Windows Vista Service Pack 1 is almost there and Microsoft kept their word related to changes to the WGA, Windows Genuine Advantage, system currently in place in Windows Vista. There are actually two different scenarios in place, the first is called Reduced Functionality Mode which Vista will start in if the user does not activate the product in time.
The second is if a WGA check fails which will make Vista run in Non-Genuine Mode. Both modes impose certain penalties upon the user like logging him off after an hour or disabling features like Aero or Readyboost. Adrian posted the changes that users will face if they have Service Pack 1 installed.
The good news is that both modes described above are gone. Users will not be logged off automatically anymore which is great. Microsoft however decided to change tactics and nag the user to death – eh registration / activation – instead. Users will experience the following if their Vista installation fails the WGA check or if they fail to activate Vista in time.
A nag screen to activate at logon that cannot be dismissed for 15 seconds.Enjoyed the article?: Then sign-up for our free newsletter or RSS feed to kick off your day with the latest technology news and tips, or share the article with your friends and contacts on Facebook or Twitter.
Every hour the desktop background is switched to black (it can be changed back, but after an hour it’s set to black again).
Activation dialogs and balloon dialogs appear regularly.
Optional Windows Updates aren’t delivered.
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Hehe, i got a mayor burn after installing SP1 beta. I can guarantee you with illeagal Vista versions that the new WGA system works! :-) After 6 months of problem-free Vista use, i had to reinstall with a legal version…