XP Pro - Curious "Microsoft" download

[MeGustaXL]

Hi there,

I'm running XP Pro and just lately I get "Windows Genuine Advantage Notification" messages at boot up.

1. Are they genuine?
2. How do I stop them popping up?

Cheers

Chris

So you ride yourselves over the fields,
and you make all your animal deals,
and your wise men don't know how it feels...

Ian Anderson

 

[strongm]

Erm ... you only normally get those if WGA thinks you are running an illegal copy of XP Pro ...

 

[MeGustaXL]

Well, that's not the case, it was installed by PC World when I bought the laptop.

I Googled WGA and found the fix here:

http://blog.taragana.com/index.php/...ine-advantage-notification-in-3-simple-steps/

Done it - fixed.

Chris

So you ride yourselves over the fields,
and you make all your animal deals,
and your wise men don't know how it feels...

Ian Anderson

 

[vacunita]

Rather than overriding it, I would try to figure out why its telling you your Windows is not Valid.

Just because you can remove the annoyance doesn't mean its the end of the story.

You say Pc World installed windows, are you sure it was a legal copy they installed? With a legal Key? They could have just given you a copy with any Key that worked. Which doesn't mean it was legal to begin with.

Was this a brand computer or one they put together for you?

Did you get a Windows Installation CD? does it look like legal copy?


----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

 

[robmazco]

Ive had the notification pop up on some of our work pcs'. Im 100% sure they are legal installs.
Strange thing is it hasnt popped on all of them in our domain just some of them.
Some stuff Ive read - "Despite claims of offering better security, Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) serves only Microsoft's marketing interests "

Whatever it does, it pops up on random VALID AND LEGAL installs. I dont like it.

 

[Grenage]

Despite claims of offering better security, Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) serves only Microsoft's marketing interests"

Well, to be fair you can't blame them for wanting folk to pay for their software; hacked installs are rife.

"We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into the area" - Major Mike Shearer

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
For a more dispassionate source of info about WGA,including many, many links to more see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Genuine_Advantage

To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[robmazco]

Im all for them making sure they receive their fair share for their software. Its only fair business practice. And if its used as marketing also, I can sleep at nite without worrying about that.

The mind-boggling part is how it determines whos running legal and not legal software. I cant for the life of me why it thinks a dozen or so pc's in our domain warrant the tool when they are 100% legal and licensed.
I dont want to cause waves, just would like to see the rhyme or reason.

 

[smah]

By itself, the WGA notification in the system tray does not mean that MS thinks you're running counterfeit software. Most of these posts seam to imply. I'm not sure what the conditions are, but occasionally, an update will require WGA to run even if it has some time in the past. It's not a big deal, just let it run and you won't hear from it again for quite a while.

 

[Sympology]

Actually I got one of these the other day on a donkeys year old Compaq. I think they may have updated it, so if you have an old copy of WGA running and use auto updates, it is prompting you to install it.
Although not required for critical updates, if you want to update things like Media player etc, it is usually required.
I ran it and it went away (as it's a legal copy)

Most people spend their time on the "urgent" rather than on the "important."

 

[goombawaho]

Another opinion on the new, "now appearing in auto-updates" WGA.

http://windowssecrets.com/2009/04/16/02-Windows-Genuine-Advantage-is-still-genuinely-bad/?n=story1

 

[sggaunt]

You say Pc World installed windows, are you sure it was a legal copy they installed?

vacunita: PC World is the UKs largest domestic PC retailer, they wont be installing duff copies of Windows!!

Steve: N.M.N.F.
If something is popular, it must be wrong: Mark Twain

 

[vacunita]

Yes I figured it out after I posted that. But its still worth pointing out.






----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

 

[alphaxy]

I have the same situation. I am currently looking for a definite solution. I just want to make it clear. Because some statements are very helpful but some are misleading, as I've read some forums outside tek-tips.

Ive got your solution MeGustaXL. Thanks but I had a serious inquiry that could give us a problem in the future.

I am curious with your statement vacunita,
"Just because you can remove the annoyance doesn't mean its the end of the story." Can you elaborate your quotation with regards to the subject?

I am wondering if you have removed this pesky pop ups, is it permanent or microsoft had your i.p. address or serial number, or any contacts on your computer in any case it will pop-up again?

My friend who used to be a computer expert technician advised me to reformat my computer as microsoft had detected my computer already. He said that I can use my computer but as time goes by it will slow down as if microsoft has control of it. Is this true?

some of the computer shops who uses a pirated copy of windows has been nailed down by police officers. How do they know if this shop is using a pirated copy? Isn't it they've traced it?

Newei, thanks is advance

-----------------------------
Alphaxy

 

[Sympology]

My friend who used to be a computer expert technician advised me to reformat my computer as microsoft had detected my computer already. He said that I can use my computer but as time goes by it will slow down as if microsoft has control of it. Is this true?

I think you friend is a little mistaken (or mad), or just not good at phrasing things.

MS do not "detect" your pc. You can turn on auto updates for your pc to connect to MS and download updates for the pc.
These downloads will not slow down you pc to the same extent as NOT downloading updates, as viruses and malware that these updates help prevent will cripple your pc. Just look at these forums. However ti si up to you if you choose to install manually or not.

There is a bit of confusion over WGA. In Vista it can cripple your pc if it thinks it is not legal. On XP it just stops you downloading add on's and updates, but NOT security updates.

As for tracking your IP and details, MS are not into kicking door down and arresting people of pirated copies, in fact, if you've have bought a pirate copy, thinking it was real, MS have been very good at replacing it for a very low cost.

If your copy is legal, then there is very little to worry about. If it's a dodgy copy...well there you go.

Most people spend their time on the "urgent" rather than on the "important."

 

[vacunita]

What I meant was that usually WGA is not a one time thing. If it popped up once its sure to pop up again.

I had a computer at the office everything was legal that kept getting the WGA even after it had been removed.

In the end after several calls to Microsoft to sort things out I had to re-install the OS and enter my CD key again. The next time the tool downloaded it finally validated.
Prior to re-installing the tool kept popping up every so often when there where new updates.


My point was to find out why it why not validating. Not to just circumvent the tool as its bound to re-appear.



----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

 

[strongm]

>In Vista it can cripple your pc if it thinks it is not legal

Not since SP1 (or, at least, no more so than in XP)

 

[Brimestone]

Well, if your OS is legal, then you can chalk it up to another Windows BUG, that been said, those with questionable versions of the OS shouldn't post any questions here. You can validate your copy of windows from Mircosoft's web site if you feel there is a problem, or at anytime you update an ActiveX you'll find out in shortorder whether not you have a valid copy.

I too had the same problem, and after talking with MS, I had to reinstall the OS, just another BUG.

Computers are like a bag of hammers, they won't do a damn thing until you pick it up and SMASH something with it!!

 

[alphaxy]

Ayt, thanks..a very helpful guide.

Godspeed =)