No hiding place for Windows pirates

It started with product activation for Windows XP in 2001 and has intermittently been used on some security updates (such as SP1 and the new anti-spyware beta) but Microsoft is now moving towards auditing every copy of XP for legitimacy.

Starting with XP users in Norway, China and the Czech Republic from February 7, anyone wanting to download security patches and other updates must submit to a check for a genuine copy of Windows. Presumably if this testbed goes without a hitch, the policy will be rolled out worldwide.

If you agree to turn on Automatic Updates, however, the policy will be relaxed but effectively it's Microsoft which then decides what gets added to your computer.