Windows Genuine Advantage

[Moaku Hyena]

Oh wow.
Did any of you actually download the Windows Genuine Advantage tool? I downloaded it months ago.
Well, let me give you a rundown.

Windows Genuine Advantage is a tool that determines if your copy of Windows is legitamite. And it just doesn't read your CD Key. It does a lot more.

It frisks (yes, frisks) your hard drive and collects data. It collects:
-Your CD Key
That's normal, I suppose.

-Your Harddrive Info
Why would they need this? So that they ensure that you install Windows on ONE machine. Install a copy on two machines and you're a Software Pirate, baby! (According to M$'s standards anyway).

-Your MAC and IP Address
So they can track your ass down (?).

-Hardware specs
To further identify your PC.

-Computer Manufacturer
Be it Dell, Gateway, IBM, Apple, etc. Now, here's where some trouble brews. Let's say M$ does not like Apple? They can flag all of them as pirated software. Oi.

-And a whole lot more!

And speaking of pirated software, M$ will deactivate any copies of Windows that are pirated or don't have the Windows Genuine Advantage tool. Of course, that is only a rumor, and it has been shot down by M$....but who says they wouldn't do it anyway? They tried to control what browser you use by blocking all portals other than Internet Explorer...

Even worse. This is IMPOSSIBLE TO UNINSTALL. Wow, looks like M$ makes spyware now?

Sources:
Computer World (For the Windows Kill Switch)
SecurityFocus (For the Windows Genuine Advantage Tool article)
Ed Bott's ZDNet blog on the Windows Kill Switch

So what does the WGA software do, exactly? It runs surreptitiously on your computer. It scans the software and hardware, and extracts information about it. If you DON'T run it, your computer becomes unsafe. If you do run it, you have the possibility of getting pop-ups and slowing down your system. Indeed, Microsoft on July 2, 2006 promised that the unlicensed user experience would get even worse. This was with Microsoft's PR flack telling Computerworld that, "In Windows Vista, we are making it notably harder and less appealing to use counterfeit software, and we will work to make that a consistent experience with older versions of Windows as well." Sounds an awful lot like spyware to me.

Indeed, the EULA here is more onerous and less clear than that which the FTC found actionable for online spyware manufacturer Odysseus, who purported to allow people to download software to make Kazaa P2P software anonymous, but which actually collected personal information and sent adware to the users (PDF). In plain terms, spyware EULAs aren't enforceable, and the WGA license sure sounds like a spyware EULA.

...

[Jarre]

Re: Windows Genuine Advantage

Its not impossible to uninstall. I used to get the window update from Microsoft until they did this, before every update I set a system restore point. The last update I installed downloaded this, next time I turned on my comp up pops a box, I cancel it and this box kept popping up, F-secure then reported a program trying to access the internet which I denied it. I rolled back to the restore point I created before thiis update and have now stopped my computer auto updating or even notifying me to update.

If you don;t ahve a system restore point you can roll back to, it looks like a format for you!!!

[Moaku Hyena]

Re: Windows Genuine Advantage

Or you can use this WPA deletion tool, as soon as I find it.

[Mhurron]

Re: Windows Genuine Advantage

And speaking of pirated software, M$ will deactivate any copies of Windows that are pirated or don't have the Windows Genuine Advantage tool. Of course, that is only a rumor, and it has been shot down by M$....but who says they wouldn't do it anyway?

They won't, and they never blocked what browser you can use or install.

Exactly what are you worried about? Did you break the law by pirating Windows?

-Your Harddrive Info
-Your MAC and IP Address
-Hardware specs
-Computer Manufacturer

None of that is transfered to MS in a usable form. If you're going to try and spread paranoia, at least make it so your 'facts' are not so easily shot down.

Each of these items is given a value, except the IP address which is ignored, usually it is the serial number that the device itself reports to any program that asks. It is then hashed so that no other system on the planet can generate the unique number that Windows knows your hardware by. That hash provides NO information about your system and can only be used as a way for Windows to guess that it's not running on the system it is licensed for.

Double Post Edited:
Oh, and what WGA does when it finds a pirated copy is direct you to a site where you can buy a license for your copy of Windows at the price of the Upgrade version.

[Moaku Hyena]

Re: Windows Genuine Advantage

None of that is transfered to MS in a usable form. If you're going to try and spread paranoia, at least make it so your 'facts' are not so easily shot down.

Yeesh, do you always have tp shoot me down? Though I really don't have a Ph.D guy to cite, all I can really cite are pages from sources that people at least find reliable. I at least would like to know where you got this information, so I can concede and even ask for this thread to be deleted or locked, in shame and with my tail between my legs.

Oh, and what WGA does when it finds a pirated copy is direct you to a site where you can buy a license for your copy of Windows at the price of the Upgrade version.

But THIS is where I can argue with you. It is not the same for all computers. Users reported having Blue Screens of Death, being unable to boot, and computer slowdowns up the back alley. This was also from the ZDNet blog.

[Mhurron]

Re: Windows Genuine Advantage

Yeesh, do you always have tp shoot me down? Though I really don't have a Ph.D guy to cite, all I can really cite are pages from sources that people at least find reliable. I at least would like to know where you got this information, so I can concede and even ask for this thread to be deleted or locked, in shame and with my tail between my legs.

How WPA works. This includes calculations. Every piece of software has access to that information and in the XP EULA you agreed to allow WPA to collect and use that data then transfer the results to MS.

But THIS is where I can argue with you. It is not the same for all computers. Users reported having Blue Screens of Death, being unable to boot, and computer slowdowns up the back alley. This was also from the ZDNet blog.

Occam's razor. MS says it will redirect you to pay for your illegally acquired OS. Some users it does, other users provide stories that their system crashes or generally 'works bad.'

Conclusion Number 1: MS decided that only some users of illegal versions of Windows have the right to pay for it, the rest should have working with their system made difficult or impossible leaving themselves open to lawsuits by locking users out of their own data.

Conclusion Number 2: Some users don't know their ass from their elbow and couldn't keep their systems running correctly if their lives depended on it.

Which is more likely?

http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/downloads/faq.aspx
Q: What will the WGA Notifications experience be for non-genuine Windows users?
A: Customers found to be using non-genuine versions of Windows will receive a message during logon that their copy of Windows appears to be non-genuine and will be directed to the WGA Web site to learn more. Users who choose not to obtain a copy of genuine Windows will receive periodic reminders. Regardless of genuine status, users will not be denied access to critical security updates. Users who have not validated their computers as genuine, however, will not be able to install many updates, including Internet Explorer 7.0 and Windows Defender.

[Tatha-Kitten]

Re: Windows Genuine Advantage

I didn't download this, i don't get blue screens of death, and how can microsoft really do anything to my copy of windows if i don't first give them access to my unit, which i never will. honestly...

what is the point of getting frightened of what they 'might' do if you already know they can't without your system itself authorising it?

[Moaku Hyena]

Re: Windows Genuine Advantage

Okay, okay Mhurron, you win and I concede with my tail between my legs.

Any mod out there, please close and lock this thread, as I have lost and I must keep my word.

[Kadenmire]

Re: Windows Genuine Advantage

To get rid of Windows Genuine Advantage you have to:

1: boot in safe mode.
2: run Registry Crawler and remove all files that say Windows Genuine Advantage.
3: run Registry Mechanic.
4: Go to windows system32 foulder and deleat Windows Genuine Advantage Tool.dll replace with cracked version of said file.
5: Reboot you are done.

[Balfree]

Re: Windows Genuine Advantage

Not gonna read all that since its like 5 am and all.

But i guess i can type this here

Me and my partner at work were talking about how MS keeps stepping on their own toes, are they not profiting or something? do they realise that if they MANAGE to eradicate piracy, that people will eventually stop using it at all? (faster). I could see the problem if they were losing money or something, but seriously... WHO buys windows? companies? k. The rest of the world? DOUBT IT.

If they ever do anything like that, im so getting a mac <.<; its so much sexier.

[Murphie]

Re: Windows Genuine Advantage

I bought Windows. Well, it came with my PC.

[Kadenmire]

Re: Windows Genuine Advantage

I bought Windows once. I think it was in 89. Windows 3.1 came on like 14 flopys and cost me $90 bucks.

[zagex]

Re: Windows Genuine Advantage

I set my copy of windows xp to download all updates, but not to install them until I chose to. So I'd also go to custom install to check what was being installed. For Genuine Advantage (what's the advantage anyway?) I told windows not to install it, and conveniently, it popped up a window that asked if I wanted to never download that one update again. Well the next day it downloaded the update, and I got the same window, and now I've never seen it again. It's been at least a week or two (I have no sense of time so it might be 3 or 4 weeks) The 1st time it got downloaded, I might not have checked the box when it asked if I wanted to never download it again, so that's where the 2nd one might have come from.
And no, I didn't buy my copy of windows.

Buy seriously, what's the advantage of having that installed???

[sevenpointflaw]

Re: Windows Genuine Advantage

I must be a looser. I actually baught Windows XP 64. I don't really have anything against priating windows... i just sorta... grew out of the desire to do so.

[Balfree]

Re: Windows Genuine Advantage

I bought Windows. Well, it came with my PC.

Do you have the installation CDs?

Double Post Edited:
Obviously some people buy it <.<