Genuine Windows Advantage Validation

[sunstate]

Microsoft have just stepped one step further in their quest to stop pirating of their software. The first step occurred some months ago with the shutting down of the Windows Update site for anyone having a pirated copy of windows. The actually still allowed the automatic download of updates to continue as the automatic download of updates was required for the second part of their strategy.

The second part of their strategy was enacted yesterday, with the release of an update that now automatically brings up numerous screens informing the user of the fact that they may be the "Victim of Counterfeiting"!

This new update also delays the start of the program some 5 seconds!

If you don’t accept the download then it will not install them however should you want any future updates then you have to accept them.

I am interested in other people’s opinions on all of this however all I know is that Microsoft is merely speeding up my total transition to Linux. I already run a dual boot Linux / XP system with Open Office. Mozilla Firefox, Thunderbird Email Client on both Linux and Windows so the total transition will be quite painless.

I believe they are going to shoot themselves in the foot!

[Jeff1]

As a business owner myself , I know that I would be rather unhappy if someone stole my product , copied it and sold it for less money than I was .
Then there is the virus issue . How much will you save , when you can't get a update and your computer gets a virus ?

[Saf]

My copies of Windows over the years have been supplied either with the pc or by an engineer who has done a major sort out for me. I've had to assume that these are legal copies but, if they are not, I guess that I'll soon find out. I use XP at the moment. I have Open Office instead of Office.

Sunstate, would you be able to give us some guidance on transferring to Linux, please? What happens to Favourites and Address Book, for example? Does it work in the same way? I'm not computer expert, to say the least, and it's easy for me to get in a tangle when I try to change something.

[sunstate]

It is usually about a one hour job. It's not difficult but it can have disastrous consequences if you get it wrong. I am prepared to do it free of charge for anyone interested (I have a copy of Linux available (Xandros)). You would have to bring your PC (PC Box Only) to my home.   

[sunstate]

As far as My Documents etc Linux can read the existing Windows partition however it can only write to a FAT32 partition.

If your main windows partition is NTFS it can be converted to FAT32. What I prefer to do is to split the Windows partition and have the original (Usually C:) partition kept as NTFS and the new partition as FAT32. I then keep all of my documents on the FAT32 partition which can be easily read and written to by Linux.

[sunstate]

Further to the Genuine Windows Advantage program, I would recommend anyone using a copy of Windows that might not be genuine to disable Automatic Download and installation of any updates. The next step is to deinstall the following windows components, Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, MSN Explorer, Outlook Express and Windows Messenger.

Replace these programs with other freely available alternatives such as Mozilla Firefox (A Web Browser), Mozilla Thunderbird (Email Client) and Media Monkey (A Music Player).

There are lots of other alternatives to the above,

In recent years it was the Windows Components mentioned above that were the main subject of Windows Updates.

Of course the other alternative is to try a flavor of Linux or even an Open Source version of Unix (Sun's Solaris) which is designed for the X86 platform.

[sunstate]

Again further to the Genuine Windows problem, "Novell" have just released it's new version of Linux called Suse 10.1 last Thursday. I have a copy of the disks (6 Disks of Operating System and Programs) if anyone is interested.

As well as supporting X86 (Intel and Amd etc) chips it also supports the PPC chip (Apple). My copy is the 32 bit version but it is also available as a full 64 bit operating system.

[mpdkorat]

Microsoft have just stepped one step further in their quest to stop pirating of their software. The first step occurred some months ago with the shutting down of the Windows Update site for anyone having a pirated copy of windows. The actually still allowed the automatic download of updates to continue as the automatic download of updates was required for the second part of their strategy.

The second part of their strategy was enacted yesterday, with the release of an update that now automatically brings up numerous screens informing the user of the fact that they may be the "Victim of Counterfeiting"!

This new update also delays the start of the program some 5 seconds!

If you don’t accept the download then it will not install them however should you want any future updates then you have to accept them.

I am interested in other people’s opinions on all of this however all I know is that Microsoft is merely speeding up my total transition to Linux. I already run a dual boot Linux / XP system with Open Office. Mozilla Firefox, Thunderbird Email Client on both Linux and Windows so the total transition will be quite painless.

I believe they are going to shoot themselves in the foot!

I have just been given this:

javascript:void(window.g_sDisableWGACheck='all')

When you do your windows update and it asks you to validate. put the above link in the box where you normally put your HTTP and press enter, that seems to get around it??

[sunstate]

Should anyones computer become infected by Bill's Gates virus here is the method by which it can be removed;

1. Launch Windows Task Manager (Ctrl, Alt, Delete)
2. End the wgatray.exe process in Task Manager
3. Restart Windows XPO in Safe Mode (F8 during startup and select Safe Mode)
4. Delete C:\windows\System 32\wgatray.exe
5. Delete C:\Windows\System 32\dll Cache\wgatray.exe
6. Launch Regedit (Start, Run, Type "Regedit")
7. Browse to the following Location, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE|MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENT VERSION\WINLOGIN\NOTIFY
8. Delete the folder "Wgalogon" and all of it's contents.
9 Reboot Windows XP
10. STOP DOWNLOADING WINDOWS UPDATES!
11. Change To Linux, Unix, Apple

[Cheeky Farang]

Should anyones computer become infected by Bill's Gates virus here is the method by which it can be removed;

1. Launch Windows Task Manager (Ctrl, Alt, Delete)
2. End the wgatray.exe process in Task Manager
3. Restart Windows XPO in Safe Mode (F8 during startup and select Safe Mode)
4. Delete C:\windows\System 32\wgatray.exe
5. Delete C:\Windows\System 32\dll Cache\wgatray.exe
6. Launch Regedit (Start, Run, Type "Regedit")
7. Browse to the following Location, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE|MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENT VERSION\WINLOGIN\NOTIFY
8. Delete the folder "Wgalogon" and all of it's contents.
9 Reboot Windows XP
10. STOP DOWNLOADING WINDOWS UPDATES!
11. Change To Linux, Unix, Apple

CHEERS FOR THE INFO SUNSTATE ------ I just followed your instructions on my pc, and the problem with Bill Gates virus has done a runner.  GREAT STUFF   I owe you a BIG beer. 

CF

.

[Saf]

Should anyones computer become infected by Bill's Gates virus here is the method by which it can be removed;

1. Launch Windows Task Manager (Ctrl, Alt, Delete)
2. End the wgatray.exe process in Task Manager
3. Restart Windows XPO in Safe Mode (F8 during startup and select Safe Mode)
4. Delete C:\windows\System 32\wgatray.exe
5. Delete C:\Windows\System 32\dll Cache\wgatray.exe
6. Launch Regedit (Start, Run, Type "Regedit")
7. Browse to the following Location, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE|MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENT VERSION\WINLOGIN\NOTIFY
8. Delete the folder "Wgalogon" and all of it's contents.
9 Reboot Windows XP
10. STOP DOWNLOADING WINDOWS UPDATES!
11. Change To Linux, Unix, Apple

Well, well well, you pay a professional to build a pc and he puts in pirate software. Fortunately, it's the spare machine now that Mrs Saf uses but we've got the pop ups and they are a darned nuisance.

Sunstate, I've got to stage 3 as above but I don't know how to do 4 and 5. How do I go about deleting, please?

[archimed]

May be over 90 % of PC's over here run illegal softwares...

When you buy a new PC, often the XP version or so is included, so far ok, but the pc owner will ask for Office and from here on it goes to copyes...

Few weeks ago a friend had a problem from this microsoft upgrade story, so he decided to buy guenuine, first very hard to find in the market, to expensive that the shops keep it in storage...

He called in a programmer to install, the guy had a few years experience and it was first time in his live he sees the guenuine, he was playing with the disk and the cover,

how shiny, how goldy !!! he was just impressed as well from the Hologramm...

[SportRider]

Yes from actual personal experience, if you go to IT Plaza, Klang or the Mall, even if you walk all around the all the computer shops, and bought all the GENUINE XP licences you can find, you will have less than 5 after a whole day of looking.  And many will be labelled something like 'This is your Fujitsu Windows Recovery Disk - not for resale separately'.

[sunstate]

Saf, I am afraid that I am in Australia at the moment and cannot help you further as the method I have given you already is quite detailed and easilly followed if you know how to use Windows File Manager etc, however if you can wait a month I shall be back in Korat and be only too happy to do it for you.

Perhaps Sportrider can help you. If you cannot get past where you are then I suggest that you dont keep going as making changes to the Windows Registry is not for the faint hearted (Unless they have no fear).

[Saf]

Sunstate,

Thanks, I think we can wait a while. My wife is using that pc now and is content for the time being just to close the pop-up Microsoft warnings when they appear. I'd be glad for more help in due course, please, because I fear that M'soft will eventually disable copies that it doesn't like. If in the meantime you could let me know how to perform the delete function (4. in your explanation), I might be able to move on. Do I find a menu or just type 'delete 'C:\windows etc'?

The pc is in the UK, by the way.

[sunstate]

Firstly you must be logged on with Administrator privilages. You delete an entry simply by highlighting  the entry and pressing the delete key (somewhere on the k/b and labeled "Delete"

[Saf]

It's Mrs S's pc that has the problem. She got fed up with the warning boxes so I've paid for legitimisation. Just waiting now for the update passwords and cd. I hope that works. I'm no expert with this fundamental stuff - too easy for me to mess it all up.

If I ever see the guy who built the pc I'll take his bits for the cat's supper. 

[SportRider]

Yes I agree.  Whatever your views on 'piracy', the more I think about it the more I see this as a major marketing blunder for Microsoft, at least for this part of the world.  It will push PC vendors even more to offer PCs with a legit version of Linux ready to go, rather than an unlicenced version of Windows (very normal in Asia).  A new PC *must* come with some kind of operating system, just to work.... so users will get their first experience of Linux this way, and many will find they actually like it, and it's not so scary after all.... and WON'T go back to Windows....

sr

Microsoft have just stepped one step further in their quest to stop pirating of their software. The first step occurred some months ago with the shutting down of the Windows Update site for anyone having a pirated copy of windows. The actually still allowed the automatic download of updates to continue as the automatic download of updates was required for the second part of their strategy.

The second part of their strategy was enacted yesterday, with the release of an update that now automatically brings up numerous screens informing the user of the fact that they may be the "Victim of Counterfeiting"!

This new update also delays the start of the program some 5 seconds!

If you don’t accept the download then it will not install them however should you want any future updates then you have to accept them.

I am interested in other people’s opinions on all of this however all I know is that Microsoft is merely speeding up my total transition to Linux. I already run a dual boot Linux / XP system with Open Office. Mozilla Firefox, Thunderbird Email Client on both Linux and Windows so the total transition will be quite painless.

I believe they are going to shoot themselves in the foot!

[Saf]

Well, the legitimisation download worked and a cd is on its way for future use. It cost me £90.

I'm not especially fond of the way that Microsoft conducts itself in the market but I think that an engineer who sells machines with pirated software to unsuspecting customers should be brought to book. It's me that's held accountable here, not him.

If all of this strengthens the competition, that's good, isn't it? However, as I understand it, Microsoft can spot pirated versions of its software only if users seek to download an update. Isn't the way around that to install pirated updates? I don't know, I just use this stuff; I haven't got much of a clue about how it works.

[george and dragon]

Hi there.
Just a quick note incase anyone is still getting annoying pop ups saying get genuine windows.
To stop the annoying stuff follow this and it works and after disable windows auto update.
it worked for me.

1.    Start -> Search
2.   All Files & Folders and select More Advanced Options
3.   Check Search hidden files and folders
4.   Searcg for  WGA
5.   Rename WgaTray to WgaTray_ and Delete WGANotify
6.   CTRL + ALT + DEL Select wgatray.exe and click End Process Button
7.   In the search Results open WGATray.Settings with notepad
8.   Overwrite the WHOLE Contents with these: Balloon interval = 9999999999 daysDaysBeforeBuyNow Unactivated = 9999999999DaysBeforeBuyNow Nongenuine = 9999999999Disabled = trueReduced reminders = true
9.   Save and close.
10.   Logoff and back on.
11.   No more tray! Now onto the waiting on login screen.


12.   Start -> Run enter regedit
13.   Goto HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Uninstall\WgaNotify
14.   Deleted the two keys beginning: NoRemove
15.   Control Panel -> Add or Remove Programs. Check Show updates.
16.   Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications (KB905474) Click remove and on the next box click cancel
17.   Gone.. Close add or remove all programs and control panel.
18.   Back to registry Editor now remove the whole WgaNotify folder on the left, click it and hit DEL
19.   Goto
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
App Management\ARPCache\WgaNotify - Now click WgaNotify on the left and hit DEL
20.   Goto
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\
Eventlog\System\WgaNotify -
Now click WgaNotify on the left and hit DEL
21.   Goto
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Services\
Eventlog\System\WgaNotify -
Now click WgaNotify on the left and hit DEL
22.   Now to kill the bitch...
Goto HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify\WgaLogon - Now click WgaLogon on the left and hit DEL
23.   Logoff... GONE! Logon.... No timer! There you have it restart and next time uncheck it and select never show it on windows update!
24.   Restart

I hope this may help.   

[sunstate]

Highlight the entry and press the delete key (alongside of the Enter (Carriage Return) key. Alternatively highlight the entry and right click using the mouse and select delete.

[Bryan(of Oz)]

     thanks Sunstate !!   I've just depleted myself !  RIP   

[sunstate]

I noticed that Saf has made a further contribution to the "Bill Gates needs more money" fund and that is a reasonable response. I will make this final comment and that is if you elect to go down the Genuine Windows Advantage Validation route be aware that it will not stop with a legal copy of Windows. It will extend to all Microsoft products including Office. It may well also include other manufacturers products in the future.

My estimate at the moment is that it could cost <> 30000 Baht (<> AUD$1000) to have a fully legal Windows Operating System including a full install of MS Office Pro depending what license you hold (If any) at the moment.

The very clever thing that Bill Gates did all those years ago was not write the IBM / MSDOS operating system, it was to allow people to make copies of software that they may well have been using at the office and use it at home. Apple (and Other) always had superior software, but you had to buy it!

I still believe that this will backfire so if you hold Microsoft share then sell now!

[sunstate]

As predicted in previous posts MS is going down the road of shutting down pirated copies of windows but also other MS products; Reprinted from http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/04/yourmoney/msft.php

" Microsoft Vista armed against piracy
The Associated Press

Published: October 4, 2006
SEATTLE Microsoft said Wednesday that its forthcoming Windows Vista would take much harsher steps to curtail piracy than previous versions of its operating system, including crippling the software's functionality in computers found to be running unlicensed copies.
 
People running a version of Windows Vista that Microsoft believes is pirated will initially be denied access to some of the most anticipated Vista features, including Windows Aero, an improved graphics technology.
 
If a legitimate copy is not bought within 30 days, the system will curtail functionality much further by restricting users to just the Web browser for an hour at a time, said Thomas Lindeman, Microsoft senior product manager.
 
Under that scenario, a person could use the browser to surf the Web, access documents on the hard drive or log onto Web-based e-mail services. But the user would not be able to directly open documents from the computer desktop or run other programs like Outlook e-mail software, Lindeman said.
 
Microsoft said it would not stop a computer running pirated Vista software from working completely, adding that it would continue to deliver critical security updates for such computers.
 
The company also said that it had added more sophisticated technology for monitoring whether a system is pirated. For example, the system will be able to perform some piracy checks internally, without linking to Microsoft over the Internet, Lindeman said.
 
Microsoft also is adding ways to more closely monitor for piracy among big corporate users, who tend to buy licenses in bulk.
 
Microsoft plans to take similar tough measures with the forthcoming version of its Windows server software, dubbed "Longhorn," and to incorporate it into other products.
 
Microsoft is expected to release Vista to businesses in November and consumers in January.
 
 
SEATTLE Microsoft said Wednesday that its forthcoming Windows Vista would take much harsher steps to curtail piracy than previous versions of its operating system, including crippling the software's functionality in computers found to be running unlicensed copies.
 
People running a version of Windows Vista that Microsoft believes is pirated will initially be denied access to some of the most anticipated Vista features, including Windows Aero, an improved graphics technology.
 
If a legitimate copy is not bought within 30 days, the system will curtail functionality much further by restricting users to just the Web browser for an hour at a time, said Thomas Lindeman, Microsoft senior product manager.
 
Under that scenario, a person could use the browser to surf the Web, access documents on the hard drive or log onto Web-based e-mail services. But the user would not be able to directly open documents from the computer desktop or run other programs like Outlook e-mail software, Lindeman said.
 
Microsoft said it would not stop a computer running pirated Vista software from working completely, adding that it would continue to deliver critical security updates for such computers.
 
The company also said that it had added more sophisticated technology for monitoring whether a system is pirated. For example, the system will be able to perform some piracy checks internally, without linking to Microsoft over the Internet, Lindeman said.
 
Microsoft also is adding ways to more closely monitor for piracy among big corporate users, who tend to buy licenses in bulk.
 
Microsoft plans to take similar tough measures with the forthcoming version of its Windows server software, dubbed "Longhorn," and to incorporate it into other products.
 
Microsoft is expected to release Vista to businesses in November and consumers in January."
 

[SportRider]

Sounds like a serious disincentive to upgrade, a step which may be unnecessary for a large number of users...