Run a hacked copy of Windows, and Microsoft will hex your PC

According to PC World, Bad Things Happen to Unlicensed Windows Users:

Companies that rely on unlicensed copies of Windows are more likely to experience system failures and lose customer data, Microsoft Corp. said Tuesday, citing a company-sponsored report.

According to the research, which was conducted by the Harrison Group Inc. but paid for by Microsoft, mid-sized firms -- those with more than 24 PCs and fewer than 500 -- were 43% more likely to have had a critical system failure lasting more then 24 hours if they used unlicensed Windows.

Those businesses were also 28% more likely to lose customer data and 73% more likely to lose their own data than firms exclusively using licensed copies of Microsoft's software.

It's the curse of Bill Gates haunting your computer.