Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware - Printable Version

Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware - Printable Version

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Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by YourNeibour on 04-26-2006 at 01:46 AM

Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware
Posted by Tim Davis 4 hours ago | 71 comments
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Thanks to Aviran for the heads up over in the BPN.

Microsoft announced that on Tuesday it will make Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) more bothersome than ever. A new update for WGA is now on the Windows Update website as a mandatory update. Once installed, your copy of Windows will be checked for validity. If your Windows installation is found not to be genuine, Windows will display a message telling you that “This copy of Windows is not genuine.” Windows will check and display messages on every boot as well as once an hour (or so). The new WGA tool also puts an icon in your system tray if your copy of Windows is not genuine.

Once notified and prompted to validate your copy of Windows, you will have 14 days to do so. If after 14 days you do not comply, you will not be able to download updates from the Windows Update website. Critical security updates will still be available via the Automatic Update built into Windows.

Microsoft hopes that by nagging users to get a genuine copy of Windows, it will cut down on piracy. We all know how much we despise pop-ups. Microsoft also urges anyone who purchased an illegal copy of Windows to report the counterfeit dealer. As a reward, Microsoft will (in most cases) give a free license to victims of counterfeit.

If you do not wish to validate your copy of Windows, there is a way to turn off the notifications by clicking on the system tray icon. If you decide to do so, Microsoft notifies you that you will no longer be able to receive updates via Windows Update. Once you agree to these terms, notification will be disabled. However the tray icon will remain in your system tray. When a new version of WGA is available, the notifications will be enabled again.

Read this at neowin what ya think?

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by qgroessl on 04-26-2006 at 02:05 AM

If I'm understanding correctly this will make it so that people without a version of Windows that they bought legally, then they'll have to miss out on security updates and things making it more risky to pirate windows....

I guess microsoft has to do what they have to do to make money from it... and IMHO it's kinda stupid... cause I'm sure they'll be wrong a lot with detecting whether it's genuine or not.

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by Supersonicdarky on 04-26-2006 at 02:07 AM

i just had this prompted but i told it not to install so no nagging for me

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by lizard.boy on 04-26-2006 at 03:29 AM

its not all that hard to disable if you know what your doing..

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by zach on 04-26-2006 at 03:42 AM

Today I found "Windows Genuine Advantage" in Application data. I'm assuming that means that WGA has been installed on my computer. My Windows is legit so it doesn't matter anyway.

Edit: I just searched for updates and...

quote:
Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool (KB892130)
710 KB , less than 1 minute
The Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool enables you to verify that your copy of Microsoft Windows is genuine. The tool validates your Windows installation by checking Windows Product Identification and Product Activation status.

Total: 710 KB , less than 1 minute

guess not...

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by John Anderton on 04-26-2006 at 05:30 AM

Has WGA ever been non nagging ?

Yes it sucks ...... :dodgy:

quote:
Originally posted by UTI
If I'm understanding correctly this will make it so that people without a version of Windows that they bought legally, then they'll have to miss out on security updates and things making it more risky to pirate windows....

Thats what they had planned initially a while back

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by rav0 on 04-26-2006 at 05:53 AM

Bah! Activation, Validation, why must Microsoft make such hassles for us?

Rafael's bypass doesn't work anymore either, so everytime I want to download from Microsoft Download Center I need to run the check, get myself a validation code, copy that code, paste it into the validation page, have the page check it, and then get to a real download page :blah: .

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by John Anderton on 04-26-2006 at 07:24 AM

quote:
Originally posted by rav0
Bah! Activation, Validation, why must Microsoft make such hassles for us?

Rafael's bypass doesn't work anymore either, so everytime I want to download from Microsoft Download Center I need to run the check, get myself a validation code, copy that code, paste it into the validation page, have the page check it, and then get to a real download page .

I know it sucks. Rafael's bypass was bypassed by microsoft ages ago?

I couldnt use the gm script cause Microsoft Update doesnt work on it and trixie sucks arse!!!!

Just as i posted this i thought i should finally check what updates the icon was sitting there for ...... look at this

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by Mike on 04-26-2006 at 08:02 AM

Let me laugh...
You know what?
I believe that this will be cracked in less than five days...

Also, I really don't care about this, since I never install updates to my computer (and I still use SP1 fyi)

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by rav0 on 04-26-2006 at 08:21 AM

Rafael's bypass wasn't bypassed (unless you're talking about a long time ago, when it was quickly re-released properly).

Recently, Microsoft has gotten Rafael to take it down. He's closed his anti-tgtsoft blog as well, but he's using extended64 again.

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by John Anderton on 04-26-2006 at 08:33 AM

quote:
Originally posted by rav0
Rafael's bypass wasn't bypassed (unless you're talking about a long time ago, when it was quickly re-released properly).

Recently, Microsoft has gotten Rafael to take it down. He's closed his anti-tgtsoft blog as well, but he's using extended64 again.

Yeah i noticed he closed down anti-tgtsoft.
Ill check out extended64 (didnt know he moved there

)

quote:
Originally posted by Mike
I believe that this will be cracked in less than five days...

I think its already been cracked ..... I saw something ....
* John Anderton shuts up now .....
I dont want to try installing cause i dont want to get it start nagging me about my serial no having expired cause i have used it more than 4 times .... is it my fault their crap shit peice crashes and i have to format and reinstall ¬¬

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by Mike on 04-26-2006 at 08:37 AM

quote:
Originally posted by John Anderton
I dont want to try installing cause i dont want to get it start nagging me about my serial no having expired cause i have used it more than 4 times .... is it my fault their crap shit peice crashes and i have to format and reinstall ¬¬

Virtual Machine?

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by John Anderton on 04-26-2006 at 08:46 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Mike

quote:
Originally posted by John Anderton
I dont want to try installing cause i dont want to get it start nagging me about my serial no having expired cause i have used it more than 4 times .... is it my fault their crap shit peice crashes and i have to format and reinstall ¬¬
Virtual Machine?

cba tbh

Id rather wait for a tested and assured one tbh

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by Pyroteq on 04-26-2006 at 09:02 AM

Meh. That tool is annoying as hell, first time i used it Norton blocked it and crashed the computer.. I have a genuine copy of windows but if i reformat once more then it will think i dont >.<

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by YourNeibour on 04-26-2006 at 01:49 PM

Yeah it is annoying, now because of this I'm afraid to update my pc don't want this stupid nagware. I have a msdn version of windows xp with sp2 corporate. Hope mmicrosoft changes there mind.

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by John Anderton on 04-26-2006 at 03:38 PM

quote:
Originally posted by YourNeibour
Yeah it is annoying, now because of this I'm afraid to update my pc don't want this stupid nagware. I have a msdn version of windows xp with sp2 corporate. Hope mmicrosoft changes there mind.

Microsoft sucks for adding the nagware ... updating right now to check .... nag me bitch i dont care .... im getting a new pc soon so nag away :refuck:

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by Adeptus on 04-26-2006 at 03:40 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Scone
I have a genuine copy of windows but if i reformat once more then it will think i dont >.<

What gave you that idea? Your Windows doesn't become any less genuine because you reformat.

Here's how it works for retail XP product keys: if you exceed a certain number (I forget how many, but it is more than one) of activations within the last 6 months, you won't be able to activate online. It does not mean you won't be able to activate, just that you will have to do it by phone. Only 6 months of activation history are counted, so even if you have exceeded the limit before and had to call, you may be able to activate online the next time if it's been a while.

Activating by phone might be slightly annoying, but it is fast, easy, and they won't give you any hassle. They don't usually even ask for your name. Phone activation is not meant to terrorize legitimate Windows owners or even someone putting their copy on two computers -- it is meant to discover shops that sell computers with bootleg Windows to unwitting users.

OEM product keys (those found on the stickers on the side of your computer) now always have to be activated by phone. The idea there is most people should have a "restore" disc or partition, which restores the original, preactivated OEM image. However, you can install the usual way using your OEM key and activate it by phone. Once again, they won't give you any hassle.

Finally, as long as your hardware doesn't change and you use the same product key, it only takes backing up two small files to restore your activation after a format.

The bottom line: if your computer is custom built and you never bought Windows XP (but are using it anyway), then yes -- you are exactly the guy WGA is supposed to annoy. On the other hand, if you have a legitimate license, there is no problem with having to format often, etc. -- you just have to do it right.

RE: RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by lizard.boy on 04-26-2006 at 03:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Mike
I believe that this will be cracked in less than five days...

I think its already been cracked ..... I saw something ....
* John Anderton shuts up now .....

I dont want to try installing cause i dont want to get it start nagging me about my serial no having expired cause i have used it more than 4 times .... is it my fault their crap shit peice crashes and i have to format and reinstall ¬¬

*snicker*.. yeah 5 days was a way too conservative estimate.

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by Max on 04-26-2006 at 06:56 PM

An old pupil of my school (he left last year) was caught using the schools product keys. The school kicked him out promptly.

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by M73A on 04-26-2006 at 07:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Max
An old pupil of my school (he left last year) was caught using the schools product keys. The school kicked him out promptly.

my schoools dont work

quote:
Originally posted by Adeptus
Finally, as long as your hardware doesn't change and you use the same product key, it only takes backing up two small files to restore your activation after a format.

so can i take these from legit windows and place on custom built windows? lol

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by Adeptus on 04-26-2006 at 07:47 PM

quote:
Originally posted by M73A

quote:
Originally posted by Adeptus
Finally, as long as your hardware doesn't change and you use the same product key, it only takes backing up two small files to restore your activation after a format.
so can i take these from legit windows and place on custom built windows? lol

I am not sure what "custom built Windows" is, but the activation file backup only works for the exact same product key on exact same hardware.

You can use it to avoid having to re-activate after a format, but I can't think of any way it could help with warez-ing. ^o)

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by rav0 on 04-26-2006 at 09:52 PM

Microsoft has a kb article on it. Microsoft's own article makes it sound worse than Tim's article did.

Description of the Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications application

RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by M73A on 04-26-2006 at 10:14 PM

quote:
Originally posted by that link above

How to uninstall Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications
You can use Add or Remove Programs to view Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications, but you cannot use Add or Remove Programs to remove the notifications.

You can temporarily disable Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications. To do this, right-click the Notifier icon in the notification area and select Change Notifications Settings. Then, follow the prompts. This will disable the Notification Prompts until a new release of the Notification Update is released.

For more information about Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine

so is that saying you cant uninstall it?

RE: RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by rav0 on 04-26-2006 at 10:17 PM

quote:
Originally posted by M73A

quote:
Originally posted by that link above

How to uninstall Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications
You can use Add or Remove Programs to view Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications, but you cannot use Add or Remove Programs to remove the notifications.

You can temporarily disable Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications. To do this, right-click the Notifier icon in the notification area and select Change Notifications Settings. Then, follow the prompts. This will disable the Notification Prompts until a new release of the Notification Update is released.

For more information about Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine

so is that saying you cant uninstall it?

You can't uninstall it yet.

RE: RE: Microsoft WGA Becomes Nagware by Supersonicdarky on 04-26-2006 at 11:25 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Max
An old pupil of my school (he left last year) was caught using the schools product keys. The school kicked him out promptly.

i was about to do that today but i forgot to take my usb... phew