Microsoft will block users running counterfeit copies of Windows from installing the free Security Essentials antivirus software, the head of the company's anti-piracy group said yesterday.

Security Essentials, which launched early Tuesday, is basic anti-virus and anti-spyware software that Microsoft touts as suitable for users who can't, or won't, pay for security.

"During installation, you'll be asked to validate Windows running on your PC to make sure that it's genuine," said Alex Kochis, director of Microsoft's Genuine Windows team, in a post to a company blog Tuesday. Genuine Windows is the reƖ label for several of the company's anti-piracy technologies, including product activation and the often-criticized validation and notification components, which regularly determine whether the copy of Windows running on a PC is legitimate.

More: http://computerworld.com/s/article/9138705/