How To Remove Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage (Latest Version)

This version removes cleanly both WGA Notification 'Pilot' version and 'Final' version, it should theoretically not be needed anymore to directly unload the WGA notification in live from memory and to risk a blue screen (BSOD). In short this is a version which can be used easily by everyone.

RemoveWGA 1.2 has been successfully tested against the pilot and final version of WGA notification on both Windows XP SP2 Professional & Home Edition (clean removal).

RemoveWGA now uses 3 different WGA removal methods, depending of the WGA version installed on your computer. The last one (BSOD) should not be used, except may be for future WGA versions if the clean removal methods fail. If it happens, RemoveWGA will popup a warning and will ask you before trying anything.

In the words of the author:

RemoveWGA enables you to remove the Microsoft "Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications" tool, which is calling home and connect to Microsoft servers every time you boot (pilot version), or every two weeks (current release).

Once the WGA Notification tool has checked your OS and has confirmed you had a legit copy, there is no decent point or reason to check it again and again every boot. Moreover, connecting to Microsoft brings security issue for corporate networks, and privacy issues for everyone. It is also unclear which information are transmitted (Microsoft published an official answer, but an individual study brought some questions). All of that, along the fact that Microsoft used deceptive ways to make you install this tool (it was told you it was an urgent security update, whereas it is a new installation giving you no extra security) makes me calling this tool a spyware.

Also, Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications is different than Windows Genuine Advantage Validation. RemoveWGA only remove the notification part, phoning home, and does not touch the Validation part. As the time I'm writting this, the Validation part is mandatory for some not critical downloads from Microsoft, but the Notification part is not mandatory at all, and you are able to install all of the security updates without installing this one. This may change in the future thought, I don't know what are the Microsoft plans.

Note : once the WGA notification is removed, the Automatic Update will bug you about installing the update again. This is normal, and out of the scope of RemoveWGA (since at this point, the WGA notification is uninstalled from your system). If you are concerned about tweaking Automatic Update to prevent Microsoft trying to push the update on your computer.

You can download it here.

How To Disable Windows Genuine Advantage Notification in 3 Simple Steps

Following three simple steps now you can get rid of the pesky and sometimes buggy Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) notifications:
1. Reboot Windows in safe mode (hold the f8 key while booting and you will get the option to boot in safe mode) and then:
2. Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and search for wgalogon folder and delete it. You should backup up the registry beforehand, in case somethiong goes wrong.
3. In your windows directory search for files wga* and delete them.

You are done!

Now reboot back normally and continue your work. Windows Genuine Advantage will not bother you anymore.

Note: I had previously posted a tip which requires a third-party executable. Now it is not required anymore. You can do it yourself by carefully following the guide above.

Warning: Use at your own risk. Backup everything before you do.

Bonus Hint: A better option is to switch to Linux and enjoy all the peace of mind that comes from using Genuine Linux operating system and non-Microsoft software and in not using Genuine Windows software. Additionally laugh all the way to your bank with all the money saved in licensing.

WindizUpdate Lets You Update Windows Through Firefox

Windows only: If you’re not particularly fond of the official Windows Update system provided through Internet Explorer, whether your reason being a distaste for the Windows Genuine Advantage software or the insistence that the next upgrade of Internet Explorer really is a mission critical system update, there is an alternative way to update your system. WindizUpdater is a Firefox plugin which mimics the official Windows Update application. The key advantage of using WindizUpdater is that you have complete control over what gets installed and what doesn’t. The system never forces you to install an update you don’t want and will skip updates that aren’t necessary for your system.

The downloader has error correction and auto resume should you lose your connection to the servers while updating. In my test run of WindizUpdater on a laptop running Windows XP Professional that hadn’t been updated for several months the only issue that came up was the latency between the releases on the official Microsoft server and the WindizUpdater server. If you can tolerate some lag time between the official release of a patch and the push to the WindizUpdater servers then the deal is sealed. WindizUpdate is a free Firefox plugin, Windows only.

WindizUpdater [via DownloadSquad]

What to do when Windows XP Service Pack 3 won’t install

Windows XP Service Pack 3 has been out since April, but it’s only now being widely pushed out onto Australian desktops via Windows Update, meaning that pretty much everyone is going to have to deal with it regardless of their geek status. For most people, that means a hefty download (60MB or more) and the usual delays and reboots to have a fully-patched PC. But what if the service pack doesn’t install? Read on for our guide to fixing some common SP3 problems.I’ve installed SP3 on several XP machines by now, and haven’t had problems with most of them — but today I encountered a machine that flat-out refused to install SP3, even though it had detected that it was available. That process has ended up with Microsoft Support (and still isn’t resolved), but there’s plenty of steps you can take before you’re forced to hit the phones.

Get the basics right

Although SP3 doesn’t add much major new functionality (as we’ve pointed out before), it is a fairly invasive update, so maximise your chances of getting it to install right. Reboot your machine, and close down any applications that launch during startup. Fire up Internet Explorer (Firefox isn’t a good choice in this context). If you haven’t previously been through the oh-so-annoying Windows validation process, you’ll need get that out of the way first by visiting this page and clicking on the ‘Validate Windows’ button in the top-left corner. Then go to Windows Update and follow the prompts to install SP3.

Troubleshooting steps

Unfortunately, there are plenty of elements that can make SP3 go wrong, from strange hardware drivers to individual hardware products. If you encounter a specific error message pointing to a particular product, try disabling it and attempt a reinstall. If you get a very generic message (like the one at the top of this article), you’ll need to try some more general steps.
For no obvious reason, Microsoft has produced a troubleshooting guide to installing SP3 as part of its Knowledge Base, but doesn’t actually link to it from the SP3 installation error page. Once you do find it, it proposes five steps: reboot and try again, try install a downloaded version rather than the Windows Update version, disable your antivirus software, make sure Background Intelligent Transfer Service is enabled, and clear the software distribution folder. You can read the details of each step in the support document, but here’s two important points to note which it doesn’t mention.
Firstly, if you choose to download the standalone SP3 installation rather than using Windows Update (step 2 in Microsoft’s list), be aware that it weighs in at 316MB — a hefty amount if you’re on a restricted download limit and an impossible amount if you use dial-up. Microsoft does offer an alternative service where you can order SP3 on a CD, but that costs $14.95 for delivery charges. Even nastier, despite that huge price, delivery takes between 2 to 4 weeks.
Secondly, if you do download the full installer or order the CD, Microsoft telephone support recommends installing it in safe mode, though this isn’t mentioned in the Knowledge Base article. (Access Safe Mode by holding down the F8 key during booting.)

Contact support

If all that fails, Microsoft is offering free telephone support for XP SP3 service pack problems until April 2009. Ring on 13 20 58 (for Australian users); be prepared to wait for a while and repeat information several times. With that said, the staff I encountered were courteous, and everyone was aware that SP3 users are entitled to free support.