Tarq57 Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 (edited) Scot's Newsletter Forums does not encourage or condone violating any law regarding copyright or DRM/DMCA (U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act) in the USA, or similar laws that may exist in other countries. Some of the software mentioned in this thread may be illegal to use in your location. Copying certain CDs/DVDs may also be illegal in your location. Even if you may believe these laws to be unconstitutional, unethical, silly, and a violation of consumer fair use rights, please check the laws for your location before following the advice in this thread. . . . . . -- Forum Admins & ModeratorsMy copy of Windows XP home is genuine, and has been validated in the past. Somewhat surprised today to find updates available to validate my copy of windows (KB905474). Looking through "add/remove programs" a version of this is already applied (KB892130).Visiting the microsoft page to test if my copies of windows is genuine shows that it is, in fact, genuine. MS why validate Entering the name of the update on Google led me to This page which purports to offer ways around it.I'm somewhat suspicious of the function of the "WGA notify" tool, don't really want it installed, and wonder if this is a way of installing it? So far all I've done is instruct update not to notify on this update again, because I don't want the security shield to pop up with this warning every time I turn the computer on. Any thoughts? Edited March 6, 2007 by LilBambi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 WGA Notify is a catch 22.You don't have to have it if you don't want your updates. You can't get your updates without it.UNLESS, you already have .NET installed and use a third party to get your updates.AND third parties will ultimately cost you money to get them.Don't get me wrong ... I hate WGA/WGA Notify ... I think it sucks big time. But as I say, it's a catch 22. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarq57 Posted February 22, 2007 Author Share Posted February 22, 2007 Is this particular update WGA notify, then?As I understand it there is a difference between having windows validated, which mine is, and has been for yonks, and on the other hand also having WGA notify, responsible for the nag screen and various "phone home" operations. I have had no trouble getting updates, just elect not to install some of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 I was under the impression that WGA Notification Tool was going to be required like WGA now in order to get updates at least on WinXP and Vista.Maybe they changed their mind on that. Who knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goretsky Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Hello,Perhaps the new version of the Windows Genuine Advantage tool contains a bug fix (or fixes) which improve its ability to correctly identify legitimate installations of Microsoft Windows or fixes for things like crashes or incompatibilities with other programs. By not installing it, you might run a higher risk of having a problem with your installation of Microsoft Windows XP.Regards,Aryeh Goretsky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarq57 Posted February 22, 2007 Author Share Posted February 22, 2007 Thanks for the replies. I don't mind too much having a validation tool on board, and if KB905474 turns out to be an update for that, will install it. (Amazing the number of words yet lack of information MS provide about some of their updates!)But if it's WGA notify I'd rather not, if it can be avoided. Seen a few privacy related issues discussed concerning this.If it's going to be the only way to get updates, however, I'll rethink. If anyone knows which it is, and why it's released (because wga.notify has been around for a while now) would really appreciate knowing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kkehoe Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 They're related, but different. 892130 is the actual validation tool. 905474 is more of an "in your face" method of telling you that you've failed validation and how to "get legal". I don't think it's necessary to install it.Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 I installed it and Passed. Oh Boy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NICK ADSL UK Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 (edited) Yes the update means that you can opt in or out and you have a choice in ticking the relevant box. If like me you opt in and tick the yes box your computer is then scanned and if it passes you then get a link to some additional freebies from Microsoft Edited February 22, 2007 by NICK ADSL UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Hi Nick, could you confirm for me whether that's only if you are using Automatic Updates? I had heard that if you don't install WGA Notify, you couldn't get the extra goodies and I think there was something about not being able to actually go to the Windows Updates/Microsoft Updates sites to get updates but that you would be dependent upon the Automatic Updates function in the computer to get them.Thanks. I have a client who is also trying to figure this out and things have changed since the WGA Notification Tool first came out. I know they changed from daily to a more liberal checking (two weeks or a month?) not sure. My client likes to get his updates on his own because he's on dialup and doesn't want updates coming down just whenever. I can check the Microsoft website, but if you know already, that would be a help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epp_b Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 WGA: William's Genuine Advantage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redmaledeer Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 (edited) This is a dumb question, but it's my bottom line. Should I install the new KB905474? Is it a kinder, gentler version of the original (which I do have installed), and thus of use to me? Or is it only of advantage to Microsoft? I want to be able to get updates from Microsoft, but I suspect that I can do without getting "extra goodies" or "additional freebies" from them. I don't use automatic updates, just the Microsoft Update entry in Start/All Programs. Edited March 2, 2007 by redmaledeer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kkehoe Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Again, KB892130, the actual validation tool, is mandatory and you will need it to do anything outside the scope of Automatic Updates.On the other hand KB905474 is just a "notification" tool. I guess its objective is to communicate with people who do not tend to visit the Windows Update site or manually install items that require WGA validation, for instance Media Player.As such, you do not need to install KB905474, although you may have to keep "hiding" it each time they bump out a new version.Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epp_b Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Stay away KB905474, period. No goodies are worth having that spyware infecting your PC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarq57 Posted March 2, 2007 Author Share Posted March 2, 2007 redmaledeer, following advice here, I elected not to install it, I still get updates notifications, and am still able to download updates. Haven't fully understood all I've read about wga.notify, but my understanding is that it's pretty much spyware, of value to Microsoft and perhaps whoever they sell to, and of pretty much no real value to the end user. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redmaledeer Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Thanks all. But my problem is that I already have (the old version of) KB905474 on my machine. My problem is whether to stick with the devil I know (the old version), or to update to the new version of KB905474. What would be ideal would be to uninstall KB905474 entirely. But I don't think that can be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epp_b Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 (edited) Thanks all. But my problem is that I already have (the old version of) KB905474 on my machine. My problem is whether to stick with the devil I know (the old version), or to update to the new version of KB905474. How about neither? Edited March 2, 2007 by epp_b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redmaledeer Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Thanks, epp_b, for the very complete reference to removing the validation and notification. I am digesting it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Please note the disclaimer added to the first post in this topic. Thanks -- Bambi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Temmu,Yes, that's the problem with Windows Genuine Advantage/WGA Notification. You never know when a legitimate copy of the operating system will be deemed an illegal copy.Under those conditions, the best thing is to contact Microsoft and get them to correct the problem from their end since it is their software and you know it's a legal copy from an OEM for that computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redmaledeer Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Scot's latest newsletter (Mar. 2007, 3/7/2007) has information on this under the heading "Microsoft WGA Returns to Windows XP." He recommends not installing the new KB905474, whether or not one has the old KB905474 installed. He also refers to past newsletters for information on "How to Block WGA Notifications from Installing" and "How to Uninstall WGA Notifications." The latter is very complete and detailed, but he cautions that it may not work for the latest version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar Man Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 He recommends not installing the new KB905474, whether or not one has the old KB905474 installed. Interesting... I have the original update for the validation tool. No problem there. And I chose not to install the latest one because I'm not having problems. One must not forget that this is not a critical security update.I have received an email notification for the March newsletter because I'm subscribed to it, but have not read it yet. I will now...No wonder Scot jumped ship to a Mac system ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zlim Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 It may not be a critical update but MS mixes it in with the critical/security and then feeds it to anyone with auto updates turned on. That's why everyone is furious. Even people without auto update might not read through all the updates to see exactly what is offered and mistakenly grab this because it is listed among the critical/security! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar Man Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 I have my AU set to "Notify" and always scan the offerings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patio Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 The only way to fly safely.... patio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goretsky Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 Hello,I installed the WGA update on two computers running Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition with Service Pack 2 and all the other available patches and hot-fixes. No problems noted on either. One is a work notebook computer I use daily, the other a desktop computer I use infrequently for gaming.Regards,Aryeh Goretsky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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