Disable and Remove Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications Nag Screen
This page has been updated, visit the new article on how to bypass and disable the WGA or way to make your Windows genuine permanently.
Microsoft has released WGA Notifications application which effectively turned Microsoft Windows operating system into a ‘nagware’, with a “This copy of Windows is not genuine” warning. What the Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications application does what it will check your Microsoft Windows XP validity. If it found that the copy of Windows XP is not validated, not genuine, counterfeit, unlicensed, pirated, illegal, unauthorised or simply failed the Windows Genuine Advantage validation process, then the notification messages will appear at various places and time.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purpose only, as most information is found on various part of Internet. Readers should contacts Microsoft if their licensed or OEM software cannot be validated or purchase genuine software.
When you log on to a non-genuine copy of Windows XP, the following notification error message “This copy of Windows is not genuine” will pop-up on the logon process:
And the nicely said “You may be a victim of software counterfeiting” message on the bottom right corner of log-in screen:
Microsoft allows Windows faithfuls to have 2 options: Get Genuine or Resolve Later. Click on Resolve Later will temporarily bypass the notification and let you login into and use Windows nagged with notification icon and messages, which will randomly appear as balloon notification message with an icon in the notification area (system tray).
Clicking on the balloon notification or the notification area icon will lead you to the Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Failure Web page that contains the specifics of the validation failure and the steps that you can take to make the operating system genuine.
To get rid of the WGA notifications that intends to remind you that your Windows is not validated, you can buy a validly licensed copy of genuine Microsoft Windows.
Update: Bypass WGA Validation with Crack or Hack and Disable WGA Notifications Warning Message Workarounds
Latest Version: 1.5.554.0 on October 2006 (distribute to some computers with no known roll-out pattern), 1.5.708.0 on September 2006 (distribute to whoever wants to download from Microsoft Download Center), 1.5.540.0 on 28th June 2006, 1.5.532.2 on 6th June 2006, 1.5.532.0 on 30th May 2006, 1.5.530.0 on 23rd May 2006, 1.5.526.0 on 26th April 2006.
More information on WGA Validation Tool (KB892130) and WGA Notifications (KB905474) which install LegitCheckControl.dll, WgaLogon.dll and WgaTray.exe.
With new release of WGA, some methods no longer works, and some has been updated. Several methods that has certain success on certain people, you may try until you success.
Official Method by Microsoft - more information here.
First Method
- Lauch Windows Task Manager.
- End wgatray.exe process in Task Manager.
- Restart Windows XP in Safe Mode.
- Delete WgaTray.exe from c:\Windows\System32.
- Delete WgaTray.exe from c:\Windows\System32\dllcache.
- Lauch RegEdit.
- Browse to the following location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify - Delete the folder ‘WgaLogon’ and all its contents
- Reboot Windows XP.
Note: With this method, you may be prompted to install WGA Notifications again which can still be unselected.
Second Method
Another alternative suggested by dman is by using System Restore to restore the PC to a previous restore point that WGA Notifications hasn’t kicked in, and then carefully stop KB905474 from been applied to the system. To use System Restore, go to Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System Restore.
Note: Again, you may be prompted again to install WGA Notification, so it must be bypassed.
Third Method updated
This method involves using a cracked version of LegitCheckControl.dll to replace the original copy of LegitCheckControl.dll, and thus bypass the WGA validation and make Microsoft believes that your copy of Windows is genuine. To get rid of WGA Notifications warning messages, the patched version of WgaLogon.dll and WgaTray.exe to replace the existing files.
To apply the patch by replacing the files manually, try to end the respective processes in the Task Manager before deleting the existing files. Most likely is you will have to restart your PC in Safe Mode in order to replacing the original copy of LegitCheckControl.dll and related files. However, there has been automatic updater and even cracked WGA installer that automatically apply the patched version of WGA files.
Latest Update for WGA version 1.5.708.0 latest
Download cracked and patched version of LegitCheckControl.dll with thanks to Danny.
Latest Update for WGA version 1.5.554.0 latest
Download cracked and patched version of LegitCheckControl.dll, WgaLogon.dll and WgaTray.exe for v1.5.554.0 of Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool and WGA Notifications.
John suggested that it may be rolled out to reduce the frequency of ‘phone home’ feature. BetaNews has confirmed this and says Microsoft has completed the pilot phase for WGA Notifications, officially rolling out the anti-piracy reminders to Windows XP users worldwide. Anyway if Notifications Tools is patched, it won’t callbacks at all. Swissboy found that now there are 15 languages supported for KB905474 and offers solution.
General release version of Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications also has updated EULA which says installing of this update is optional. However, once installed, the update will become a permanent part of your Windows XP software, means you can’t uninstall it. The EULA also confirms that information about your system will be sent to Microsoft. You can just skip installing the KB905474 by clicking “I Decline” when shown the EULA. If you don’t want the Automatic Updates or Windows Updates to try install WGA Notifications again, click Don’t ask me to install these updates again at Decline EULA window.
Latest Update for WGA version 1.5.532.2
Version 1.5.532.2 of WGA Validation Tool and WGA Notifications is NOT YET mass released to all Windows system, so your system may not have this version.
WindowsXP-KB905474-ENU-x86-1.5.532.2-noWGA.exe (as suggested by swissboy) is the original setup of KB905474, but with the 3 files as mentioned above replaced with patched version and re-packed. You can view the contents with WinRAR or 7-Zip. Download here or here. (Removed due to compliant from Microsoft)
LegitCheckControl.dll-v1.5.532.2-Jun-02-2006.zip (as suggested by swissboy) contains hacked version of LegitCheckControl.dll which you have to replace manually over the existing dll in \Windows\System32 folder. Download here or here. (Deleted due to complaint from Microsoft)
new More automated WGA removal tool: RemoveWGA
Latest Update for WGA version 1.5.532.0
LegitCheckControl1.5.532.0.muiz.fixed.rar (suggested by Picard) is the patched LegitCheckControl.dll and can be download here or here (removed due to complaint from Microsoft).
If LegitCheckControl.dll alone doesn’t work, try to patch the other two WGA files too, namely WgaLogon.dll and WgaTray.exe. Download the the patches for 3 files here or here (Removed due to complaint from Microsoft). Overwrite the original files with these hacked version in \Windows\System32 folder. The patch should remove notifications nag screen and allows Windows Update.
There are also several automated tools that save the dirty works of have to manually overwrites and replaces the WGA applications.
WGAPatch905474 (suggested by SilverBullet) contains 905474.exe that will patch Windows to allow access to full (custom) Windows Update and get rid of nag screen. Download 905474.exe here or here (removed due to complaint from Microsoft).
There are also several patched WGANotify KB905474 installation setup which will install KB905474 WGAnotify with the 3 patched WGA files namely LegitCheckControl.dll, WgaLogon.dll and WgaTray.exe. One of them is HotFix windowsxp-kb905474-enu-x86.exe suggested by DeaDMan Walking, which will after install, disable notifications nag screen and allows update. Download here, here or here (removed coz of Microsoft complaint).
WindowsXP-KB905474-ENU-x86-v1.5.532.0-noWGA.exe (suggested by Swissboy) is also the patched KB905474 setup file which is actually the original setup of KB905474, but with the 3 files replaced. Download it here or here (removed due to Microsoft compliant).
Old Updates
Version 1.5.530.0 of cracked LegitCheckControl.dll (suggested by chucko), can also be downloaded here or here (obsolete links, visit here for updates).
Use the latest cracked LegitCheckControl.dll by searching for “Windows.Genuine.Advantage.Validation.v1.5.526.0.CRACKED-ETH0″. Can also be downloaded here (obsolete link, update here). Cracked LegitCheckControl.dll also available here or here (obsolete links, updates available here). Once download the cracked dll, replace the LegitCheckControl.dll in \Windows\System32 folder with the cracked version. You may need to restart your PC in safe mode to replace the files.
Forth Method
Jules found that by disabling and renaming the files ‘WgaLogon.dll’ and ‘WgaTray.exe’ in C:\WINDOWS\system32 folder by using the program Unlocker seems to get rid of all the nags/popups.
Fifth Method
Clear the contents or create a new empty data.dat for WGA, and make data.dat Read-Only and Hidden as detailed here.
The following step basically is the same with the above data.dat method, only different is that you no need to create any file in the WGA data folder:
- Launch Windows Explorer and go to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Windows Genuine Advantage\data
- Go to Tools -> Folder Option -> View.
- Select (click) Show Hidden Files and Folders option.
- Unselect (uncheck) Hide Protected Operating System Files option.
- Click OK.
- Delete everything in the data folder.
- Right click on data folder, and select Properties.
- Select (Check) Read-Only as the folder’s atributes.
- Click OK or Apply.
Update: After 30 May 2006 with the release of WGA 1.5.532.0, this method no longer works. If the data.dat is set to “Read-Only”, WGA may complains that the serial key from the file could not be read, making the WGA validation failed even with the cracked dll files. So just delete the file (and make sure the folder is not set to “Read-Only”), WGA will then automatically regenerate the file and create the key, so you will pass the validation if you have the correct patched dll installed.
Sixth Method
Another alternative suggest that three files are installed Windows XP System Folder for WGA:
\WINDOWS\system32\WgaLogon.dll
\WINDOWS\system32\WgaTray.exe
\WINDOWS\system32\LegitCheckControl.dll
The wgatray.exe process makes the check for genuine windows software. If WgaLogon.dll is denied execution right, that WinLogon is unable to call it to check on Windows validity and display notification package at boot, and since WgaLogon is also responsible for running and maintaining WgaTray.exe, no more tray popups either.
To change and disable the execute bit of WgaLogon.dll:
- Turn off Simple File Sharing in Tools -> Folder Options -> View tab.
- Right click WgaLogon.dll in Windows Explorer and open the Security Tab.
- Click Advanced button.
- Uncheck the Inherit box at the bottom.
- Click the Copy button.
- Click OK.
- Go through each listed user/group and remove the “Read & Execute” permission for WgaLogon.dll, leaving the “Read” permission as-is.
- Click OK to apply the permission changes.
- Close the file properties dialog.
- Restart the computer.
- Turn “Use simple file sharing” on (optional).
Optionally, steps suggested by PSNet which has the same effect - disabling WgaLogon.dll.
Note: Visit the a more tidy article on how to bypass and disable the WGA with various tricks and hacks or a host redirect method to make Windows genuine permanently.
More on…
Page 2: More methods and suggestions to bypass WGA
Page 3: How you can ‘upgrade’ the version of cracked DLLs by yourself
Share and contribute or get technical support and help at My Digital Life Forums.
Related Articles
- Crack and Patch to Bypass and Disable WGA Genuine Windows Validation and Notifications version 1.5.554.0
- Crack for Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications (KB905474) 1.7.17.0
- Bypass and Disable Genuine Windows Validation Check
- Cracked LegitCheckControl.dll 1.7.59.0 for WGA Validation by ETH0
- Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) Validation v1.7.69.1 Update
- Download Microsoft Software from Download Center Bypass and Without Genuine Windows Validation
- Windows Genuine Advantage Crack for WGA 1.5.722.0
- Windows Genuine Advantage Crack 1.7.18.5
- Windows Genuine Advantage Validation 1.5.723.1 Crack
- Firewall Leak Tester RemoveWGA Stop Microsoft WGA Notifications Callbacks & Phones Home
Entries (RSS)
May 30th, 2006 14:24
If you have the nag, simply run WGAremover here: http://www.saltysidedown.com/junk/WGARemover.exe
Reboot and then put the latest cracked file found here: http://www.saltysidedown.com/junk/LegitCheckControl.dll in C:WINDOWS/System 32 and overwrite.
Thanks Chucko…
May 30th, 2006 11:23
For those who advise to purchase a copy of Windows xp. I asked how many copies of windows I have to buy to keep Microsoft of my back. MS is starting to sound more and more like the Music Biz ok suckers buy the same song in different formats and forget you can’t share it. Enough is enough get what u can.
May 30th, 2006 05:37
hi all
someone told me even after the nag ware is fixed the computer will shut down after two weeks . is that true ?
just a novice here ?
May 30th, 2006 02:11
Hi,
This might sound really simple but i downloaded the cracked dll how do i replace it?
Do i put in the folder and delete the old one?
I am a novice!
May 29th, 2006 07:41
hi just a quick question ive used crack its great but now trying to download internet explorer 7 beta 2 when i downloaded it , it come’s with a validation and wont install till youve validated your windows any help would be grateful. ty
May 28th, 2006 09:06
thanks all, will try the other methods!
May 28th, 2006 05:06
[...] 10 ways to remove Windows Genuine Advantage nag screen (tags: hacking security windows xp) May 12 2006 04:00 pm | Links | [...]
May 28th, 2006 00:27
To Fat Shady: The point is, if you dont install it you will not be able to download other updates, at least not from Microsoft’s site.. (And the non-microsoft sites are typically about a month behind..)
To Stuck: If it really does not exist in your Windows\System32 folder, you probably haven’t installed the latest WGA validation tool..
Make sure you have the latest one from windows update, then replace the .dll with the newest one and you’ll be fine.
To uruloki: No its not.. I tried changing the version information and it did not work
And yes, cracking CAN be just hex editing, after you locate where the instructions you neet to change that is :). In any case it doesnt matter what it is exactly since it works with the version its supposed to work..
May 27th, 2006 20:30
Argh! I’m so stuck. LegitCheckControl.dll doesn’t exist in my XP…!
May 27th, 2006 16:26
1. Is this WGA nag thing only installed after a shutdown.
2. If so, I have downloaded this but have not actually installed it. Is it possible to delete this from some folder before it even installs… If so, Help would be great.
3. I have already turned off updates.
Thanks
May 27th, 2006 15:46
Mind you that all these 1.5.530.0 LegitCheckControl.dll files that are floating out there are simply versions from 2005 with the version number hex edited.
They are NOT patched versions of the REAL 1.5.530.0.
One giveaway is that 1.5.530.0 is 566 KB (579.888 bytes) in size, whereas the ‘cracked’ (don’t make me laugh, hexediting is not cracking) ones are 507-508 KB in size.
May 27th, 2006 05:24
Method 3 done the job. Had to go into safemode before it would let me replace legitcontrol.dll but worked fine once I had done that.
May 27th, 2006 05:24
I used the 1st method, it works perfectly for me….thanks alot to those who get involve in the process of working out the solution….cheersss
May 26th, 2006 19:28
used method 3 and worked like f… charm . thanks alot for all who were responsible and helping us poor people out.
i can even download windows defender .passes the valdiation test
laterz
May 26th, 2006 06:25
Hye mates all of you use the crak the dll crack it works as a charm just replace the legit dll crak with the one in ur system32 :).
May 26th, 2006 00:15
thanks for the .dll file
May 25th, 2006 18:44
This works if your XP hard drive is formatted as FAT32.
Just format a floppy with Windows 98 with option to copy system files, ie create a boot disk.
Copy the following text into notepad and save as autoexec.bat on the floppy disk.
@echo off
del c:\windows\system32\wga*.*
echo.
echo WGA bug fixed !
echo.
echo FINISHED
echo.
echo PLEASE REMOVE FLOPPY DISK AND REBOOT
echo.
Check your BIOS boot order is set up to look at your floppy drive first.
Put the disk in the drive and start up your computer. When the finished message appears, remove disk and reboot.
Done.
May 25th, 2006 10:35
muhuhohahahahaha… use the evil empire’s own tools to crush their evil spawn of satan….. start, run, arrow down. you will probably find an entry that says REGSVR32 LegitCheckControl.dll copy that dude into the command line. now insert a /u in front of Legit….. click OK… problemenski solved. That guy rips all of the junk out of the registry… now you are free to delete crud at will!
May 25th, 2006 09:45
http://www.windizupdate.com link does work…just not with IE.
May 25th, 2006 07:44
Looks like MS have every angle covered now except cracked .dll files, so I guess everytime MS change how it works we have to wait for a new .dll file. Thanks to everyone who helped.
May 25th, 2006 07:37
quote by ‘computer formums’
Fourteenth Method: Instead of being cheap and refusing to pay for windows, buy it.
You honestly think having a legit copy of windows prevents the NAG screen appearing. I personally know users who have legit oem copies of windows purchased with the new Dell or HP who still get this NAG. Another not-so-well thought out plan by M$ which to annoy their own ‘paying’ customers as well as non paying. Paying for windows does not stop this NAG.
May 25th, 2006 03:37
PS Thanks to the author - chucko? for the creation .
May 25th, 2006 03:31
Atreies.
See Method Three section
(there is two links remaining that work..)
May 25th, 2006 01:17
The link above is no good anymore. Is there another?
May 24th, 2006 14:45
Fourteenth Method: Instead of being cheap and refusing to pay for windows, buy it.
Fifteenth Method: Switch to a better, free operating system, like Linux.