Remove "Genuine Advantage"

Hi,

As part of microsoft's automatic update service I have inadvertently downloaded and installed the Microsoft Genuine Advantage Tool. Does anyone know if it is possible to remove this tool? if not can I stop it from running?

Thanks

 

Hi there ad welcome to MG, what OS are you using !

 

Hi,

Sorry about that. Windows XP SP2 and Ofice 2003

 

It may have changed, but with SP2 you could simply rename (or remove) the files responsible for the WGA. First, browse to C:\Windows, click Tools > Folder Options at the top of the window; click the Views tab; make the appropriate changes so you can view hidden and protected system files and folders, and change the extension setting so you can see all file extensions, click OK; open the System32 folder and locate the file(s) starting with WGA (it's been awhile since I've dealt with this, but I think there's 2 of these files, one is called "wgatray.dll" I think). Now simply add a .xyz to the end of the file(s). If you get a message about the files being in use, you'll need to launch the Task Manager and end the process before renaming. Restart the PC and you should be golden.

. . . or you can try using this: http://majorgeeks.com/RemoveWGA_d5170.html

 

To disable it from the registry so it dosen't keep annoying you :

Type in run: regedit
Registry opens go to [SIZE=-2]HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WPAEvents or WGALOGON and delete that registry key !
Please make sure you always make a backup of your registry before making changes to it ! Or use the method that dlb has shown !
Hope this helps you out !
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Hi,

Thanks for your help, problem solved!

 

Won't doing this affect Windows and Office updates?

 

i'm under XP and i think i had accidentally installed the Microsoft Genuine Advantage & uninstalled through Add/Remove, but i can't actually remember (could have been a system restore when i had problems with upgrading to IE8 and/or installing SP3 or my last reformat). i DO have Windows Genuine Advantage which CAN'T be uninstalled & you pretty much are stuck if it came in automatic updates. i actually think you have to have it in order to get updates at all, but not positive on that.

make sure you check "show updates" in Add/Remove to insure everything shows up.

if you're having, or have had, problems with upgrading to IE8 or SP3, this is what i did:
installed all hotfixes for 6, upgraded to 7 and installed all hotfixes then upgraded to 8. with SP3, you can't install if you've got a different bootscreen than the one that came with. just go back to your original, install SP3, then go back to your preferred bootscreen.

my personal recommendation is to set update to "just tell me" then use IE (have to, MS won't let you use any other browser) to go there and pick what you want. do a little at a time because some of that stuff will put you on hold for quite awhile if you do it all at once. i also recommend restarting after each install because i think i also had issues with doing each install and waiting to restart.

in fact, i have IE's homepage set to the update and that's the only thing i use IE for; i use Firefox for everything else.

 

oops, never mind. didn't see the "issue solved."