Disable Microsoft WGA
p2p news / p2pnet: Soon, Windows Genuine (Dis)Advantage will only phone home every two weeks instead of every time you boot up, promise Bill and the Boyz.
But what if you don’t want it top spy on you at all? What if you don’t want it to phone home? Ever?
Microsoft caught a lot of well-deserved flack with its Windows Not-So-Genuine Advantage created to allow Microsoft to poke around inside your system to make sure you’re not running MS software you didn’t buy.
But, “Two UK dealers have already complained WGA had branded their software as an illegal copy” and, “The software checks what is installed on your machine and then reports back to Microsoft – it sends your IP number and information on your software set-up,” reported The Register, whch also has Michaela Alexander, head of anti-piracy at Microsoft UK, protesting:
“The last thing we want is unhappy customers so we are investigating this – but it is a pilot and this is part of the process.”
Not to worry.
“RemoveWGA enables you to remove the Microsoft ‘Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications’ tool, which is calling home and connect to Microsoft servers every time you boot,” says firewallleaktester.com, continuing:
“Once the WGA Notification tool has checked your OS and has confirmed you had a legit copy, there is no decent point or reason to check it again and again every boot. Moreover, connecting to Microsoft brings security issue for corporate networks, and privacy issues for everyone. It is also unclear which information are transmitted (Microsoft published an official answer, but an individual study brought some questions). All of that, along the fact that Microsoft used deceptive ways to make you install this tool (it was told you it was an urgent security update, whereas it is a new installation giving you no extra security) makes me calling this tool a spyware.
“Also, Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications is different than Windows Genuine Advantage Validation. RemoveWGA only remove the notification part, phoning home, and does not touch the Validation part. As the time I’m writting this, the Validation part is mandatory for some not critical downloads from Microsoft, but the Notification part is not mandatory at all, and you are able to install all of the security updates without installing this one.”
Download RemoveWGA from firewalltester.com, and we’ve also stashed a copy here, just in case.
Digg this story.
Also See:
every two weeks – Microsoft to dump WGA, June 12, 2006
reports back – Windows Genuine DisAdvantage , June 8, 2006
firewallleaktester.com – RemoveWGA v1.02
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June 24th, 2006 at 5:41 pm
Is this not like allowing RIAA-MPAA inspectors into your home very two weeks to check you don’t hve any mp3 file at home?
June 24th, 2006 at 10:50 pm
Microsoft gave you a firewall that stopped stuff from coming in but gave you no control of what went out. Who in their right mind would let this stupid thing tattle to MS if they could block it. I assume Zone Alarm and fellow travelers would block it. Since I stopped “upgrading” at W2Ksp2 with no regrets, I dont know.
June 25th, 2006 at 1:30 pm
Once Microsoft is given permission to scan your computer, via a contract that has so much text that even most lawyers wouldn’t notice the fine print, there is nothing to say that Microsoft won’t offer the service to other associations to scan for other than works under Microsoft’s copyright.
Microsoft wants the RIAA/MPAA to adopt Microsoft DRM (IE: Microsoft “owns” and controls your PC, and explicitly revokes your ability to control your own PC), so is quite likely going to offer this type of service to be seen by these associations as one of their own.
June 25th, 2006 at 5:05 pm
Ive just blocked the process at my firewall. As far as I understodd many applications routinely call home looking for various things. Winamp calls home, WMP calls home and pretty much most software calls home looking for updates so microsoft doing it to me is no surprise. everytime i ever install an application the first thing i do is find the options and turn those settings off. n If they arnt to be found they get bolcked at the firewall.
June 28th, 2006 at 5:45 pm
All these so called ‘up-dates’ do is break things, make MORE holes and do shit like this WGA… Fuck M$! and their ‘up-dates’ I have a MUCH more secure machine using my own ‘cocktail’ of anti-malware programs than M$ will EVER deliver! If I could afford it, I’d get rid of my M$ machine and get anything but!!! M$ has gotten way too greedy and are working with the ‘gov’ too closely for my tastes.