Mine does the same thing, I just CLOSE the warning, and it's still fine.  It happened FIRST, after an update, for which the "creator" said it was safe to do.  It did work for a while, then I got a new Validation Tool, and well, there you go...  So, if you do not take updates, you won't get any hassle.  I am still running a XP Pro Corp from a college blanket license that expired.  Without taking updates, the validation tool isn't on the PC.  Some people have taken updates, and they get a NAG screen.

There is a NEW crack for Vista, it's just the certificate that's bad now.  There is a new certificate with Key out there somewhere.  I have it, but since the functionality of it was not impeded, I didn't use it.

It's only an activation crack, because, with OEM applications, it installs without asking for a KEY.  You know, like if you have an eMachine with a restore disk, you put it in, and do the restore, it just makes the PC like it was just opened up?  These hacked up installs, basically, do the same thing on any PC, except; they patch a memory location in the bios that makes your BIOS look like the BIOS for the PC it came with, so it performs the OEM install.    The install process is based on the RESTORATION disc process.  Now, opposite that, if you try to use a RESTORE disc you got, on another machine, it says it's not valid.  So, by patching your BIOS identifier and machine ID information, it would work, pretty simple actually.  You could go as far as to flash your BIOS with the changes permanent, and, this was done at one time.  This lead to TOO many PC failures after the flash, so, this new software patch was made instead.

Originally, I could see the boot up process, where a bunch of code scrolled down the screen, just before boot up.  That was the patching process.  Now that M$ has seen it, I don't see it anymore, AND, Vista ULTIMATE still works.  I just get a NAG screen once a week...

Funny thing about M$:  I had to do a repair XP Home on a PC for a customer of mine.  She could not find her restore disc, so I used an UPGRADE disc, and ran the repair install.  The KEYS expired of course, so I could not activate it.  I tried the one on the PC case, JUST to be covered, no go.  So, guess what I did?  I called M$ activation with the #S on the screen, and explained who I am, and what I was doing.  They activated it for me, WITH the Upgrade's KEY, without hesitation.   They told me, once again, they didn't care what KEY I has, as long as I have it.  It's kind of like the KEY is a KEY, version is irrelevant, like with the FIVE different versions of Win95, and three Win98...  I don't think they would have done it with a Home KEY for a PRO install though, but still, calling M$ for activation was painless.

Have you tried using Tiny Vista? I have it on my gf's laptop and it never has done something like that and we even update it.

Shiranui wrote:

just came across this today
http://www.rlslog.net/microsoft-windows … activator/

You have to be sure the activation crack is for what YOURS is.  There are a few out there, so, you just have to be sure of the one you use will correct it.  THAT would not work for mine. Mine does not give a reminder for activation, as with the original post, we get the WARNING that is has detected the activation hack, which is specific.