Blog

12 Dec

Microsoft License Enforcement – anti-piracy efforts

In an effort to level the playing field for honest partners, Microsoft continues to file cases against companies and individuals caught selling infringing software and systems. Every month, Microsoft receives hundreds of piracy reports from customers and from the system builder community. These reports enable Microsoft to investigate and address piracy across the country, and they are critical to the success of our anti-piracy efforts.

Almost all of the cases that Microsoft has recently filed resulted from either customer or channel piracy reports. The most recent round of cases were filed against 15 companies and individuals, including:

  • VioSoftware (Lafayette, CO)
  • Royal Discount (Boulder, CO)
  • SaveintheUSA.com (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Dallas Computer (Plano, TX)
  • Daroc Computers (El Paso, TX)

For a full listing of all of the cases that have been filed this month and in the past, click here.

Genuine Windows: What’s New with Genuine Windows Volume Activation (VA)?

With the availability of Windows 7, Microsoft has further improved the technologies and tools used for volume license activation. Administrative requirements have been reduced making the VA process easier. Improved interfaces support greater usability and customization. VA Services are now more fully integrated, very manageable, and offer you even better administrative control. To improve performance, VA now has a reduced memory footprint for greater system and network efficiency.

For Partners this all means more efficiency and higher quality delivery of Windows 7 license activation for your clients. The key VA tools are still Key Management Service (KMS) and Multiple Activation Key (MAK).

  • KMS remains the most efficient way to help your client activate all of their Windows 7 installs automatically, rather than requiring each computer to connect to a hosted service.
  • For systems that are not network attached or that don’t have access to a KMS server, you can still also use MAK to independently activate eligible systems directly with Microsoft, either over the Internet or by telephone.
What happens if I help my customer deploy Windows 7 and the genuine software license is not properly activated?The proper activation of the genuine Windows 7 license is an important part of the deployment process and your services portfolio. If your clients do not activate installations of Windows 7 software within the grace period, their computers will default to a “Notification Mode.” Users will still be able to use their systems, however, they will begin to see activation reminders during Logon and in the Action Center. In addition, their Desktop Background color will be set to black as a further reminder that the license needs to be activated.Microsoft listened to your feedback and worked to improve Volume Activation so that you could provide even better service to your customers. You can find additional resources to help you plan and understand Volume Activation here:

  • Video – VA Fundamentals
  • VA Expert advice column
  • VA planning guides
  • VA deployment guides
  • VA FAQs

Re-published from –Genuine News and Tools from Microsoft

Piracy of any kind is a serious offence and not being taken lightly in the industry. Acts of piracy add to cost for law abiding clients like yourselves. Not to mention make our jobs more difficult with managing licensing and activiation. I know I’m glad to hear Windows 7 will make administration easier and more difficult for dishonest OEM’s to pirate. –Dee Rudko, CEO

Related Reading

One Comment

  1. Mariano

    December 13, 2009

    Excellent article, Dee! Thanks for the info!

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