the system. Then again, perhaps Microsoft Vista checks all Microsoft Products to make sure they're legit. If they're not, then it downgrades *shudders*.

Shame on Microsoft for protecting its product.

Not sure why Vista is giving you trouble though. Office should just go to crap for you.

Regardless, you should move to non-pirated software.

Tough call.

On Office 2k7.. if you don't fight the change, its eaiser, more efficient, and a lot better from my experiences.

its pricey, 25% more so, but it'll come down after all the must-have people have bought.

I've seen it demo'd and all that, plus have worked with it limited. I think its nice. The ribbons are good once you get used to them.