Microsoft adds more nag screens to fight OS piracy

Redmond (WA) - Users of counterfeit Windows XP operating systems will soon be deluged with notification message instructing them to get "Genuine". A new application, downloaded through Windows Update, will show notifications upon logon and during usage. In addition to containing guilt-producing messages, the notifications will give an option to get legal or to resolve the problem later.

Upon logging into a pirated copy of Windows, the new applications will show, "You may be a victim of software counterfeiting. This copy of Windows is not genuine and is not eligigble to receive all updates and product support from Microsoft." In addition, balloon notifications will continue to pop up during regular usage. Users can choose to ignore the warnings, but then the follow text will be stuck on the screen, "This copy of Windows is not genuine. You may be the victim of software counterfeiting."

The new application cannot be uninstalled through Add or Remove programs, but users can temporarily disable the messages by right-clicking the Notifier icon. Microsoft has released a Knowledge Base article detailing the new piracy notification tool.