Re: activation key

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"B. D. Reagan" <bdennir@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:D6722595-92AF-4B06-B033-B9373B549584@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM" <franksaunders@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:OQ41j0XKJHA.1156@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"shooter" <kimbilly.pet@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:%23CoQ%23vXKJHA.5692@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi
Please can anyone help, I know I'm being cheeky but I need to check my system out. I run vista ultimate and I am now in the process of activating it, when I key in my license number it says its already in use would someone be kind enough to send me a number so I can try and to see what happens, you can send it directly to my email address kimbilly.pet@xxxxxxxxxxxx thank in anticipation

It should give you a phone number to use.

--
Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
Do not reply with email

I've had that same problem. About that number, part of the problem is that it doesn't say what it is. It says you may call, provides a link to help find information online. When Vista was first installed, it did show a number. Now it does not. Then, finding the phone number becomes problematic. When following the link (when this problem occurs), one is unaware of the attack taking place on the system that is causing the issue. Following the links exposes the system to the attack, more fully (which, I suspect, is why the help was changed to remove the number). The absence of the number & the particular service failures point to at least one specific type of externally initiated attack, except in the case of new installation, which has not ever been activated.

When responding to the help links, in a short time, the browser is redirected to other sites than the requested ones (not working properly because of the apparent failure in genuine software or activation tests probably exacerbates the problem created by the attack) to what appears to be some crippled or otherwise bogus or spoofed or valid but completely irrelevant Microsoft help site, which talks about their office hours in the day only, that charges may apply & on & on ad nauseum. That enrages me; I paid a handsome price for this software in a retail package & installed it on a newly built system with prohibitively expensive parts --- what do they want, a career-making payment from every customer? Well, that psychological state is one which plays right into the attack.

Anyway, the genuine activation number, from what I gather, is 24/7 & always free. What if a user considers that the problem is not Microsoft or the software, but that an attack, motivated by a malicious 3rd party may be taking place, & also makes the observation that prescribed (socially acceptable) or otherwise predictable responses are almost 100% ineffective responses as regards solution of the issues created by the attack? The conditions seem to point to a well-informed attacker, in possession of a certain type of information which may include the inner workings of the OS & the usage habits of the target. Hmmm ... gotta wonder.

note: The best defense is a good offense.


Do a thorough check for malware, following all of the steps at one of these Web pages, including HijackThis.
Help with malware:
All MS-MVP Sites.
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/darnit.html
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm

Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827315

So How Did I Get Infected Anyway?
For quite a few people it's by installing programs like Messenger Plus, whose ads for malware don't identify the malware as such and try to convince you that you owe it to the author. See also:
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=27971
Don't ever do a "default" install of anything. Always choose Custom and see what else is being carried along. Don't install any extras you're not sure of.

--
Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
Do not reply with email

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