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Windows XP WGA To Mimic That Of Windows Vista

Martin Brinkmann
Aug 26, 2008
Updated • Apr 15, 2019
Windows, Windows Vista, Windows XP
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18

Windows XP users who update their system through automatic updates or the Windows update service might be in for a surprise. Microsoft has upgraded the company's Windows Genuine Advantage software for Windows XP and started the distribution of the update this week.

The new WGA for Windows XP mimics the annoyances that Windows Vista users have to endure if the version of Windows Vista does not pass the genuine verification check. The check is used to determine if a Windows product key is genuine.

Microsoft does not shut down the operating system completely, but adds nags to the operating system in an effort to convince users that they need a genuine license.

Windows XP systems that fail the WGA check will show a black desktop instead of any interface customizations the user may have added to the operating system. While it is possible to switch back to wallpapers, Windows XP reverts back to the black desktop automatically in 60 minute intervals.

With this update to WGA Notifications in Windows XP, we've implemented a couple of related features that draw on the notifications experience we designed for Windows Vista SP1. After installing this version of WGA Notifications on a copy of Windows XP that fails the validation, most users will discover on their next logon that their desktop has changed to a plain black background from whatever was there previously (see below).

The second annoyance is a persistent desktop notification in the lower right corner that displays the sentences "You may be a victim of software counterfeiting. This copy of Windows did not pass genuine Windows validation" and an image with the text "ask for genuine Microsoft software". The icon and message is translucent and don't prevent users from interacting with objects that are behind the notification.

The third and final way of nagging the user aree system tray notifications which will pop up regularly. There will also be a pre-logon message and a logon interrupt message on top of all that.

Summary
Windows XP WGA To Mimic That Of Windows Vista
Article Name
Windows XP WGA To Mimic That Of Windows Vista
Description
The new WGA for Windows XP mimics the annoyances that Windows Vista users have to endure if the version of Windows Vista does not pass the WGA check
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. mrwp819300 said on April 14, 2009 at 4:59 am
    Reply

    Sorry, folks. Its back!!!

  2. mrwp819300 said on April 14, 2009 at 4:58 am
    Reply

    “garbanzo says:
    August 27, 2008 at 7:05 am
    as long as you run a Corporate Edition of XP, WGA is never an issue…”

    What planet are you on??

  3. wharen said on November 25, 2008 at 6:15 pm
    Reply

    how to solve this one?

  4. darkkosmos said on August 27, 2008 at 9:34 pm
    Reply

    ^.^ this is epic, most of the guys complaining used keygens and patches on XP (or precracked) and are posing as genuine buyers. Before you guys panic though check on your local warez site and you will find a new patch (for free)

  5. Transcontinental said on August 27, 2008 at 4:51 pm
    Reply

    Anyway it seems that it’s more XP Pro than Home users whome will be concerned by Microsoft’s kindness towards its customers.

  6. Benony said on August 27, 2008 at 2:02 pm
    Reply

    I just manually install updates. So I unchecked WGA and asked them not to notify me again. And I also don’t install useless updates like outlook related.

  7. mark said on August 27, 2008 at 2:01 pm
    Reply

    Only reason I still use XP is for gaming, maybe we could petition game companies to make games for linux instead? I’d gladly switch to linux if that was the case.

  8. MK said on August 27, 2008 at 10:43 am
    Reply

    I never update. So no problem for me.

    But I am thinking of getting the original XP soon, even though it’s way old. Yes Windows is crap and all that, but I did use it since I was a kid, and it has provide me with so much knowledge. It *deserves* my money.

    Ubuntu is nice, but not until I got a stable Internet connection at home.

  9. Transcontinental said on August 27, 2008 at 10:21 am
    Reply

    Free OS alternatives are no private business, hence they are not inclined to promote themselves. Nevertheless, I think it would be nice if some sort of communication campaign was led by Ubuntu, Linux users in order to explain what these universes are, and that (if) they are accessible to non-techies, informing the general audience that Microsoft and Apple are no gods, and that it is not only possible but an advantage (if) to switch to their world. I am a plain Windows user, and starting to really wonder if I will not move on to the next step.

  10. garbanzo said on August 27, 2008 at 7:05 am
    Reply

    as long as you run a Corporate Edition of XP, WGA is never an issue…

  11. Melik Yuksel said on August 27, 2008 at 5:50 am
    Reply

    This is kind of like when companies are at war with their customers (or not, in the case of those with non-genuine copies of Windows).

    Looks like Microsoft is using social engineering to annoy their consumers, instead of using it in a strategic way to actually increase their popularity with modern-day users.

    Face it, Microsoft is the default candidate for those who don’t care as much about their computers as people like us. If they continue this sort of stuff, maybe the general public will open their eyes to their unintuitive ways.

  12. ak said on August 27, 2008 at 3:04 am
    Reply

    This is funny.Same for me Rickxs,only i use Paragon.And if u know where to search a solution for this will appear soon.I guess the security engineers at m$,have to do something to earn their bread.

  13. rickxs said on August 27, 2008 at 1:59 am
    Reply

    I always turn off auto updates ,if any probs i back up to one of 4 ghost images saved on another HD —
    running again inside 6 mins

  14. Dotan Cohen said on August 26, 2008 at 11:24 pm
    Reply

    I switched from XP to Ubuntu two years ago, and am I glad! I now laugh at situations like this.

  15. Doug Woodall said on August 26, 2008 at 11:08 pm
    Reply

    Funny you should mention Ubuntu Yogi,
    As a Vista user, Im learning about how to use Ubuntu now.
    Gonna switch soon.

  16. Lee said on August 26, 2008 at 10:58 pm
    Reply

    Welcome to Microsoft’s new success plan for Vista, make XP suck as bad as Vista does so there’s no reason no to upgrade.

  17. Yogi said on August 26, 2008 at 9:55 pm
    Reply

    So if I get a false positive I can’t use my computer? That sucks.

    I guess that Ubuntu install is getting nearer!

  18. Transcontinental said on August 26, 2008 at 9:06 pm
    Reply

    Like a famous French journalist and ex casino addict put it, “You can try to cheat on your income taxes, but the profit ain’t worth the nightmares you endure”. Guess it’s the same thing with WGA, now on XP as well !

    Hum, sweet dreams are worth more than a few hundred bucks, if they’re worth more than a few thousand ;)

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