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Windows Genuine Advantage

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 7:46 am
by matthijs
My windows box keeps trying to install an update "Windows Genuine Advantage", since this week.

Sounds suspicious.

I remember somewhere I can better skip this update. Any thoughts?

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 8:31 am
by Kieran Huggins
lots of people have reported problems with WGA - if you un-check it and hit continue you'll be asked if you want to ignore it in the future. It will come back as of the next WGA update.

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 8:52 am
by shiznatix
i would avoid it. a company i worked for bought 5 copies of windows XP for the office. Every single one of them was flagged as pirated even though they where brand new.

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:08 am
by matthijs
Ok thanks! I'll ignore it/avoid it being installed then.

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:19 am
by Maugrim_The_Reaper
I vote for avoiding it - it's needed for some things (Windows Defender I think???) but hardly essential. The only imposition I noticed though was after a recent upgrade when it sticks a large logo warning you to re-register XP into the bottom of the login screen.

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:39 am
by volka
But even if you're rejecting the installation it sends some data to microsoft. http://www.heise-security.co.uk/news/86294

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 11:33 am
by RobertGonzalez
Microsoft makes me edgier and edgier everyday.

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 12:43 pm
by Kieran Huggins
Another valid reason to use tools like mublinder... I administer a bunch of PC's at work (all valid licenses) and I just plain gave up on WGA years ago and started using mublinder. We own the licenses so I can't see how it's not perfectly legal.

That reminds me... I've been meaning to download Feisty Herd 5 and give it a whirl on my thinkpad... beryl 2 (svn) looks sweeeet!!
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/feisty/herd-5/

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 2:56 pm
by Kieran Huggins
I wanted to share this...

I was just installing Ubuntu Feisty Herd 5 (latest beta) and the installer crashed while importing the account settings from my Windows partition.

So what could I do? Why don't I tell you?!!! I ran software update and downloaded the latest installer package, re-ran the installer and I was off to the races... all while booted in the live CD!

What an amazing OS.... does more inside the Installer than some do with a whole fresh install! Go Ubuntu!

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 4:06 pm
by Charles256
I recommended installing WGA for two reasons, A ) get rid of annoying notices. b) if you're using legit software in normal circumstances, any good reason not too? c) to annoy the anti-windows boys on these forums

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 4:17 pm
by RobertGonzalez
Dude, was that two reasons or C reasons?

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 8:10 pm
by alvinphp
Yeah, just install WGA. It does not hurt or slow down your system and you also get Windows Defender which is a pretty slick tool.

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:28 pm
by Charles256
everah, I did that on purpose too ;) You laughed, come on, admit it! :-D

Re: Windows Genuine Advantage

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:40 pm
by AKA Panama Jack
matthijs wrote:My windows box keeps trying to install an update "Windows Genuine Advantage", since this week.

Sounds suspicious.

I remember somewhere I can better skip this update. Any thoughts?
You should completely disable the auto update feature in Windows. This will prevent that message. And avoid installing the WGA software at all costs because it can cause a load of problems.

It's kind of the early version of what Vista is using that is causing people no end of headaches.

Oh, and you can get rid of the notices without installing WGA. :)

Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 12:52 am
by Kieran Huggins
Everah wrote:Dude, was that two reasons or C reasons?
Makes about as much sense as his argument... :twisted: