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
Related Articles
- Official Ways to Disable or Manually Uninstall the Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications from Microsoft
- Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) Validation Notifications KB905474 1.8.31.9 Crack
- Crack for Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications (KB905474) 1.7.17.0
- Remove, Bypass, Patch and Disable Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage WGA Validation version 1.5.708.0 with LegitCheckControl.dll Crack
- Crack and Patch to Bypass and Disable WGA Genuine Windows Validation and Notifications version 1.5.554.0
- Windows Genuine Advantage Validation and Notifications 1.9.40.0 (WGA Patch Crack)
- Workaround to Disable and Remove OGA Office Not Genuine Notifications (Uninstall KB949810)
- Information on WGA Validation Tool (KB892130), WGA Notifications (KB905474) and Office Genuine Advantage (OGA)
- Windows Genuine Advantage Validation 1.5.723.1 Crack
- Download Windows Genuine Advantage Validation v1.8.32.0 WGA Crack
Entries (RSS)
June 9th, 2006 02:40
@DeathScourge:
What mean exactly “not working”?
All other here their say the patch working without any problem. Maybe it’s a problem specific to your system. As I know is at the moment no new version out, version 1.5.532.2 is the newest.
June 9th, 2006 02:26
@swissboy
i think they may have a new version out i just tried your windowsxp-kb905474-enu-x86.exe but its not working
June 9th, 2006 01:14
thankx swissboy
u just saved my life
June 8th, 2006 23:32
About the theme “WGA-Tool calling home”
If you have installed my patch (last version 1.5.532.2 you can found in comment #237) definitly no data can be received to the Microsoft servers!
It’s not possible because the two files WgaLogon.dll and/or WgaTray.exe doubt for this are replaced in this patch with dummy files with no functionality.
June 8th, 2006 17:25
Microsoft plans better disclosures of tool
By ALLISON LINN, AP Business WriterWed Jun 7, 7:52 PM ET
Microsoft Corp. acknowledged Wednesday that it needs to better inform users that its tool for determining whether a computer is running a pirated copy of Windows also quietly checks in daily with the software maker.
The company said the undisclosed daily check is a safety measure designed to allow the tool, called Windows Genuine Advantage, to quickly shut down in case of a malfunction. For example, if the company suddenly started seeing a rash of reports that Windows copies were pirated, it might want to shut down the program to make sure it wasn’t delivering false results.
“It’s kind of a safety switch,” said David Lazar, who directs the Windows Genuine Advantage program.
Lazar said the company added the safety measure because the piracy check, despite widespread distribution, is still a pilot program. He said the company was worried that it might have an unforeseen emergency that would require the program to terminate quickly.
But he acknowledged that Microsoft should have given users more information about the daily interactions.
“We’re looking at ways to communicate that in a more forward manner,” he said.
Lazar also said the company plans to tweak the program soon so that it will only check in with Microsoft every two weeks, rather than daily.
The tool, part of the Redmond company’s bid to thwart widespread piracy, is being distributed gradually to people who have signed up to receive Windows security updates. The company expects to have offered it to all users worldwide by the end of the year.
Lazar said that so far, about 60 percent of users who were offered the piracy check decided to install it. Once installed, the program checks to make sure the version of Windows a user is running is legitimate, and gathers information such as the computer’s manufacturer and the language and locale it is set for.
That information-gathering is disclosed in a licensing agreement. But the agreement does not make clear that the program also is designed to “call home” to Microsoft’s servers, to make sure that it should keep running.
At least every 90 days, the tool also checks again to see if the copy of Windows is legitimate. Lazar said that’s because the company sometimes discovers that a copy of Windows that it thought was legitimate is actually pirated.
When Microsoft believes a copy of Windows is pirated, the user begins to get a series of reminders that the copy isn’t genuine. Such users also are barred from downloading noncritical updates, such as the new version of its Internet Explorer browser. But anyone who has signed up to automatically receive security updates, which repair flaws to prevent Internet attacks, will still get those fixes.
Lauren Weinstein, who is co-founder of People for Internet Responsibility and was one of the first people to notice the daily communications to Microsoft, said he understands and sympathizes with Microsoft’s desire to control piracy. But he said it’s problematic that Microsoft did not disclose all the program’s communications with the company.
Weinstein said he also was surprised that Microsoft decided to release so widely a tool that it says is in a “pilot” mode and might need to be suddenly shut down.
“Really what you’re talking about is someone saying, ‘Look we’ve put something on your computer and it might go screwy, so we’re going to kind of check in every day,’” he said.
June 8th, 2006 17:08
Did you know WGA connects to Microsoft’s servers every day?
Microsoft said that WGA tool connects to M$’s servers each and every day to see if you have a genuine windows.
This is NOT written in the EULA.
June 8th, 2006 12:09
@jenny: I just need to install the patch.
@wacko: The link still work.
@Admin: You can update the link to version 1.5.532.2 in the “Sixteenth Method” section please?
June 8th, 2006 10:57
http://rapidshare.de/files/22415535/LegitCheckControl.dll-v1.5.532.2-Jun-02-2006.zip.html
doesn’t seem to work anymore, anyone else have another link to this file?
June 8th, 2006 01:05
I have a question for swiss boy method:
I just need to install the patch”-KB905474-ENU-x86-1.5.532.2-noWGA.exe”
or i must add the LegitCheckControl.dll v1.5.532.2 ?
I didn’t understand so well
Thanks
June 8th, 2006 00:57
Thnks to swissboy from a lot of swissgirls of the italian’s blog . You have been genial e very quick, thanks
June 7th, 2006 22:02
Swissboy’s patch above worked great for me after three other trys. Just works and no mods needed.
June 7th, 2006 21:23
ey… swissboy.. thanks a lot… i now got the latest updates, visual studio 2005 and even OFFICE 2007… hahahahaha…. by the way.. maybe you have an idea on cracking windows media player 11. coz i think it has a different genuine checker… hehe..
keep up the good work…
June 7th, 2006 19:05
the patch from swissboy works very easily. simply download, run and restart. thanks.
June 7th, 2006 12:06
New Version of Genuine Advantage Notification 1.5.532.2
The setup ist the original setup of KB905474, just with the 3 files replaced and new packed (can be also unpacked with WinRAR).
You can install this Patch before you have installed KB905474 from Windows Update or also after. Normally a system restart is required.
Download patched Update KB905474 v1.5.532.2 here (1.0MB):
http://rapidshare.de/files/22415310/WindowsXP-KB905474-ENU-x86-1.5.532.2-noWGA.exe.html
Download only patched LegitCheckControl.dll v1.5.532.2 here (358KB):
http://rapidshare.de/files/22415535/LegitCheckControl.dll-v1.5.532.2-Jun-02-2006.zip.html
June 7th, 2006 11:31
Hi, folks.
Just to share the info, if someone get the same problem.
It was an issue with the updates history. Just follow these steps (from http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=910336)
. Stop the Automatic Updates service. To do this, follow these steps:
a. Click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then click OK.
b. Right-click the Automatic Updates service, and then click Stop.
c. Minimize the Services snap-in.
2. Remove the download directory. To do this, follow these steps:
a. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
b. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:
rmdir /s %windir%\softwaredistribution
c. When you receive the “Are you sure (Y/N)
June 7th, 2006 10:47
I’ve tried all of these methods, I can download any app from m$, also I can enter in windows update and chose what I want to download. But all of them in windows update fail. No matter if I choose to download one or all the updates available, it will fail. Even Windows Defender auto uptade give me an error, that 0×80240022 one, telling that I must insert the disk %2 (volume %3) in the drive %1.
Can somebody help me?
Thanks in advance.
June 7th, 2006 09:03
Hmm, I guess it’s because the KB is now v1.5.532.2 as of today. So none of these patches would work if I installed the newest version. That sucks.
June 7th, 2006 08:43
swissboy: I tried your patch and even after a re-start I’m unable to get to Windows Update. Windows Update is supposed to work, right? Or do you have to set it to auto update and then it will allow all the patches to come through, i.e. even the non-critical ones?
June 7th, 2006 08:36
What is KB905474 is already installed? Do these patches work? Cuz I can’t get it to work with the KB installed.
June 7th, 2006 06:23
swissboy’s file worked fine with my copy of WINXP PRO
Download at:
http://rapidshare.de/files/22194390/WindowsXP-KB905474-ENU-x86-v1.5.532.0-noWGA.exe.html
June 7th, 2006 05:02
I did a fresh install of Win XP Pro but I cannot downlaod the WGA….I tried the windows update several times but it says my windows is not genuine. How can I download the WGA?
June 7th, 2006 03:05
@mude: Thanks!
@Le Chicche di Cala: Yes!
@Admin: You can take may Patch as “Seventeenth Method” please? It have posted them original at comment #205 already.
Download at:
http://rapidshare.de/files/22194390/WindowsXP-KB905474-ENU-x86-v1.5.532.0-noWGA.exe.html
June 7th, 2006 03:03
Everyone look at my post!
Method 1 works..
Use method 1..
Thanks to the authour who wrote this article..
I LOVE YA!
June 7th, 2006 02:09
New method “windowsxp-kb905474-enu-x86.exe” is goos for italian version too..? Thanks
June 7th, 2006 01:12
damn…. swissboy… it worked….
keep it up… hehe