Microsoft Removing Reduced Functionality Mode from Vista with SP1

Microsoft has announced an overhaul to its Windows Genuine Advantage effort as part of Windows Vista SP1. These changes are said to help combat the evolving, and ever more cunning, "Piracy" community. 

Microsoft has seen a couple of new types of exploits such as BIOS based exploits to make a machine look genuine and artificially altering the "grace timer". These obviously can lead to any number of future problems for a user as updates such as SP1 or BIOS updates from a manufacture change these values and potentially leaving unsuspecting users with an unusable machine.

As a result Microsoft is changing the user experience around "Non-Genuine" systems.  After applying SP1 these systems will not end up in Reduced Functionality Mode anymore, but they will be provided with very clear messaging that they system is non-genuine. While allowing access to the machine, I am sure these will be annoying enough to make people want to take action.

These changes have/are also ported to Windows Server 2008, due out next year.

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