Genuine Micro$oft Software

[Orioni]

Last night, before shutting the computer down, I noticed my Windows XP had automatically downloaded an update. Nothing special, I helps keep the computer up-to-date. But this update was something I had not been looking forward to since I first read about it in the internetnews.

 

Genuine Microsoft Software checks if you have a registered version of Windows on your computer. If, like in my case, you had to re-install your computer after major failure but did not receive an installation copy of WinXP when you bought the computer all those years ago, you're in deep crap.

 

The computer still boots and works (otherwise I wouldn't be here), but the "BUY A COPY FOR ONLY $200, YOU THIEF"-messages are rather anoying. Have you experienced anything like this yourself? Do you know how to get around this 'bug'?

[Tamurin]

This is a common bug with the WGA-"update". In many cases it does give false "negatives" like on your computer. Because of that Microsoft had a lot of issues with customers lately...

 

There are some workarounds around this and some solutions.

 

1.) Contact Microsoft and complain. If you still have all documents when you bought the computer (some sort of certificate or something should be there), it won't be a problem. Sometimes discounters install valid XP's with unvalid keys. The Call Center guys should be able to help you with re-activating your XP (it reads so on the german microsoft page).

 

2.) There are several methods around this: (here copied from wikipedia):

 

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".

 

3.) Remove it. This article may help:

http://www.staysecurepc.com/removing_genui...tification.html

 

 

But keep in mind: More or less all downloads and updates from Microsoft (except the real critical ones) are now only downloadable if WGA confirms that your XP is valid. And if it says that yours is not, that can be a major problem in the future...

[Orioni]

3.) Remove it. This article may help:

http://www.staysecurepc.com/removing_genui...tification.html

That worked. The annoying thingy is now disabled. Thank you for the tips.