Following  increasing number of customer complaints, software giant Microsoft Corp has decided to drop an anti-piracy tool from its latest operating system Windows Vista. The tool was used to disable the operating system if it was found that the copy was a fake one.

The "Kill Switch" was designed by Redmond to disable some features from Vista in copies that were being pirated by users. However minor glitches in the tool meant even legal copies of the operating system were disabled prompting customers to complain loudly.

"Users whose systems are identified as counterfeit will be presented with clear and recurring notices about the status of their system and how to get genuine copies," said a statement issued by Microsoft corporate vice president Mike Sievert.

He added that users of illegal copies would not lose functionality, "But it will be very clear to them that their copy of Window Vista is not genuine and they need to take action."

Microsoft insisted that its efforts to tackle piracy had borne fruit with the number of illegal Vista copies in circulation being more than halved when compared to fake Windows XP copies. Microsoft introduced the Windows Genuine Advantage tool with a view to block certain features in illegal copies. Introduced in 2006 as a voluntary option, the WGA became mandatory with the launch of Windows Vista.

Mr Sievert said that Microsoft was not changing its strategy. "All copies of Windows Vista still require activation and the system will continue to validate from time to time to verify that systems are activated properly," he added.

Alex Kochis, senior product manager in the Windows Genuine Advantage said the new function will kick in with the launch of Vista service pack 1 in 2008.

By: DocMemory
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