Author Topic: Ever heard of an expiring OS? (Read 6194 times)

mgdavis · « **on:** June 18, 2008, 01:09:49 PM »

A couple days ago I had a weired pop-up on my computer after start up. It told me that my license for Windows Vista is expiring in a couple weeks, and I need to install any version of Vista. It was early in the morning, so I didn't catch if it said anything else, but I think I paraphrased it pretty closely.

I bought this computer at the end of November, and I don't recall anything about having a limited license for Vista, or any nonsense like that. Has anybody else experienced this? I'm torn between causes, it's either MS being exceptionally evil or a really strange piece of malware that slipped through.

Help?

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #1 on:** June 18, 2008, 01:10:56 PM »

Did you register it?

Brad

TF_FH · « **Reply #2 on:** June 18, 2008, 01:32:07 PM »

What Brad said. It should have propmpted you to register/activate it and it looks like you didn't.

mgdavis · « **Reply #3 on:** June 18, 2008, 01:51:06 PM »

It's possible I never registered, I'm pretty anti-corporation in that regard. I'll see if I can figure out if I did or not.

41magsnub · « **Reply #4 on:** June 18, 2008, 02:14:34 PM »

Quote from: mgdavis on June 18, 2008, 12:51:06 PM

It's possible I never registered, I'm pretty anti-corporation in that regard. I'll see if I can figure out if I did or not.

Sadly you don't have a lot of choice in this one. It just stops working after the expiration unless you activate.
You do not need to register or provide any personal info, just activate the product.

mgdavis · « **Reply #5 on:** June 18, 2008, 02:19:09 PM »

It looks like I did activate it, the Key appears in the appropriate place in System Properties. It's not the activation I dislike, but the registration. It has been crawling along for almost 7 months without mentioning this before, so I'm not quite sure why it's popping up now. I re-started the computer, hoping to make the pop-up reappear, but no such luck.

41magsnub · « **Reply #6 on:** June 18, 2008, 02:28:32 PM »

Could it be your antivirus software or something else then? Are you sure it said windows?

Headless Thompson Gunner · « **Reply #7 on:** June 18, 2008, 03:07:14 PM »

Virus?

mgdavis · « **Reply #8 on:** June 18, 2008, 03:32:36 PM »

I had just started on my first cup of coffee, so I'm not 100% sure what it said. I was under the impression that it was a genuine Microsoft PITA, not a virus, but I could be wrong. It definitely referenced Vista.
I run AVG 8.0, I doubt that it could have been that.

mgdavis · « **Reply #9 on:** June 19, 2008, 07:28:53 AM »

Damn, it came back and I missed it.

This time it was a balloon that appeared down by the toolbar. I had walked away, and came back just in time to catch something along the lines of "...Backup...Vista...expire 12 days..." before the balloon disappeared.

Desertdog · « **Reply #10 on:** June 19, 2008, 07:39:21 AM »

Contact Microsoft and get it cleared up. When I get anything asking for information I go to their site directly, not through any link provided.

Personlly I don't trust anything I get onthe internet that asks for personal information.

Tallpine · « **Reply #11 on:** June 19, 2008, 08:01:40 AM »

Quote from: Headless Thompson Gunner on June 18, 2008, 02:07:14 PM

Virus?

That would be MS Vista laugh

I keep getting a message that says my computer is more than two years old and that I need to install a new one grin

Manedwolf · « **Reply #12 on:** June 19, 2008, 08:32:18 AM »

And Microsoft, once more, wins points in the public relations department.

(Psst. Hey, Bill...warez hackers break the thing. Registration and scary expirations only piss off the legit users who are gonna look elsewhere...)

InfidelSerf · « **Reply #13 on:** June 19, 2008, 08:39:07 AM »

check your event log to see if the msg is in in there.

mgdavis · « **Reply #14 on:** June 19, 2008, 12:22:47 PM »

How do I get to the event log?

The Annoyed Man · « **Reply #15 on:** June 19, 2008, 12:25:02 PM »

Legitimate copies of Windows Vista do not expire.

Antibubba · « **Reply #16 on:** June 19, 2008, 08:43:21 PM »

Windows 95.

Well, it didn't expire, but it sure passed out a lot.

mgdavis · « **Reply #17 on:** June 20, 2008, 06:02:13 AM »

Well, unless Toshiba pulled a fast one on me, this is definitely legit.

I'm still waiting for another dialog box to pop up.

Manedwolf · « **Reply #18 on:** June 20, 2008, 06:04:02 AM »

Quote from: mgdavis on June 20, 2008, 05:02:13 AM

Well, unless Toshiba pulled a fast one on me, this is definitely legit.

I'm still waiting for another dialog box to pop up.

Make sure it isn't phishing spyware.

The Annoyed Man · « **Reply #19 on:** June 20, 2008, 06:26:49 AM »

Quote from: Manedwolf on June 20, 2008, 05:04:02 AM

Quote from: mgdavis on June 20, 2008, 05:02:13 AM

Well, unless Toshiba pulled a fast one on me, this is definitely legit.

I'm still waiting for another dialog box to pop up.

Make sure it isn't phishing spyware.

This is the most likely scenario. Again, Google Smitfix. Run it. Not without risk, but likely to make things better, not worse.

mgdavis · « **Reply #20 on:** June 20, 2008, 11:18:34 AM »

Finally caught the window.

I don't know how to do a screen shot, text is as follows:

"Windows Activation

Your Windows license will expire in 10 days

Back up your files and install any version of Windows Vista^tm."

No links. Looks legit to me. I'm a little upset with MS.

Hawkmoon · « **Reply #21 on:** June 20, 2008, 11:30:39 AM »

Quote from: mgdavis on June 20, 2008, 10:18:34 AM

Finally caught the window.

I don't know how to do a screen shot, text is as follows:

"Windows Activation

Your Windows license will expire in 10 days

Back up your files and install any version of Windows Vista^tm."

No links. Looks legit to me. I'm a little upset with MS.

If this was a new machine you bought, I'd think you should be upset with the company that sold you a computer that didn't have a fully-licensed operating system installed.

On the other hand, it may be a blessing. Now you have a valid reason to dump Vista and installed Windows XP ... or, better yet, Linux.

mgdavis · « **Reply #22 on:** June 20, 2008, 11:39:14 AM »

I looked at installing XP a while back, but decided I didn't want to screw with redoing all the drivers. I'm not techie enough to desire Linux, so I'm not going to go that route. I'm trying to see if this might be some strange fluke, I'm really hoping I don't have to put down more money for this horrible OS.

AZRedhawk44 · « **Reply #23 on:** June 20, 2008, 11:49:01 AM »

Is there a little star-looking icon in the system tray next to the clock?

That's the product activation "self destruct" application, and it is "legit."

I re-installed the OS on my computer after some hardware upgrades in a way that XP could preserve the existing applications and settings but change the core drivers. MS considers this along the lines of "ghosting" and prefers that you purchase a new OS license for the upgraded computer.

My computer refused to fully boot afterwards and came up with a product activation screen. I was unable to circumvent product activation unless I called the Microsoft 800 number provided.

I had a chat with a nice fellow from India about it. He asked why I installed a new motherboard on my computer. I informed him that my old one had failed, so I purchased a new one. He gave me a new activation code over the phone and I was back up and running after about a 10 minute phone call.

SWMBO had the little star-icon on her computer after some parts changes on her computer. She never did a re-install, but the star kept counting down. Once she hit 0 days remaining, it cut off her TCP/IP stack, making the Internet unavailable. She re-activated over the phone and was fine.

Just click on it, call the 800 number provided, and get it over with. Or switch to a different OS.

xavier fremboe · « **Reply #24 on:** June 20, 2008, 04:34:28 PM »

Quote from: AZRedhawk44 on June 20, 2008, 10:49:01 AM

Is there a little star-looking icon in the system tray next to the clock?

That's the product activation "self destruct" application, and it is "legit."

I re-installed the OS on my computer after some hardware upgrades in a way that XP could preserve the existing applications and settings but change the core drivers. MS considers this along the lines of "ghosting" and prefers that you purchase a new OS license for the upgraded computer.

My computer refused to fully boot afterwards and came up with a product activation screen. I was unable to circumvent product activation unless I called the Microsoft 800 number provided.

I had a chat with a nice fellow from India about it. He asked why I installed a new motherboard on my computer. I informed him that my old one had failed, so I purchased a new one. He gave me a new activation code over the phone and I was back up and running after about a 10 minute phone call.

SWMBO had the little star-icon on her computer after some parts changes on her computer. She never did a re-install, but the star kept counting down. Once she hit 0 days remaining, it cut off her TCP/IP stack, making the Internet unavailable. She re-activated over the phone and was fine.

Just click on it, call the 800 number provided, and get it over with. Or switch to a different OS.

Practice your international radio code before you make that call:

Vitner Road?
No, Whitner Road.
Ah, Vitner.
No, Whiskey Hotel India Tango Nancy Echo Romeo.
Ah, Vhitner.

News:

Author Topic: Ever heard of an expiring OS? (Read 6194 times)