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zgirl · Sat Dec 28, 2002 10:26 am

Ok, I upgraded my parents computer about two years ago. I used a copy of windows 98 that I had laying around at work. (They were familiar with it and the box wouldn't push 2K). Now suddenly this morning on turning the PC on the got this message.

"An Illegal Microsoft windows License has been detected. You are in violation of the DMCA copyright protection act. Your authorization License has been revoked. Please contact the Business software association for further information.

Then some crap on how to contact the BSA.

They basically entered my parents computer when it was online and disabled it. They get that message and the PC refused to boot any farther.

Anyone else seen this? This is the first time I've encountered it. Funny thing is the License should be legal. I got the whole disk and Key from work. Anyone have any ideas how to get around it?

This is crap. I am soooo pissed right now. :evil:

LicketySplit · Sat Dec 28, 2002 10:33 am

And.......to think Palidium is just around the corner.

danny e. · Sat Dec 28, 2002 10:45 am

Two things:

1.) the irony is that what you did was actually illegal.

2.) i have noticed MS doing some ominous things...
for example.. i start up IE in Win 98... and it takes me to the windows update page...and tries to run an auto-updater. I am like "what the heck?" i thought that only happened with XP. apparently IE 6 must have the stuff built into it. my theory is that IE 6 updates your windows 98.. and reports back the ID... compares it to other machines... and makes its call.

the updater is fairly persistent too.. after the first dialog pops up .. clicking cancel just makes it try again..

<a href="http://www.dannyde.com/c2500/tr/msevil1.jpg">
<img src="http://www.dannyde.com/c2500/tr/msevil1s.jpg"> </a>

<a href="http://www.dannyde.com/c2500/tr/msevil2.jpg">
<img src="http://www.dannyde.com/c2500/tr/msevil2s.jpg"></a>

zgirl · Sat Dec 28, 2002 10:53 am

Screw me it's a virus. Opaserv.worm.m to be exact. :evil:

Now I'm really mad.

danny e. · Sat Dec 28, 2002 10:56 am

lol
funny stuff. well... i guess not funny for you

sux

i have still never had a virus in my life. hmmm

etilena · Sat Dec 28, 2002 10:57 am

Talk about freaky..

zgirl · Sat Dec 28, 2002 11:05 am

How is it illegal if it is a shrinkwrapped copy of a 98 disk with the license?

If I bought 200 copy of XP and gave them away for free does that make the copy illiegal. I work for an integrator. We get extra copies of stuff all the time.

Sometimes we are lucky enough to get the extra copies.

Tell me what I've done illegal in this scene.

danny e. · Sat Dec 28, 2002 11:09 am

i guess i didnt understand what you meant in the first post...
thought you used a copy of one that was installed at work already.

dolemitecomputers · Sat Dec 28, 2002 12:03 pm

You're right ZMan it is a virus. Have you lost any data? I saw this on the Symantec site:

".....Under Windows 95/98, the file C:\Mslicenf.com is executed in DOS mode.
Under Windows Me, the worm enables the real DOS mode by patching the following files:
C:\IO.sys
C:\Command.com
C:\Windows\System\Regenv32.exe
2. The worm then runs C:\Boot.exe to reboot the system, at which time the payload runs. It overwrites the boot section of the hard drive, deletes the CMOS, and destroys all data on the hard drive. It then displays this message:" (the message you mentioned)

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/av ... .worm.html

zgirl · Sat Dec 28, 2002 4:07 pm

Nope, just an extra one laying around at work that never got used.

Got a lot of stuff that way.

Hockster · Sat Dec 28, 2002 4:39 pm

Didn't you teach your parents about having Virus Protection? :wink:

Rakhmaninov3 · Sat Dec 28, 2002 5:31 pm

Man, I got NIMDA on my old computer once. Fortunately Norton caught it and quarantined everything taht was infected and I was able to avoid formatting. It totally screwed a friend of mine's, though--she had to start from scratch.

eckslax · Sat Dec 28, 2002 5:41 pm

Even though this particular situation was proven to be a virus, this type of thing could be initialized by Microsoft in the very near future with Palladium. They could very easily render your computer useless remotely when you are online (part of Palladium is Microsoft giving itself admin privilages over your system, even if you don't like it). When I first heard of Palladium, I said screw it to M$ and got a copy of XP Pro corporate edition. No activation process at install and I have yet to visit Microsoft update and I don't plan on ever doing it. What about "critical updates" you say? The ones that are released almost weekly about security flaws in IE, Outlook, etc. I simply don't use those programs. For browsing, I use mozilla and I use alternative programs for e-mail and instant messaging as well. I simply don't trust Microsoft with their own product, and Palladium just shows how Microsoft is not afraid of screwing their customers.

Hockster · Sat Dec 28, 2002 6:01 pm

Well said.

LicketySplit · Sat Dec 28, 2002 7:27 pm

Danny e....You have never, never ever had a virus? hmmm, no flu, chicken pox or even a good dose of the clap? sheesh man, u livin in a sanitary bubble or what? :lol:

dolemitecomputers · Sat Dec 28, 2002 9:27 pm

For now on he shall be known as the bubble boy. :wink:

Sat Dec 28, 2002 11:26 pm

Microsoft will soon be just renting the OS to you for a monthly fee. They need to seriously rethink this idea as I doubt that many people will go for it. What is the point of getting an OS if you do not even own it anymore. That is palladium and DRM of the future. :-?

Hockster · Sun Dec 29, 2002 8:18 am

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