An internal email circulating at Microsoft (MSFT) states the company will launch strict anti-piracy measures in China from October 20, 2008 to fight pirated Windows XP Professional and Office software.

According to the local Chinese media reports that referenced the internal email, Microsoft China will launch two new important updates which will include the genuine advantage notifications of Windows XP Professional and Office. The two notifications will be automatically downloaded in users' computers through the software update.

After the software update, computers with unauthorized Windows XP Professional will show a black screen when starting the computer and the users have to reset the background to realize normal use, but the black screen will reoccur every 60 minutes. In addition, when logging into the pirated system, there will be a notification at the right corner, saying "You may be a victim of software counterfeiting".

For users of unauthorized Microsoft Office software, they need to shift to a genuine version or the menu bar of their Office programs such as Word and Excel will be marked with an obvious pirated software sign in 30 days.