Update service disabled - Is this a pirated copy of Windows?

[KevinAr18]

I was working on someone's computer last week, and suspected that some of the software on it may have been pirated.

One area that I have a question about relates to Windows Update. I had heard that there were piracy checks in one or both of the Service Packs. In the case of this system, it is running Windows XP Pro SP1. I tried the windows update site, and it would not work. Come to find out, the reason was because the automatic updates service was disabled.
My question is as follows...
Is disabling the automatic updates service a tactic used to make pirated copies of Windows work -- like in order to be able to install SP1?
Can you think of any other reason why the automatic updates would have been purposefully disabled?
Do any versions (OEM, Retail, other) of Windows XP Pro have the automatic updates service disabled when you first install them.
Do any of the Windows Updates, that you get, disable the automatic updates service?
Does SP1 make changes to the automatic updates service?

P.S. I did a validation check on the software at one point, and it reported that the cd-key was invalid.

 

[bcastner]

1. "Is disabling the automatic updates service a tactic used to make pirated copies of Windows work -- like in order to be able to install SP1?
Can you think of any other reason why the automatic updates would have been purposefully disabled?
Answer to part one of your question: no it does not diable the service. Answer to part two of your question: there are a lot of reasons for Automatic Updates to fail. See the troubleshoother:

http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/troubleshoot/

2. Do any versions (OEM, Retail, other) of Windows XP Pro have the automatic updates service disabled when you first install them.

No, the Automatic Update service by default is enabled. Other dependent services (like BITS) are set to manual. You can of course change the status of this service.

3. Do any of the Windows Updates, that you get, disable the automatic updates service?
No.

4. "Does SP1 make changes to the automatic updates service?"
No.

But subsequent Hotfixes and Service Packs will move you to the V5 version of Windows Update, soon to be called Microsoft Update as it reflects a larger update surface than just the OS.

5. "P.S. I did a validation check on the software at one point, and it reported that the cd-key was invalid."

You may be running across issues with the "Genuine Advantage" program. Microsoft has permitted, for an indefinite period of time, security updates for illegal copies. But any hotfixes related to XP, and other offerings for Microsoft software such as Office, may well be impossible at the moment. And soon, completely impossible.

http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/downloads/WhyValidate.aspx?displaylang=en

Tell the person whose computer you are working on that you will return when they have installed a valid license.

 

[walkinman]

I can't say whether the software is pirated. I DO know that the windows update site now requires installation of validation software. I have already validated my LEGAL version of windows xp home through activation at least 4X.
What gives with this new crap from microstupid?

If you're alive, it's a good day!

 

[BadBigBen]

Can you think of any other reason why the automatic updates would have been purposefully disabled?

Hi Bill, yes, I have turned off my Automatic Update Service... and NO, I don't have a Pirated Version... Reason, I like to know what I update and when I update...

Running programs like XP-Clean, AntiSpy XP, will turn this Service and others off...

@KevinAr18 - try installing SP2, if the Key is known to MS, then the UpDate to SP2 will fail... as SP2 has a liscence check build into it...

at times V4 of Windows Update will not function correctly, I have read this somewhere, on some PC's, solution to this is something like just changing the V4 to V5/V6 in the URL... I hope this helps...


Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[cmeagan656]

I also have the automatic updates turned off. However, that does not disable the automtaic updates service.

The automatic updates service on my workstation is showing as "started" and "automatic" as is my notebook. In both cases the automatic updates are turned off and I install the updates manually after I have tested them.

If the automatic updates service is disabled you will not even be able to do the updates manually.

Cheers.

 

[BadBigBen]

If the automatic updates service is disabled you will not even be able to do the updates manually.

Where did you get this from??? as this statement is totally untruthful... if you beg to differ, please point us to an article which proves this, and I will prove to them that this is not the case... as the Updates I do, are over the TECHNET (Total Control over what is downloaded) and not over the Windows Update Service Webpage (what MS thinks you should Download)...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[cmeagan656]

Maybe I should amend the statement to:

If the automatic updates service is disabled you will not even be able to do the updates manually using the windows update web site.

KevinAr18 stated that he was trying the windows update site and that was what I was replying to.

I'm just updating my notebook so I tried doing the update from the windows update site (I do a custom install so that I can select which updates I want) after disabling the Automatic Updates service. I got the following message on the web site:

Error number: 0x8DDD0018]
The site cannot continue because one or more of these Windows services is not running:

Automatic Updates (allows the site to find, download and install high-priority updates for your computer)
Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) (helps updates download more quickly and without problems if the download process is interrupted)
Event Log (keeps a record of updating activities to help with troubleshooting, if needed)

Also, in services, when you select Automatic Updates it warns that you will not be able to use the automatic update service OR the windows update web site.

Cheers.

 

[linney]

walkinman,


905226 The Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) validation check process does not complete when you try to validate your copy of Windows XP or Windows 2000 Professional


Windows Validation Assistant Questions

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/uk/windows/validation_faq.mspx