Microsoft has unleashed a terror on the high seas - Windows Genuine (Dis)Advantage

By the time your read this editorial at least two lawsuits will have been filed against Microsoft for releasing a "critical" update that installs their WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage) software.  This "critical" update is designed to first detect whether the operating system it is installed on is genuine and then to notify the user if the software detects a purportedly unauthorized copy in use.  What could be wrong with that?

While I am the first to raise my hand in support of protecting author's rights to compensation for their work, and definitely in support of software companies being entitled to monetary compensation for their efforts, and a strong believer in free enterprise, the rights of consumers can not and should not be trampled under by heavy-handed and ruthless activities.  Especially when the software itself is buggy, flaky, insecure, and just plain spyware to boot.

Why do I make these accusations?  I have a perfectly legal, Dell Dimension 4700 running the operating system that shipped with it from the factory.  I seriously doubt that Michael Dell installs pirated software on the Dell Dimensions he ships from his factory.  Somehow I believe that the operating system must be legal.  Well, with no change in hardware whatsoever Microsoft came to believe my operating system was illegal and necessitated a never ending stream of dire warnings about its authenticity.  How did that unfold?

I had installed some test software on the system a couple of months ago to verify a new version of a log monitoring program.  The software installed uses a SQL database, and installs a lot of hooks.  An uninstall left some residue in the registry.  I wanted to go back to a "clean" version that did not include this monitoring program since I was finished testing.  Silly me, I thought that running the Windows "rollback" function would be a good way to return this computer to a pre-log monitoring state.  However, on reboot, I received the warning that my operating system was invalid.  No action that I could determine would undo this warning.  I rolled the computer back another 30 previous days.  Same warning.  I then used a disk imaging tool to restore an image from prior to the log monitoring installation - same warning.  I then restored the prior day (an image 24 hours old). Same warning.  No matter what I did, my computer was convinced that it was now a barnacled, eye-patched, parrot-on-the-shoulder pirate on my network.

What happened?  Microsoft has installed the Windows Genuine Disadvantage software during the period I had installed the log monitoring software.  By rolling back to an earlier date, somehow the operating system was convinced it was now an illegal version.  I had neither the time nor the patience to take this ridiculous situation any further, so I simply formatted the drive (low level) and restored from scratch.  Fortunately I do not have any data on this computer.  Unfortunately, this damnable code is installed on all my machines.  I am now investigating to see if any type of restore or disk imaging operation will provide a quick and convenient way to restore an operating system short of the mindless reformat / reinstall drill.

My conclusion:  This Windows Genuine Disadvantage software is destined to be a serious problem to the end user.  Amazingly, Microsoft has apparently not even tested it enough to see if doing a rollback such as I attempted would cause a problem.  There is no telling how many innocent end users are going to be frustrated - and probably suffer serious data loss - due to this bug alone.  Worse, there are already exploit codes on the net for malware authors to abuse this situation. 

Is Microsoft entitled to install this sort of software on my computer?  Perhaps not.  The thrust of the class action lawsuits centers around incomplete disclosure, surreptitious transfer of data, and improper monitoring of end user operations.  I would like to add loss of data, loss of use, and vandalism to that list of offenses by Microsoft's Genuine Disadvantage software.

Is it really a good idea to attack your customer base?  Is Microsoft attempting to emulate Sony and it's ill-fated root kit "feature"?