20 replies to this topic

[hazelnut]

Microsoft's latest words

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=84

[MikeW]

Interesting read, but the auther seems to concentrate his attention on WGA. I dont have a problem with MS wanting proof that my copy is legal, and have left it installed. However, I do object to WGA-Notify collecting and sending hardware information back to MS. So I have removed it and switched auto-updates to notify only. I wonder if they really would make wga notify mandatory and deactivate systems without it?

[DjLizard]

Highly doubtful. A front-line tech support drone from India is quite likely to have made a mistake about the functionality of an upcoming, undiscolosed fall WGA update. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I'm fairly certain he meant to say Windows Update would disallow access if you did not have the WGA installed.

A ZDNET editorial about a single blogger who received a forwarded email from someone else who received a response from a (probably) Indian tech support lackey... now that's journalism.

edit: ^ who cares if it sends hardware information? Does your sound or video card have something to hide? (Besides, it only sends your product key, product ID, Windows version, and build)

[Andavari]

DjLizard, on Jun 28 2006, 09:17 AM, said:

Does your sound or video card have something to hide?

Maybe not, but I'm sure our printers do!

[Eldmannen]

Yes, I have my Automatic Updates settings set to "Notify me of updates but dont download and install them".
I would also like to review the updates before they are downloaded and installed, I dont want it to be able to install anything without my explicit confirmation and approval.

Some may be pretty fine that WGA sends out some information, and think it dont matter if it sound graphics card and sound card, but I rather see it not send any data.

CCleaner has an an Uninstall section, and then some WGA thing can be uninstalled.


Perhaps Microsoft wants to intimate people and get them a little worried and push them into buying a legit copy if they dont own one but I dont think they dare to push the kill switch because it would annoy alot of people which may go looking for alternatives.

[Andavari]

Eldmannen, on Jun 28 2006, 03:04 PM, said:

Perhaps Microsoft wants to intimate people and get them a little worried and push them into buying a legit copy if they dont own one but I dont think they dare to push the kill switch because it would annoy alot of people which may go looking for alternatives.

Valid point! Also if they piss off some people who happen to be using a legit purchased Windows OS they could end up getting lawsuits left and right if they all of a sudden locked people out of their computers.

[Eldmannen]

Microsoft got sued over WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage).

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/275...msftsuit29.html
http://www.groklaw.n...060629160018237

[hazelnut]

very interesting read, thanks eldmannen

[RAM]

Eldmannen, on Jun 28 2006, 03:04 PM, said:

Yes, I have my Automatic Updates settings set to "Notify me of updates but dont download and install them".
I would also like to review the updates before they are downloaded and installed, I dont want it to be able to install anything without my explicit confirmation and approval.

Some may be pretty fine that WGA sends out some information, and think it dont matter if it sound graphics card and sound card, but I rather see it not send any data.

CCleaner has an an Uninstall section, and then some WGA thing can be uninstalled.
Perhaps Microsoft wants to intimate people and get them a little worried and push them into buying a legit copy if they dont own one but I dont think they dare to push the kill switch because it would annoy alot of people which may go looking for alternatives.

Ive tried using that + the Uninstaller can NOT be found
wher is it ?

[krit86lr]

Eldmannen, on Jun 28 2006, 03:04 PM, said:

CCleaner has an an Uninstall section, and then some WGA thing can be uninstalled.

Side Note: I couldn't remove the WGA Notifications using CCleaner.

RAM, on Jul 7 2006, 08:20 AM, said:

Ive tried using that + the Uninstaller can NOT be found
wher is it ?

Same here. CCleaner couldn't uninstall it for me either. Have tried this yet? There's a 3rd party tool, and a method suggested by MS. (that's all that I know)

[zaphirer]

I never installed WGA, even though my Windows is Legit >.>

[MikeW]

Just download the free tool from the link below, run the program and reboot pc. WGA Notify will be gone. Dont forget to stop automatic update from re installing though

http://www.firewalll.../tools_list.htm

[PS3]

so can someone just give it to me in brief? my computer is dead if i dont download what?

[RAM]

looks like I dont need to Uninstall since my Windows XP is legal - it came pre-loaded on my eMachine
it appears Hazelnut wuz being a bit drastic in the title
after reading all these posts it could say
Download this or yur ILLEGAL copy of Windows can put yur PC at risk by WGA

[PS3]

my copy of windows isnt illegal so i got nothing to worry about.

[Eldmannen]

Well, even if your copy is legal, you probably dont want such "kill switch" feature or spyware-like software on your computer. Also some people with legal copy of Windows maybe gets identified as non-legal for some reasons, etc.

[Andavari]

Eldmannen, on Jul 9 2006, 11:32 AM, said:

Also some people with legal copy of Windows maybe gets identified as non-legal for some reasons, etc.

That already happened to someone on the Hydrogenaudio.org forums some time ago but I don't remember if it was WGA related or not.

It would be as stupid as the Police arresting someone for driving the car they own and trying to say they stole it when in fact they didn't.

[RAM]

MikeW, on Jul 7 2006, 11:26 AM, said:

Just download the free tool from the link below, run the program and reboot pc. WGA Notify will be gone. Dont forget to stop automatic update from re installing though

http://www.firewalll.../tools_list.htm

OK Mike - Ive done that + it was kind of easy too
now I feel more secure

[Andavari]

RAM, on Jul 9 2006, 02:47 PM, said:

I feel more secure

Yeah, but as if Microsoft wouldn't know in the first place via Automatic Updates. After all WinXP was called the "Spyware OS" many years ago by some tech people. I too have nothing to worry about since my XP OS is completely legit.

[PS3]

so, this is what you're saying? for those people that dont know about this news then their computers will probably have effect over this kill switch?