Month: May 2006

Is it real or… Find out with Office Genuine Advantage

Post author By M3 Sweatt
Post date 04/05/2006
1 Comment on Is it real or… Find out with Office Genuine Advantage

If you think that the copy of Microsoft Office you purchased may be counterfeit, there’s a way to tell for sure via a new program that TechWeb reported on today.

Microsoft’s Office Genuine Advantage (OGA) and Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) programs are (as per our web site) “part of Microsoft’s on-going effort to protect customers and partners from counterfeit software and to increase customer awareness of the value of genuine Microsoft software.” The latest OGA program is for users running versions of Office localized in several languages, that checks if you are running an authentic copy of Microsoft Office.

From the article:

“There is a process for receiving a complimentary replacement of the Office software,” the spokesperson said. “It requires that the OGA user submit proof of purchase, the counterfeit CD and a counterfeit report with details of their purchase. Upon fulfilling those requirements, the user qualifies for the complimentary offer.”

More info:

Microsoft Genuine Software web site

FAQs on Microsoft Genuine

Tags: Microsoft, update, Genuine Advantage, Windows XP.

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Does your computer Automatic Update?

Post author By M3 Sweatt
Post date 04/05/2006
1 Comment on Does your computer Automatic Update?

Of interest… Russ Cooper wonders in Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine why many computer software and system vendors can’t seem to rationalize the efforts around automatic updates.

“We definitely have a problem with every vendor wanting to use automatic updates. What occurs on setup of a new PC these days is simply ridiculous.

“To solve this mess, PC vendors need to figure out how to get new machines set up at the consumer’s home without this flourish.”

This can be hassle when you buy a new PC on the leading edge of a new major service pack or update. I’ve run into this, where a new PC out of the box had to download a number of updates from Microsoft, as well as from the OEM for on-board systems (like Wi-Fi and graphics chips) and peripherals.

Most OEMs are super and able to get the most of the updates loaded on the PC, but it can be challenging to get it to be up-to-the-minute current. Virtually every computer peripheral I’ve brought into the house had a new update available (even major firmware revisions, as was the case with a wireless router recently).

For me, Automatic Update not only keeps keeps Windows current it also ensures that the latest security updates are installed.

I have a Windows Media Center at home along with PCs running standard Windows XP Home and Professional, and I haven’t been impacted by any limitatons the author noted… but I recall past glitches with some peripheral vendor updates.

Since moving to Windows XP SP1 and then to SP2, I’ve found that the number of times my PC has to reboot after an update has gone down… my main gripe surrounding reboots with Automatic Update.

Take a look at the Updates & Maintenance site for more information.

More info:

Get the latest Microsoft Updates and Office Updates

Windows Live Safety Center for a free PC safety scan

How to update your computer: Frequently asked questions

Tags: Microsoft, update, automatic update, Windows XP.

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Link: Microsoft Customer Service for help on non-technical issues

Post author By M3 Sweatt
Post date 03/05/2006

The past few days have been back to back busy in preparation for a number of important discussions and presentations (no name dropping here), so I’ve been lax in posting this week.

The Microsoft Customer Service Site provides assistance on non-technical issues such as product purchases, subscriptions, online services, product information and details on Microsoft education and certification programs.