Microsoft introduced Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) just a month ago to Windows XP users. Once installed it checks if the running Windows XP version is genuine. If it´s not the it´s showing annonying popup messages. It´s Microsofts decision that only popups are showing, they could easily change this to force a purchase for example at a later point.
WGA is installed using Windows Updates, it copies three files on your system.
\WINDOWS\system32\WgaLogon.dll
\WINDOWS\system32\WgaTray.exe
\WINDOWS\system32\LegitCheckControl.dll
There are reports on the internet that sometimes legit versions of windows xp recieve those popup messages. Microsoft released a program that checks wether your windows xp key is legit or not. You can download the Microsoft Diagnostic Tool from the microsoft homepage.
If you key is not valid you have the following options to fix the problem asap. (Besides calling Microsoft asking what´s wrong of course.):
Option 1.Â
Option 2.Â
Clear the file C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Windows Genuine Advantage\data from all data and make it read only. Restart Your Computer.
Option 3.
If you have another windows xp key (maybe because if your complaint to Microsoft or the retailer that sold you the operating system) you can change the key by using Microsofts Key Update Tool.
Option 4.
There are ways to uninstall the wga files. This is only a temporary solution, next time you run windows update it´s likely to be installed again. (source)
1. run > regedit, search and delete all references to WgaTray.exe
2. start in safemode and remove the infection by deleting the file WgaTray.exe in c:\Windows\System32, placed there by the second greediest Corporatin in the World (Intel honlds the enviable no1 spot). (B. Gates III is best known for spying on his customers.)
3. restart your computer
Related posts:
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Remove WGA
Find out the Windows Product Keys
Update Windows without Microsoft
Windows Integrity Levels for extra security in Windows Vista
Fix for Restart Bug after installing Windows XP SP3
Find Product Keys for Windows using Google


Great tips, I had troubles with the file wgalogon for a while now although my version of windows xp is legit. (preinstalled when I bought my notebook). Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) seems to bother people with legit windows xp versions sometimes.
Don´t know why. Option 1 did help me, just removed the execute permissions from wgalogon.dll and had no troubles since..
Great help, I don’t mind admitting that I have several personal machines running copies of MY original version of XP Pro (I have legitimate XP Pro software on each of my business machines), I consider it reasonable that I should be able to use a single copy of XP on each machine that I own in the same way that I can play a music CD on the various CD players I own. I am sure the music industry would love to follow Microsofts methods and force us to buy a separate CD for every CD Player, (they already got away with making us buy the copyright several times over for the same album as the recording media formats developed). It seems that Microsoft are determined to increase Bill Gates’ obscene personal fortune even more by pursuing the goal of making their software increasingly more difficult to copy. Has no-one at Microsoft ever wondered how they got so big despite the huge number of duplicate copies, could it be the very fact that it was so easily copied that made Microsofts operating system become the worlds standard and made them what they are.
can you please send me a valid 25 digit product key please thanks jake