Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA)

I have widows xp. I use AVG anti virus as my virus scan with outlook express. I have been getting a message that Windows Genuine Advantage is trying to access my computer. I allowed it and the next thing I knew my internet explorer toolbar had been changed and I had trouble reconfiguring it to my old settings.

I was able to go-back and remove the program. My question is do I need to accept windows genuing advantage or can I permanently block the program

 

Hello Jerry,

For some background on WGA that's been discussed here on the Board:

http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=55064

http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=55515

From my understanding, if you use Automatic Update, you must accept WGA in order to access updates.

Regards - Charles

 

Jerry Dunn--What is behind Steve R Jones' question is that MS issued an update to WGA last week that seems to have eliminated the check on every startup.

 

For what It's worth

I've been running XP pro, SP1 quite happily for several years. I only install updates that I feel I need, and I've never had a problem my firewall and security software can't handle. A couple weeks ago, I downloaded the "Genuine advantage" thing at the behest of microsoft's update page. It immediately hosed I.E. so badly that I couldn't bear to use it, and then started popping up at random no matter what I was doing. My copy of windows is legit, as is everything else on my system, yet it kept popping up incessantly. I ended up trashing the whole install and starting over. Now, I can't update anything without accepting the thing first. At this point, I flat refuse to do so. I guess I'll be running a bare bones copy of XP Pro s.p.1 with no updates for the foreseeable future.

 

How to Manually Uninstall WGA Notifications:

http://www.pcdoctor-guide.com/wordpress/?p=3104

 

Richard

You do not have to take this. When it comes up as an auto download select custome and untick, then download, it will then ask you if you do not want this again tick yes and carry on.
then go to you firewall and block this file.

rich

 

Hehehe .......

I've already commented re: my thoughts on this in a couple of other threads (referenced above in Charlesvar post) but there is real irony in this Genuine Advantage debacle and its funny. This is all taking place at a time when Microsoft is launching its all encompassing One Care Live product to protect users from outside threats. How would you like to be the product manager for that puppy?

 

Hello fridgitator,

The way around WGA for the moment is to use Windows Update Catalog.

Go to WU and in the left Panel, you'll see "Use administrator options ", click on that and under Options > Windows Update Catalog. Then search for specific updates for your installation: XP SP1, XP SP2. You have to know the KB number. These downloads are stand alone setup files that are downloaded and executed by you, the way any software install works.

MS update numbers and what they are - critical, important and what the patches are for - are available at any number of sites, including the BBS.

Another update notification site, specifically only for updates, mostly for security applications: http://www.dozleng.com/updates/index.php?act=calendar

EDIT: I've been doing updates for four years in this manner and you don't need the AU Service turned on in XP's Services for this either.

I've kept these, appropriately labeled in their own folder, as I keep any software update, so when re installing, they are available for getting up to speed w/o having to go on line. I've done that for any number of people that I've re installed or repaired the OS for.

Regards - Charles

 

fridgitator--If you do not update to SP2 you will supposedly no longer be offered Updates by MS Windows Updates after mid-October. Life Cycle issue.
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=3224
However, MS has been known to extend the Life Cycle, if enough people complain.

 

Thank you for the pointers. I tried updating as Charles advised, and I was able to access individual files, but I must be missing something because when I try to open them, I am told that they are not appropriate for my install.

 

Hi fridgitator,

You wrote that you re installed the OS and if earlier than OCT '02 (someone can double check me on that), its minus SP1.

Just to make sure, find out what SP, if any, you have. I think pre SP2 has the info on System via the control panel > general tab, but not sure - its been awhile.

If you do have SP1, can you give a few KB#'s - I can't install them because the system will give me a "The Service Pack version is newer than the update" message, but do want to make sure you're looking in the right place.

Regards - Charles

 

Thanks, Charles. I have Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1 (build 2600).
KB#s would be great.

 

What brand of computer is it? If home built, did you build it yourself or did somebody build it for you?

 

My own creation. (first time)

ABIT VA-20 VIA KM400A MB micro-atx mobo, AMD Sempron 2800+ socket A processor. ATI Radeon 9550 video card. I've been using it for over a year with no major problems. I never had a problem related to windows until I tried using GA.

 

Hi fridgitator,

The following updates are under XP SP1 which has 154 Critical Updates and Service Packs.

Q329441 posted 10/13/03 Labeled Critical
811630 posted 10/13/03 Labeled Critical
KB824105 posted 09/09/03 Labeled A security issue
Q811632 posted 05/14/03 Labeled Critical

Clicking on Critical Updates, the list will be in default sort by title, if you pick sort by posted date, lists in descending order, starting from the bottom, these come up as the earliest.

I have SP2 installed - as of August 2004, and those are incorporated into SP2, so they don't come up when I search XP SP2 category.

Regards - Charles

 

If you want to see others' complaints about WGA
http://forums.microsoft.com/Genuine/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=442&SiteID=25&PageID=0

 

Thanks for the link. Just a quick browse of the posts confirmed some of my suspicions about the problems I had. It's now obvious that WGA was never working properly to begin with.

 

Thanks, Charles. I'm not being offered very many updates from the critical update list. None of those you listed were offered. I Googled them, and got copies of 811630, and kb824105. I couldn't get a download for the first and last on the list. kb installed just fine. 811 got the same response from windows I was getting from the ones I downloaded directly from the critical updates list: "This file is not designed fror your version of Windows ". I'm beginning to wonder if my install is missing a few files to begin with. I think my best course may be to reinstall from my XP disc. Does this make sense?

 

Hi fridgitator,

Not yet, it may come to that though.

I thought you had re installed the OS - sorry for not getting what you actually meant:

I would at this point see what you have and don't have and proceed from there.

Download Belarc, it will among other things, tell you what updates you have installed, and what's missing http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=55580

Regards - Charles