Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (
More info?)
Jeff;
Microsoft does check to make sure Windows is legal.
That generally means a valid Product Key.
The technology may be available to do as you suggest, but if Microsoft used
such technology, the groups watching for your privacy would be all over
Microsoft.
There are to many privacy concerns for Microsoft to take it upon themselves
to protect your property in such a way when there are 3rd party options.
If that type of security is important to you, there are 3rd party
alternatives you install yourself.
--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/
<jeffreyswilson@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1106591033.042950.314010@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Thanks very much for the ideas. I just assumed that if people were
> coming into MS to get updates, that MS was checking to make sure that
> the software they were using was legal. And, if so, they could check
> any Product ID's from a list of stolen ones...I would think that they
> COULD do it, if they wanted to.
> And then they could get the IP address...go to the provider, etc. Oh
> well..thank you both for the links and I will look into them both.
>
> Jeff
>
> Richard Urban wrote:
>> Here is another one!
>>
http://www.searchamateur.com/Spy-Stuff/Stolen-Computer-Retrieval.htm
>>
>> --
>> Regards,
>>
>> Richard Urban
>>
>> aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard
>>
>> If you knew as much as you thought you know,
>> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>>
>>
>> "Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>
>> news:eVzga9hAFHA.3492@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>> > Use Google to search on "tracking stolen computer". The following
> is but
>> > one hit that is interesting:
>> >
>> >
http://techrepublic.com.com/5102-6263-5034632.html
>> >
>> > --
>> > Regards,
>> >
>> > Richard Urban
>> >
>> > aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard
>> >
>> > If you knew as much as you thought you know,
>> > You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>> >
>> >
>> > "Jeff" <Jeff@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> > news:30785A73-30B9-47CF-89DF-5FD80589D203@microsoft.com...
>> >>A friend just had 20 computers stolen from his office. Is there
> someone
>> >>that
>> >> he can contact at MS that will be able to tell if those License
> numbers
>> >> or
>> >> Product IDs are used again (for instance, to download updates)? I
> thought
>> >> this was one fo the features of the whole activation thing. Thanks
> very
>> >> much
>> >> for any guidance you can give me on this.
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>