Here are some of my networking escapades:

http://importantfrivolities.zohosites.com/

When broadband goes out the network rolls over into dial-up. That's
curious. 4 computers sharing a single dial-up connection. But that's how
the story goes and it's what I have. (broadband and dial-up backup)

My buddy got a call from Microsoft saying if he didn't pay them $700 they
were going to disable his computer. So I got his hacked computer. A day
and a half later I got it back to 120%. Of course the caller wasn't
Microsoft. It was an imposter and I'd like to do some fragmenting of my own
with him. Naturally after I got it fixed Microsoft called him again, but I
had an antivirus on his computer and it blocked his attack. If they trash
him again I have all the disks to reinstall everything, which I should do in
about half the time.

I don't think Microsoft would do a thing like that, but I wouldn't put it
past them. But not really.

Microsoft doesn't threaten, they just do it. In fact they don't even do it, the OS does it automatically unless it is registered.

When you build the system there is a file generated with the hardware profile. Any major changes in hardware will delete this file and force you to reregister. If you don't, up comes a warning onscreen prompting you to register and actually IIRC there is a phone number to do it just in case you do not have internet access.

Even with XP Pro, the preferred OS of people who build PCs in their basement becasue it does not require such activation you can get screwed, you can lose it. With that OS you MUST turn off automatic updates during the reboot after installing SP2, otherwise on every bootup it will prompt you to install what's called "Microsoft Advantage". It's an advantage alright. If you accidentally hit the "Enter" key at his time you WILL lose your OS in a few weeks.

Now it is entirely possible these days for a virus to exist and for them to disable your PC. This applies to almost any OS.

If you have the disks, back up everything and tell the guy to tell them to go **** off. Either that or tell them he switched to Linux. See what they say to that. Believe me it is NOT Microsoft as you presumed, but it would be nice to tell them you switched if it was......:-)

BTW the little tip about XP Pro is because I can't stand scam artists, and Microsoft is a scam artist.

On 07/14/2013 10:58 AM, wrote:
Microsoft doesn't threaten, they just do it. In fact they don't even do it, the OS does it automatically unless it is registered.

When you build the system there is a file generated with the hardware profile. Any major changes in hardware will delete this file and force you to reregister. If you don't, up comes a warning onscreen prompting you to register and actually IIRC there is a phone number to do it just in case you do not have internet access.

Even with XP Pro, the preferred OS of people who build PCs in their basement becasue it does not require such activation you can get screwed, you can lose it. With that OS you MUST turn off automatic updates during the reboot after installing SP2, otherwise on every bootup it will prompt you to install what's called "Microsoft Advantage". It's an advantage alright. If you accidentally hit the "Enter" key at his time you WILL lose your OS in a few weeks.

Now it is entirely possible these days for a virus to exist and for them to disable your PC. This applies to almost any OS.

If you have the disks, back up everything and tell the guy to tell them to go **** off. Either that or tell them he switched to Linux. See what they say to that. Believe me it is NOT Microsoft as you presumed, but it would be nice to tell them you switched if it was......:-)

BTW the little tip about XP Pro is because I can't stand scam artists, and Microsoft is a scam artist.


I'm pretty sure people who build computers for fun or because they have
no choice prefer Linux. Microsoft and Apple both tend walled gardens.
Apple thinks their poop is odorific and Microsoft thinks this is East
Germany. They both demand cash every time you want to add a tool.

On Sat, 13 Jul 2013 21:24:13 -0400, "Humbled Survivor"
wrote:

Here are some of my networking escapades:

http://importantfrivolities.zohosites.com/

When broadband goes out the network rolls over into dial-up. That's
curious. 4 computers sharing a single dial-up connection. But that's how
the story goes and it's what I have. (broadband and dial-up backup)

My buddy got a call from Microsoft saying if he didn't pay them $700 they
were going to disable his computer.

I thought the people who made such calls just got numbers out of the
phone book, and had no knowledge of what computers the person they
called owned.

My brother got a call claiming to be from Microsoft. I told him to
ignore the call, he did, and nothing happened to his computer.

So I got his hacked computer. A day

Are you sure the person on the phone damaged it?

The guy who called my brother had him look at something on the screen,
and tell him what it said. The guy on the phone said that proved his
computer needed repair and he would tell him how to do it. I figure
he must have taken him to the control panel or msinfo32, to some
internal data that the vast majority of computer owners never look at,
and my brother had the proper value but he just told him it was bad.


and a half later I got it back to 120%. Of course the caller wasn't
Microsoft. It was an imposter and I'd like to do some fragmenting of my own
with him. Naturally after I got it fixed Microsoft called him again, but I
had an antivirus on his computer and it blocked his attack. If they trash
him again I have all the disks to reinstall everything, which I should do in
about half the time.

I don't think Microsoft would do a thing like that, but I wouldn't put it
past them. But not really.