Microsoft puts Windows Vista 'Kill Switch' to death

Microsoft on Tuesday announced that it will withdraw one of the least popular anti-piracy tools from Windows Vista. Microsoft’s move to drop the unpopular Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) or “kill switch” that is used by the software company to detect and suspend the use of pirated software comes in response to negative user feedback.

Instituted by Microsoft in 2005, the so-called WGA kill switch is designed to prevent users with illegal copies of Vista from using certain features. The idea behind the WGA tool was that it would stop users with illegal copies of Vista being able to use them. But this tool was so jam packed full of 'features' that many Windows users claimed that it was killing even legal copies of Vista.

The company will now get rid of the "reduced functionality" mode that was introduced with Vista, and will also eliminate it in its forthcoming Service Pack 1 update, scheduled for next year.

The current authentication scheme WGA restricts Vista to running in "out-of-grace reduced functionality mode" if the Vista users fail to activate their operating system software within 30 days, or three days after a major hardware configuration change. It largely disables the software if it appears to be counterfeit.

This tool denies access to Window Vista games, and to premium features like Aero Glass, ReadyBoost, and BitLocker.

Now, under the new approach, which is touted by the company as a "change of tactics", users won't lose access to functionality or features, but will be well informed that their copy of Window Vista is not genuine and they need to take action.

"Users whose systems are identified as counterfeit will be presented with clear and recurring notices about the status of their system and how to get genuine copies," said Microsoft corporate vice president Mike Sievert, in a statement released by the company.

"Although our overall strategy remains the same, with SP1 we're adjusting the customer experience that differentiates genuine from non-genuine systems in Windows Vista and later in Windows Server," Sievert added.

Sievert also said that though new approach has been adopted by the company but the fundamental strategy has not changed. All copies of Microsoft’s latest operating system Windows Vista still require activation and the system will continue to validate from time to time to verify that systems are activated properly, he added.

Almost five years after the release of its predecessor, Windows XP in 2001, Microsoft early this year released worldwide the power-packed Windows Vista operating system.

Launched on January 30, 2007 for consumers, Vista is donned with a number of features, including Windows Aero, a redesigned user interface, a new Window Shell, consisting of improved filtering, sorting and grouping, and a Windows Sidebar, a panel on the side of the screen where the user can place desktop gadgets.