Windows Genuine Advantage Notification Tool

[Martin Keene]

Is there anyway of getting rid of the damn thing?

It got down loaded last week and is now kindly telling me that my Windows in possibly a pirate copy. No? really... Didn't know that!

[scooby]

I have a removal tool PM me your email

[Blatman]

I had this update turn up this week. I was just about to download it when I was stopped my a system admin of my acquaintance who pointed out that it's a pain in the A***. According to him, if a computer with this "patch" on it doesn't connect to the internet every day and authenticate the copy of Windows (it does this in the background) then it sends out the notification that Martin has received. And I thought the XP authentication routine was supposed to prevent illegal copying?

[adhawkins]

According to him, if a computer with this "patch" on it doesn't connect to the internet every day and authenticate the copy of Windows (it does this in the background) then it sends out the notification that Martin has received.

I've not seen that. My PC at home is fully up to date with all Microsoft stuff, and isn't necessarily turned on every day. I haven't received any warning such as this.

Andy

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

According to him, if a computer with this "patch" on it doesn't connect to the internet every day and authenticate the copy of Windows (it does this in the background) then it sends out the notification that Martin has received.

I've not seen that. My PC at home is fully up to date with all Microsoft stuff, and isn't necessarily turned on every day. I haven't received any warning such as this.

Andy

and mine...  

[Martin Keene]

1. Open "My Computer"

2. Navigate to C:\Windows\system32

3. Locate "WgaTray.exe" and rename it to "WgaTray-spyware.exe" - note: you will not be able to delete it, but you can rename it.

4. Locate "WgaLogon.dll" and rename it to "WgaLogon-spyware.dll"

5. Open your task manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del)

6. Locate "WgaTray.exe"

7. End Task

8. Reboot

Anybody know whether that looks like it would work?

[Blatman]

It may well not flag up a warning straight away, I guess. It's been available (but not downloaded) on my friends computers for a week or so. I only got the update notification on Saturday. My PC's aren't usually switched off ever unless I'm going away, and they are always on the net as they sit behind a router with a 24/7 connection

[Boomy]

The spyware part of that rename suggestion is connected to the fact that MS are currently being accused of making this tool spyware like i assume.

There is a bit of a battle going on about it now.

As for the advantage tool, all i know is that it all relates to the updates you can get.

If you had a pirate copy of windows in the past, you could just paste a line of text into the explorer bar and bypass any genuine copy checking.

Now, as MS update peoples PC's with this advantage tool you tend to have to wait for someone to release a 'cracked' DLL file to replace the standard one.

This will then allow you to keep getting updates for windows, at least until MS change the advantage tool or way you need to get the updates again anyway.

Cat and mouse game as always.

So, that DLL rename may well work.

Also have you tried simply turning off auto updates?.

You do not need to have windows checking every day or in fact at all, not ever if you don't want to that is.

You can do it manually whenever you like.

I suppose it depends how much you rely on windows updates too and how 'secure' you want your pc to be.I know people running copies of XP for example who have never put in an update, not one.

Much the same with 95/98.

It may be just luck of the draw security wise as to whether they will be more at risk.You can be hacked pretty much anytime if someone is clever enough.

As for other windows non security updates, apart from the updated direct x software (used for gaming), there is nothing i have ever actually needed to install.

[philsugrue]

e-mail sent

HTH

Phil

[Martin Keene]

e-mail sent

HTH

Phil

Not received anything yet mate...

[Martin Keene]

1. Open "My Computer"

2. Navigate to C:\Windows\system32

3. Locate "WgaTray.exe" and rename it to "WgaTray-spyware.exe" - note: you will not be able to delete it, but you can rename it.

4. Locate "WgaLogon.dll" and rename it to "WgaLogon-spyware.dll"

5. Open your task manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del)

6. Locate "WgaTray.exe"

7. End Task

8. Reboot

Seems to work. I have just tried it and the icon in the system tray has disappeared. Obviously the program is still there, it just can't run.

Anybody care to guess whether that will cause a problem?

   

[samcooke]

If I were running an illegal copy I would just right click the star type picture in the tray, choose Options or whatever it says and turn it off. It would then connect to a website, tell me I was a tit for turning it off and ask did I really want to? I'd say yes and it then wouldn't bother me again.

Luckily I don't have this problem as I bought my copy of Windoze.

[westy]

From a couple of weeks ago I believe this tool started to be pushed as a critical security update rather than an optional one to be installed during manual windows updates ran directly through IE.

Its common knowledge how to disable and even MS provide info on how to do it:

here

Ignore the text stating pilot only.  It should work for the latest of latest versions also.

[westy]

btw MS got into a bit of trouble of this tool as it pings a MS server every time your system starts.  I'm sure they never recorded the IP's running hooky copies though  

[Martin Keene]

From a couple of weeks ago I believe this tool started to be pushed as a critical security update rather than an optional one to be installed during manual windows updates ran directly through IE.

Its common knowledge how to disable and even MS provide info on how to do it:

here

Ignore the text stating pilot only.  It should work for the latest of latest versions also.

Cheers Mate!

I'll uninstall it fully later...