Windows Update/ Genuine Advantage

[kristalsoldier]

Hi All...

I was trying to do the periodic Update for my XP SP2 (MCE) box from the Win Update site. It came on a pre-installed Sony Vaio. I have used the Restore CDs once on this machine.

At the Win Update site, after doing the various things that the site does, the 'Custom' or 'Automatic' choices come up. I always choose the Custom, which I did earlier today.

Next Screen:

Its says something to the effect that a critical component to Windows is missing and needs to be installed before Updates can take place. When I click on 'Details', it describes the Genuine Advantage Update.

This has never happened before. I have always been able to download the Updates and have never chosen to download and install the Genuine Advantage software. It has always presented itself as a choice. Now it seems it is compulsory to be able download the Updates to XP SP2.

Has this happened to anyone else recently?

Thanks

[floke]

You can do it in ubuntu.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=475709

[smoker]

This has never happened before. I have always been able to download the Updates and have never chosen to download and install the Genuine Advantage software. It has always presented itself as a choice. Now it seems it is compulsory to be able download the Updates to XP SP2.

i think with ms now it is compulsory if you want all updates, if you refuse it you will only be allowed certain critical updates. also, certain software will not be available to you, like ie7 and widnows defender, i believe, unless you can verify your xp install.

[kristalsoldier]

i think with ms now it is compulsory if you want all updates, if you refuse it you will only be allowed certain critical updates. also, certain software will not be available to you, like ie7 and widnows defender, i believe, unless you can verify your xp install.

Wow! Has this happened recently? About 3 weeks ago, I did not face this! Damn!

[kristalsoldier]

Does this mean that all security (and/ or critical) updates for XP SP2 DO NOT require the Validation thing?

[smoker]

Does this mean that all security (and/ or critical) updates for XP SP2 DO NOT require the Validation thing?

hi, i'm not 100% sure what is and isn't included unless you do the validation thing. i think though, that it will try and install 'on the fly' if you switch automatic updates to download and install automatically! i suppose, ultimately it is up to you whether to have all updates, and be spied on with wga, or not.

this is one of the reasons i got rid of xp.

[kristalsoldier]

hi, i'm not 100% sure what is and isn't included unless you do the validation thing. i think though, that it will try and install 'on the fly' if you switch automatic updates to download and install automatically! i suppose, ultimately it is up to you whether to have all updates, and be spied on with wga, or not.

this is one of the reasons i got rid of xp.

Hmmm...I've not got the auto updates on...I have deliberately kept it off. I guess I will do without the updates...need this XP box for some games and for a critical project.

Thanks

[kamaboko]

I've never encountered that problem. I will say though that my copy of XP Pro is an Enterprise edition and I do not need to register it with an install. :p I just put in the serial number and I'm good to go.

[karellen]

I turn the automatic updates on but choose to let me announce that updates are available and then I select the updates I want. so I didn't get wga until now, even if it appeared like an update many times

[kristalsoldier]

I turn the automatic updates on but choose to let me announce that updates are available and then I select the updates I want. so I didn't get wga until now, even if it appeared like an update many times

Hmmm...wouldn't know....never turned on the Auto Updates. Always did a manual upgrade. Have never downloaded the WGA module even when it was listed as a critical update.

This must be a relatively new thing - asking that to get downloads of Win XP SP2 and Office 2003(?)/ 2007, one must download and install the WGA tool.

From what I understand from the posts above and on reading the google results, it seems that critical/ security updates are available as usual (without the WGA module), but all other enhancement-related updates are off limits!

Anyways, my time on Windows is shortlived. Wish the ReactOS project speeds up!

Thanks all.

[kelvin spratt]

if you have a genuine copy you don't have any problems with wga except for the spyware, ms loads so it knows what you are doing etc but you can turn all that off by disabling Messenger the microsoft spyware program,

[kristalsoldier]

I thought I would put up the results my accessing the Windows Update page:

Software Upgrade for Some Windows Components Required

To use Microsoft Update, you must first install the latest version of some Windows components. This will allow your computer to work with these new features on the site:


More updates: Get updates for Windows and for popular Microsoft programs such as Microsoft Office in one place.
Faster updates: The latest Windows Installer (MSI) improves the way updates are installed, delivering updates in the smallest possible packages in the shortest amount of time.
Easier navigation: Now you can find updates by priority or by product while helpful links and important messages help ensure you are installing all high-priority updates for your computer.

Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool (KB892130)
1.1 MB , less than 1 minute
The Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool enables you to verify that your copy of Microsoft Windows is genuine. The tool validates your Windows installation by checking Windows Product Identification and Product Activation status.


Total: 1.1 MB , less than 1 minute

Do keep in mind that this is in the context of a XP SP2 MCE which came preinstalled on a laptop!

[smoker]

The Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool enables you to verify that your copy of Microsoft Windows is genuine.

i love the way they phrase it! Oh, and they can be wrong...
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=142
http://arstechnica.com/journals/microsoft.ars/2006/7/21/4722

keep your fingers crossed, lol,:-)

[insane_alien]

Anyone else thinking this is going the way of captain blacks loyalty pledge campaign in the novel Catch-22?

[coffeecat]

I did an update on Windows XP home this morning. I had previously 'declined' the kind offer of WGA :wink: and because of this it won't let me install IE7. Tragedy! :roll: But all the other updates seem to download OK and it wasn't telling me that WGA was critical this morning.

That's with a desktop with a brown box oem version of Windows. I'll try my Sony Vaio later and post back if I experience anything different.

[kristalsoldier]

I did an update on Windows XP home this morning. I had previously 'declined' the kind offer of WGA :wink: and because of this it won't let me install IE7. Tragedy! :roll: But all the other updates seem to download OK and it wasn't telling me that WGA was critical this morning.

That's with a desktop with a brown box oem version of Windows. I'll try my Sony Vaio later and post back if I experience anything different.

OK. Thanks. Look forward to it. When you say OEM version do you mean factory installed in your desktop'? My Vaio came with XP SP 2 MCE pre-installed.

[joe.turion64x2]

if you have a genuine copy you don't have any problems with wga except for the spyware, ms loads so it knows what you are doing etc but you can turn all that off by disabling Messenger the microsoft spyware program,
How do you disable Messenger? You are not talking about MSN Messenger, are you?

[joe.turion64x2]

OK. Thanks. Look forward to it. When you say OEM version do you mean factory installed in your desktop'? My Vaio came with XP SP 2 MCE pre-installed.
If you are referring to the original version of Windows that came bundled with your laptop you should not have any problem while running WGA. It is just routine.
At least my Acer laptop has never complained when installing that crap (I am guilty for running Windows in the first place).

[kristalsoldier]

If you are referring to the original version of Windows that came bundled with your laptop you should not have any problem while running WGA. It is just routine.
At least my Acer laptop has never complained when installing that crap (I am guilty for running Windows in the first place).

Well...the problem is not exactly about installing wga. As I mentioned earlier, when I used to go for the Win Updates, I was asked whether I want to load the wga or not. I always declined, but was able to download everything else that I wanted - critical and other updates. Suddenly I find that I need to download and install the wga component to proceed with any updates at all.

Unless Sony preinstalled the Vaio with an illegal copy of the OS and my university has an illegal copy of Office 2003, I see no reason to have a problem with legit software though MS-origin verifications are - as Smoker notes above - far from confidence-insipring.

[dca]

WGA is now a part of MS OS' natural progression of nec (hmmm) updates/service packs/patches... Now, certain items can not be obtained if your copy isn't validated: IE7, MP11, etc.

[smoker]

Unless Sony preinstalled the Vaio with an illegal copy of the OS and my university has an illegal copy of Office 2003, I see no reason to have a problem with legit software though MS-origin verifications are - as Smoker notes above - far from confidence-insipring.

hi, don't mean to put you off the wga thing, i know from experience if ms make a mistake they will reverse the wga decision over the phone, i've never had them refuse anytime i've had to phone after reinstalling xp for a customer. it is a pain it the *** though, takes a bit of time, and something that shouldn't happen.

[kristalsoldier]

WGA is now a part of MS OS' natural progression of nec (hmmm) updates/service packs/patches... Now, certain items can not be obtained if your copy isn't validated: IE7, MP11, etc.

Thanks...this is the confirmation that I was, unfortunately, looking for! This is a damn shame...isn't it. It also means that I will not be using the Updates from Windows. If these are the conditions that MS puts on me, I don't really care if the OS crumbles!

I have Edgy (soon to upgrade to Fiesty) on another machine and will look for other distros. The only thing that bothers me is that I may have to give up MS Office. Don't like the Oos package!

ReactOS...where are you?

Thanks folks for all your help!

Edit: May try Macs for a change!

[kristalsoldier]

hi, don't mean to put you off the wga thing, i know from experience if ms make a mistake they will reverse the wga decision over the phone, i've never had them refuse anytime i've had to phone after reinstalling xp for a customer. it is a pain it the *** though, takes a bit of time, and something that shouldn't happen.

Hi...if you read my posts above, you will see that the wga thing is not really the problem. I really don't mind MS verifying that I have got legit software. But they should do it once and not keep a software component in my machine that calls back home (i.e., MS) every 15 days or so!

Anyways, my days on Windows are now definitely limited! Thanks for your help!