14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft denied having introduced any sort of updates to the anti-piracy platform built into its latest operating system, Windows Vista or to the Windows Genuine Advantage mechanism designed to safeguard over the legitimacy of the copies of the operating system. Reports independent of Microsoft and unconfirmed by the company, revealed the introduction of the Black Screen of Death to rival the ubiquitous Blue Screen of Death. The Windows platform traditionally returns an error message in white text on a completely blue background to an overall critical system crash.
But with the introduction of Windows Vista, and the new anti-piracy model complete with the intimate connection between Windows Genuine Advantage and the platform's Software Protection Platform, Microsoft has the potential to offer an alternative source of frustration to the Blue Screen of Death, courtesy of the Reduced Functionality Mode synonymous with the detection of pirated copies of Windows Vista.
In this context, ComputerWorld got its hands on an email message delivered to a Windows Vista original equipment manufacturer warning of enhanced anti-piracy measures to come into effect immediately for the operating system. Essentially, the email revealed that Microsoft was taking a more abrupt approach to fighting Vista piracy, as cited by PC World.
"Good Afternoon, As of this week, Microsoft have activated a function in Vista called 'Reduced Functionality'. This is a specific function in Vista which effectively disables non genuine copies of Windows. Therefore, anyone who has a pirated copy of Vista will experience: a black screen after 1 hour of browsing; no start menu or task bar and no desktop. Please communicate this anti-piracy initiative from Microsoft to your resellers - note this function has only just been activated in Vista worldwide and therefore any issues with non genuine versions will start to arise from now onwards," reads the whole message.
Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage mechanism can label illegitimate copies of Vista as non-genuine or pirated. In a non-genuine state, the platform losses functionality such as Windows Aero and Windows ReadyBoost until Vista is reactivated, and goes through the WGA validation process one more time. Reduced Functionality Mode provides the user with access to the browser for just 1 hour every day but places a Black Screen of Death where the desktop was supposed to be, as well as removing the Start Menu and the Task Bar.
In response to the initial reports, Microsoft indicated that it did not introduce any updates to the Software Protection Platform or to the Windows Genuine Advantage mechanism. The Redmond company stated that the information provided by the original news outlet was inaccurate.