What is Windows Genuine Advantage?

Windows Genuine Advantage is Microsoft's not so subtle crackdown on illegal piracy of Windows XP
and Microsoft Office products. Microsoft started with an ActiveX component to force owners of Windows XP to validate their version before downloading security updates. Unfortunately this particular scheme was rather easily foiled by groups on the net and workarounds appeared almost instantly including cracked files and javascript fixes.

Now Microsoft is becoming more advanced in their attack on pirated versions of Windows XP or Microsoft Office. They are including a Windows Genuine Advantage security patch in the updates of Windows XP. The newest patch, released the first week of June 2006, actually produces popups on the login screen and on the desktop explaining that this version of Windows XP is not genuine and the owner may be the victim of software counterfeiting.

If your version of Windows XP is not genuine and does not pass the validation schemes, you will not be able to download security patches from Windows Update, or install the latest version of Internet Explorer 7 and other software. For those users that do have a valid version of Windows XP, Microsoft offers some special promotions.


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.