Back from 2 reformats (stealing is wrong)

[Rijuhn]

First let me say that I'm am so happy to be back online. So much has happened on AGN that it's taken me about 4 hours to catch up the past 5 days I didn't have internet access. Let me tell you how it all started.

I was given a cracked version of Windows XP from a friend of my sister. It installed and ran fine on my sister's and my computer for about 3 days. Then my sister's, her friend, and my computer all fucked up simultaniously on the same day. My sister couldn't access the internet, or burn CD's, while her friends problems were a bit more extreme. My start menu didn't respond, I couldn't right click or write CDs either. Finally my sister and I got our computers working well enough (after restarting hopelessly 10 times or so) so we could back everything up.

We decided that a format was in order, so we crossed our fingers and did so. My computer had a bit of a problem at first, as I have a Pentium 4 and my BIOS setup and other dos stuff was a bit different than my sisters computer. My brother and sister helped me to get my computer reformatted and I partitioned it.

I reinstalled Windows ME and all of my backed up stuff and everything worked fine. Yes there were a few things I didn't want to back up, and a few things that were to tedious to backup, but I was happy for the most part to be able to use my computer again. All seemed well except that neither me or my sister could access the internet for some odd reason. We both were stumped. All that everyone in my family knew about computers still wasn't enough to get my modem to send or recieve data.

After much BS my dad finally got me to reformat my computer again, and my sister did likewise. After reinstalling everything, again, my dad got my sister's internet to work and finally after some more BS got my internet to work. I've been downloading Windows updates, McAffee virus definitions, and checking on my favourite websites for the 2 days, and I'm just now catching up to today.

So much has happened on AGN, the news. Basically everything changed in a matter of 5 days, and I'm not really craving the internet (that I lost for nearly a week) as much as I used to. It feel great to get online without having to do so habitually.

I do feel bad to using cracked software, and I never will again. They've always been nothing but trouble for me. I know for almost a fact that MS knew that there were 3 computers using the same cracked version of Windows XP and did something to all of our computers. Or there was a timed virus on the cracked version that the ripper of the software implanted into it. Whatever the case, I just want to say that I'm going to buy any software I want from now on, espeically because if I have a problem I can rightfully blame the software maker.

I don't think my dad knows that my sister and I were using an illegal copy of XP, but if he even finds out he would be mad. As computer stupid as he is, he still knows what's wrong and such.

I feel I deserve what I got, and I think it was for the better anyhow. I feel almost reawakened, and I've been wanted to reformat for awhile now. My computer is running faster, and strangely I'm only using up 6 gigs, but before I was using up 14 gigs.

Well, that's really all that's been happeneing to me for the past week and a half. I hope you guys have had a relaxing Christmas vacation. I know I sort of have. Good night and bless you all.

[stormwatcheagle]

Well, let that be a lesson to you, never use software from the friend of a sibling.

[itschris]

I'm using Windows XP that I downloaded from Kazaa. I saw it there and thought, "What the hell. What's the worst that could happen?" It's been about a month and a half since then, and I haven't had any problems (other than having to update my CD writing software).

The only thing I couldn't do was install Service Pack 1 because they detected an invalid serial number...

[Breaker]

Sounds like a problem with your computers hardware, not XP.... System could have been hanging due to memory issues (couldn't load start menu, ect). Either way, pathetic story. :shrug:

[vegeta1215]

Sorry to hear that, reinstalling Windows is not fun at all. Last January I got a virus that wiped out my partition tables, and I wound up formatting my drive (previously having Windows 98), trying out Windows 2000, formatting it again (cause Windows 2000 blew), and putting Windows 98 back: this was all in one weekend. Very not-fun.

The best part of the story is what happened a month later: I had a friend help me install Linux, the operating system you don't have to worry about pirating or cracking, because you're allowed to do it! :D

[goKi]

i refuse to pay for a license to windows XP on each of my 3 computers, so i am using cracked software on two computers.
as for other software, its about in the middle, half is pirated, half is not.

[J.J. Maxx]

I haven't paid for one stinkin 1 or 0 on this conflasted machine. I mean, c'mon whats the point? I have a cracked version of XP and full or cracked versions of pretty much every program on my computer. I look at it this way, if I wouldn't have bought any of it if I actually had to fork up the cash so either way the time-space continuum stays constant.

(And my cracked XP has been working fine and I don't have a CD burner so maybe thats your problem.. ;))

[AlexMax]

I havn't paid for a single 1 or 0 on this machine either, I have Mandrake Linux on standby on one partition (once I get a video card that isn't flakey. X doesn't like it, and Windows runs with it....barely....with no video acceleration enabled.) and Win98 on another partition.

Sounds like you downloaded a bad cracked version of XP, if all three computers bombed at the same time.

[DarkDragon]

My XP is legal, but that's because it came with the computer. I run plenty of cracked programs, though, especially games and roms. In my defense, though, many of these programs are from companies that are now defunct or refuse to sell their old titles.

[DukenukemX]

Sounds like another case of P.E.B.C.A.C. Pebcac = Problem exists between computer and chair.

First off Windows XP is not cracked on the net. It's Windows XP Pro Corp. No crack needed. You can download a keygen and with a few clicks you got yourself a brand new keygen.

I've been using a downloaded version of WinXP for a year now and not one problem yet. Next time you install something you should test it on one PC first to see how it works.

[Fatty Lumpkin]

I have a cracked version of Windows 98 on my comp, but only because I had to reformat it and I didn't get the disk from my uncle when he gave me the PC. I do have a cracked copy of the Corel Office Suite, but I only use it a few times a month for school work. Again, I had MS Office before I reformated.

[Paradox]

the OS is too important to crack. besides, there's not much of a point in going from ME to XP. as long as your computer works......

[obi]

The onlything I have on my pc that isn't hacked or cracked is my FF7 for PC. Everything from OS to Photoshop is 'aquired' :D

[Paradox]

some day an FBI guy is going to come and see this and hunt us down.... :blah:

[J.J. Maxx]

Originally posted by Paradox
some day an FBI guy is going to come and see this and hunt us down.... :blah:

Well the suits Kenage and Nightmare sent looking for me never found me so I'm not particuarly worried. :evil:

Besides, I have an industrial strength magnet that I could whip out before they even knocked a second time.

"What, this? This PC is dead, I've been working on it for months. You must have the wrong house."

:thumbsup:

[Ich]

I've got a little software on this that's pirated or cracked, but only a little. Paint Shop Pro passed 900th day of the 30 day trial, but it's gone now because we got a 15GB hard drive, and transferred all our files to the new HD from our old 4GB drive. Our Windows ME came with my step brothers computer; he now has a Mac (MACS RULE) and we got it from him. However, I have tons of copied ripped etc. music, mostly because I can't go to the record store and buy stuff available primarily in Germany.

[Tygore]

Um, I tink I downloaded an illegal mp3 once. I even burned it to a CD. Yeah, it felt good to do that.

[MottZilla]

I got windows xp pro cracked, it ran here fine before but I didn't like it. I gave my bro it and he's run it for along time problem free...

[Ganonator]

i had to reformat my comp at school because of some damn network virus, and when i called microsoft up for a new XP activation, i was stuck arguing on the phone forever.. i just hung up on the damn service tech, downloaded somethings i like to call 'xp fixes' and ammended my home edition.. it might be hacked into, but it has never failed me since i have done this.