Microsoft has released the Windows Genuine Advantage Notification tool again, which caused allot of uproar just last year. Yet again Microsoft is posing it as a "critical update."

If you don't want it installed pay attention to what Automatic Updates/Windows Updates you're about to install by reading the description(s).

And of course if you've been duped into installing it there's always RemoveWGA (that is if it works on the WGA Notifications version just released, for which I don't know).

I noticed that yesterday.

I like "Hide this update".

Don't! If someone at Microsoft sees that sentence, who knows what could happen. It could be even taken away =(

The 'remove WGA' has been taken down at the insistance of MS. However, some of us still have copies

Still available on Softpedia: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Uninsta...RemoveWGA.shtml

Why was there uproar about downloading this so called up date, is it because of the fact that people have illegal copies. I for one have downloaded it because it doesn't bother me to allow it to check if it is genuine or not.

I just saved a backup copy in my external harddrive

WGARemoval is also on Betanews.com

I updated my link to RemoveWGA to point to the Softpedia.com page. So to Microsoft!

You should really search sites and read about its previous fiasco, there's even an old thread on these forums about it.

At first (speaking about last year) I didn't think it was a big deal until:
* It could deem valid installations of XP as being illegal.
* Caused some serious problems as reported by end-users, and companies - hence the reason Microsoft removed it completely and only just re-released it.
...if you need more reasons to be leary of it just search for it using Google or whatever.

Also it is in no way a critical update in any sense, and shouldn't be said to be one by Microsoft. It's only an add-on that shouldn't even show up unless someone visits the Microsoft Update, or Windows Updates websites.

It's funny that Microsoft HASN't developed a App. that would give you ATLEAST 2 months to buy a Reg. key from there site if you were to have an illegal copy

But yet again I bet a lot of people would be Pissed if Microsoft went that route

Fact or Fiction, I don't know. I also heard it sends data to Microsoft each time you connect to the internet.

probably fiction. i doubt that it would send any info to Microsoft. or else i see lawsuit

i also installed the new WGA Notifications tool and it didn't ask or tell me anything soooo...i'm still genuine

I always just let it install. I would probably be sining a different tune if it ever labled one of my computers as illegal though.

i don't know if you people know this, but the Dutch version of the WGA Notifier shows the advantages of illegal software...

Link: http://news.softpedia.com/news/The-WGA-Too...are-47784.shtml

edit: stupid IPB

This is the information it collects and sends every 2 weeks

[WGA Notifications and Firewalls
Some personal firewalls, though not the basic one in Windows, may alert on the method by which wgatray.exe is started, in the case of Outpost firewall, it is identified as a "hidden process". The wgatray.exe process itself can be firewall blocked, without apparent problems. Removing the reference to WGALOGON.DLL using HijackThis appears to effectively de-install this update, to the point where it will be offered again if it has not been marked "do not show".

A tool has been released by a firewall vendor to prevent WGA Notifications transmitting information from one's PC.[8]


[edit] Data collected
When the WGA checks your system to see if it's genuine or not, it checks the following:[9] [10],

BIOS Checksum.
MAC address.
Hard drive serial number.
Language version of the operating system.
Operating system version.
PC BIOS information (make, version, date).
PC manufacturer.
User locale setting.
Validation and installation results.
Windows or Office product key.
Windows XP product ID.

[edit] Spyware accusations
The notification tool has been accused of spyware-like behavior, "phoning home" on a daily basis.[11][12] Microsoft subsequently admitted the behavior, but denied that it amounted to spyware.[13][14] Following pressure, Microsoft announced that in future the tool would only phone home once every two weeks, instead of every day.[15] Microsoft has also provided removal instructions for the pilot version of WGA.[7]

Despite this, Microsoft is currently being sued under anti-spyware statutes over WGA's non-disclosed "phone home" behavior.[16] The outcome of the lawsuit has not been determined.]

My XP pro slip streamed with only some sp2 updates from over a year ago is never updated deliberately as I prefer my own security and have noticed that when I do allow XP to update it actually seems to slow down.

Ghosting back to before the updates solves the prob and I doubt if I need or will use WU again.

Well I didn't realise WGA had been out that long. I've just done a search for Wgatray.exe on here and found this.



Now M$ posted an update link a couple of weeks ago so I downloaded a WGA app and installed no problem. Then last week they posted another WGA so like a fool I downloaded and installed. I did a restart and now I got two buttons on the welcome screen saying something like you have a counterfeit version of Windows. Click to resolve or resolve later. When Windows starts up you get no desktop image just a message in the bottom right saying the same thing and a star icon in the systray. Right-click to validate, so on the web put in the CD-Key and the message back not a valid version. Well it was only two weeks ago when I installed WinXP after having it for 4 years. I bought a genuine sealed copy with a copper hologrammed CD with CDKey. I went online to register it and the reply back was thanks for registering your Windows then information will be entered into our database.

I emailed M$ about this problem and they didn't forward any sort of reply only links to M$ search.

Of course you can't uninstall WGA didn't see that softpedia link till now so the next thing is a system restore and it disappeared then. So I'm wondering if any of these crucial updates are worth downloading?

Nice to know it should still not be installed deeming your legally purchased version as illegal - that's f'd up and I bet if you phoned for help they'd charge you like crazy for the "support." Hence the reason I started this thread way back when.

Every time I had to call due to registration problems I was treated with utmost courtesy as I had all of the information needed in front of me and listened carefully and followed their directions.

Having worked on a Help Desk for many years I know that someone calling in starting off a conversation yelling at me irked me a bit but by patient listening to their rant then slowly getting them to follow one simple instruction I could get the situation resolved.

Then there were the few that should not own anything technical nor that has pointy ends as they can do themselves or others serious harm as tempers induce flying objects and the inability to comprehend that things obey laws that at sometimes take rational thought unencumbered by angry rage of an inanimate object.