How to Remove Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications contd...

Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) notifications occur when your computer hasn't passed the validation test. The validation test can be failed due to being sold a pirated (non-genuine) copy of XP, or because you have changed your XP product key to a software-generated key, or sometimes it just happens for no reason at all. The failed validation installs three types of notifications on your computer: one on the log in screen, one log in timer, and one balloon. It also stops updates from Microsoft and disables your ability to install IE7 and Windows Media Player 11. This solution can get rid of all three notifications, even though you will still not be able to update through Windows Update. You will not be able to download things from Microsoft that requires a valid license either.

edit Steps

Delete Method

1. 1
   If you have only just installed Windows Genuine Advantage notifications, simply using the system restore function will remove the program. Then refuse to accept the WGA update next time Windows updates. Otherwise, proceed as detailed below. (NOTE: If you try these steps while you are in "Safe Mode," step #8 is unnecessary).
   Ads by Google

   Recommended Download

   Fix Process Errors. Boost PC Speed Microsoft Certified. Free Download
   Uniblue.com/FixProcessErrors
2. 2
   First, try the following:
3. 3
   Open a Command Prompt window by clicking on Start -> Run. Type CMD and press OK.
4. 4
   Change Directory into the System32 Folder (type cd \windows\system32)
5. 5
   Open a Notepad window and type the following lines:
   • taskkill -IM wgatray.exe
   • del wgatray.exe
   • del wgalogon.old
6. 6
   Highlight and copy the three lines above to the Clipboard.
7. 7
   Paste the contents of the Clipboard to Command Prompt.
8. 8
   This should kill the wgatray.exe process from the Taskbar and immediately delete both files wgatray.exe and wgalogon.dll without the need to to go through all steps bellow.
9. 9
   If that does not work, follow the steps below:
10. 10
    Open System32 by either of the following methods:
    
    
    • 
      Click "Start" -> "Run", then type "system32". Click "Okay".
    • Find system32 manually by clicking "Start" > "My Computer" > "(C:)" (or whatever your drive letter is) > "WINDOWS" > "system32".
      
11. 11
    In "system32", go to "Tools" > "Folder options", click on the tab, "View", and uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types" if it is not already.
12. 12
    Check to make sure the window that comes up has a full screen of various files. The files are in alphabetical order, which makes it easier to locate the specific file.
13. 13
    
    Find "WgaLogon.dll" and rename it "WgaLogon.dll.bak".
14. 14
    Create an empty copy of WgaLogon.dll:
    
    
    • 
      Right click on a blank space in system32 and select "New" > "Text Document".
    • Leave the text document empty and label it "WgaLogon.dll". Press Enter (on your keyboard).
    • 
      You may get a warning from the above step that says, "If you change a file name extension, the file may become unusable. Are you sure you want to change it?". Click "Yes" on this warning.
15. 15
    Be ready to complete the next two steps very quickly! Find "WgaTray.exe" in "system32" and delete it. You will then have 5 seconds to find "WgaTray.exe" in the Task Manager (the next step). NOTE: If you remove the files mentioned above while you are in "Safe Mode," step #8 is unnecessary.
16. 16
    
    Immediately open Task Manager. You can do this by pressing the Ctrl, Shift, and Esc keys simultaneously, pressing the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys simultaneously, or right clicking the Taskbar and selecting "Task Manager". Click on the process tab and click end process when "WgaTray.exe" is selected. Note: If you take longer, do not panic! All that will happen is that "WgaTray.exe" will keep reappearing in the processes list (i.e. you won't be able to delete it as required). To remove the notifications after this, return to system32. You will find two files:"WgaLogon.dll.bak" (the one you renamed) and an Application Extension (0KB) called "WgaLogon.dll". Delete the Application Extension, rename "WgaLogon.dll.bak" to "WgaLogon.dll" and repeat the steps from the fifth one onwards (at a greater speed!!).
17. 17
    Restart your computer once you have finished. All the notification messages should be gone.

Rename Method

1. 1
   Open a CMD window by clicking on Start -> Run -> type CMD and click OK.
2. 2
   Open a Notepad window (Start -> Run type NOTEPAD click OK) and type or copy (select the lines, and then press Ctrl-C) the following lines and paste (Ctrl-V) into the Notepad window:
   • CD %systemroot%\system32
   • rename wgatray.exe wgatray.exe.bak
   • rename wgalogon.old wgalogon.old.bak
   • rename LegitCheckControl.dll LegitCheckControl.dll.bak
   • taskkill /F /T /IM wgatray.exe
   • del wgatray.exe.bak
   • del wgalogon.old.bak
   • del LegitCheckControl.old.bak
3. 3
   Make sure there is a blank line at the end of the text document, right after the last line.
4. 4
   Select all the text (Ctrl-A) and copy to the clipboard (Ctrl-C)
5. 5
   Paste the clipboard into the CMD Window (right click -> Paste)
6. 6
   This should kill the wgatray.exe process and delete the files it uses.

if the there are not the above files(wgatray,...) in your system32 folder, then simply search for wga in the windows folder .you will find wga related files in a folder with the name "KB905474" that has been added during a windows update.delete the said folder and restart your PC.


Here is my steps: Same as above "CMD" and go to c:\windows\system32 steps A). tpye in command:

taskkill -IM wgatray.exe
  
  "Enter" to run the command

B). Under Windows to delete files: wgatray.exe, wgalogon.old because access denied
Mouse point go to "Start" --> right click --> Explore --> go to C:\windows\system32 Find the files: wgatray.exe wgalogon.old
Select those two files by left tick first one and hold shift key down left tick second file
Then right click mouse and a menu will pump up, select "CUT"
Go to desktop, and right click mouse, select "Paste". The files wgatray.exe wgalogon.old have been moved to desktop.
Select wgatray.exe wgalogon.old on desktop and delete files.

edit Tips

• This process will only get rid of the notifications, and will not validate your copy of XP. It will remove the timer at the beginning of your XP log on, the white notice on the log on screen, and the annoying yellow star that appears in the bottom right corner of the screen.
  Ads by Google

  Event Log Management

  Free event log information, tools, and strategies for compliance.
  www.WhatsUpGold.com/EventLog
• This is easier to do if you have someone reading the steps to you while you do it.
• You may need to Find Hidden Files and Folders in Windows to get to System32 manually.
• If task manager processes are moving, click the title of the "image name" row to freeze them.
• If you are having problems after this, disable the updates before rebooting.
• There is a program called RemoveWGA which does all of this for you. Just run the program, click yes, and you're done. (See External Links, below.)
• If you have problems changing files in the system32 directory, you will have to turn off System Restore. Go to "Start" -> "Control Panel" -> "System" -> "System Restore" and check the "Turn off system restore" check box.
• You will not be able to use Automatic Updates anymore; instead, you have to manually update them. In External Links, there is a program that will allow you to update any system, regardless of if it is genuine or not.
• You can also rename WgaTray.exe to WgaTray.exe.bak if you can't remove WgaTray.exe from your Taskbar. Press Ctrl+Shift+Escape to do so.
• It will be useful to have Task Manager open first before deleting WgaTray.exe
• Unlocker is a free program that can assist in removing WGA notifications.

edit Warnings

• Do not edit anything but what is told in system32, or it could cause system start up failure.
• If you are new to computers, do not attempt this because if you modify the wrong file you may crash your computer.
• This is not required for systems older than Windows 2000, as older versions of Windows do not have WGA installed. This list includes Windows 3.1, 95, 98, NT 3.51, and NT4. (WGA now installs for Windows 2000 searching for the most commonly used pirated keys.)
• If you don't have a genuine version of Windows, it's better to get it because you will be eligible get non-critical updates, IE7/8, and Media Player 11.
• If you are not using a genuine version you will still receive critical updates.

How To Remove Windows Genuine Advantage From Your PC

Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA for short) is a Windows Update component rolled out to XP users long after XP was released. It is intended to validate your Windows licence, allow updates to Microsoft wares and display a number of notifications if your product key isn’t kosher.
There’s nothing wrong with still using XP, a number of staff here at MakeUseOf have yet to budge in fact. If you’ve got an old PC that doesn’t need the bells, whistles and expensive licence that comes with Windows 7 then XP is still a viable alternative.
In this guide I will show you how to remove the WGA notifications should you want to, after which you’ll not be able to download non-critical updates but will still receive the critical fixes that really matter.

Why Remove WGA?

If you bought Windows XP and have been unlucky enough to fail the validation (which isn’t uncommon) then you might just want to remove it altogether. If you’re a raging software pirate then I’m going to have a tougher job convincing you to keep it.
WGA is a non-vital Windows component, which means that without it your copy of Windows XP will continue to work. If you’re using something like VLC for your media needs and swear by Chrome or Firefox then you probably won’t miss updates for Internet Explorer and Media Player all that much.

Data is also collected about your system, this includes your BIOS checksum, MAC address, hard drive serial number, and even your PC’s manufacturer and model. If you’re tight on privacy, this might be another reason to ditch WGA.
I’ve provided two methods of removing WGA manually. I’d recommend you try the first set of instructions to begin with, the second set is provided in case you can’t get the first working. There are also a few applications that will attempt to remove WGA for you (more on those later).
It is worth mentioning if you’ve re-installed XP lately and downloaded WGA in a recent update then a simple System Restore to the point before you downloaded the update will remove it. Just remember not to re-download it again afterwards.

Assuming you’ve had WGA on your machine for a while, the instructions below should remove it.

Removing WGA Via The Command Line

Restart your PC and boot into Safe Mode, usually by pressing F8 whilst your computer boots. Once your PC has booted open a command prompt by clicking Start then Run and typing cmd into the box before clicking OK.
Change directory to your System32 folder with the following command:
cd \windows\system32
Next you’re going to need to copy the following lines to the clipboard, in order to paste them into the command prompt quickly. This is necessary to kill the WgaTray.exe process and delete the file before Windows has a chance to launch it again:
taskkill -IM wgatray.exe
del wgatray.exe
del wgalogon.old
If all the commands executed correctly you should have killed and deleted WgaTray.exe as well as WgaLogon.dll. You might also want to have a look for any WGA-related files (WgaTray.exe, WgaLogon.dll, WgaSetup.exe etc…) in \Windows\System32\dllcache and delete them, just in case.
Restart your PC to see if the changes have taken effect, if the WGA notifications are still there then you’ll want to continue reading this next bit, otherwise you’re done.

Removing WGA With Registry Editor & Windows Explorer

If you’re still reading then that probably didn’t work. Boot normally and once Windows is back click Start, Run and type regedit before clicking OK.
Navigate your way to: My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify and delete the folder called WgaLogon and any content associated with it.

Restart your PC and if all has gone well, your WGA notifications shouldn’t be visible. These next steps will delete the files for good.
Navigate to your Windows\System32 folder and  at the top of the window click Tools, Folder Options and click on the View tab. Check Show hidden and protected Windows files so that you can see all of the offending items.

Next you’re going to need to locate all WGA-related files within your \Windows\System32 and \Windows\System32\dllcache folders. Running a simple search is the best way, so hit Start, Search and choose All files and folders.

Run a search for Wga*.*, and delete any WGA related results you find in these folders including WgaTray.exe, WgaLogon.dll and WgaSetup.exe. Restart your PC once you’ve done, and your copy of Windows should be “genuine” again.

Removing WGA With Software

If you’re still having trouble then there are a number of third-party tools that will attempt to do this for you. I personally prefer tinkering with my System32 folder myself rather than getting an application to do it, though there’s plenty of people claiming these work just fine.
RemoveWGA is a simple run and reboot process, by the time you’ve restarted WGA notifications should be gone. MUBlinder is another solution, just make sure you have the Microsoft .NET Framework before running it or it won’t work.
If one of these methods worked for you then you might want to change your preferences for Automatic Updates in Control Panel so that WGA doesn’t make its way back onto your system. I’d recommend allowing Windows to notify you when updates are available, but then manually selecting them yourself.

Don’t forget to keep up-to-date with your critical updates, this is vital to keep your machine patched up and secure.
Have you removed Windows Genuine Advantage or did your copy of XP validate ok? Any reasons you’re still using XP? Let us know in the comments.

Windows phone first steps: Connecting to your computer

Before you begin, ensure that your Windows phone and your computer running Windows 7 are turned on and that you are logged on to your computer. If you plan to use Microsoft Office Outlook, make sure it’s installed before you proceed. And you'll need the USB cable that came with your Windows phone to connect it to your computer. Here's what you'll do:

• Connect the smaller end of the USB cable to your Windows phone. Consult your manual for details on how to do this—typically you'll move aside a small plastic or rubber flap to expose the connector. Connect the other end to a USB port on your computer—there's usually at least one on the front of most modern computers.
  
  Within a few seconds you'll hear a chime and see a pop-up alert as Windows installs the necessary drivers for your Windows phone. This process should take less than 30 seconds. If the installation of the Windows phone doesn't work, try a different USB port on your computer or learn more about troubleshooting a cable connection.
  
• When the License Terms for Windows Mobile Device Center appear, click Accept and let the installation process finish.
  
  Windows Mobile Device Center is the software that enables your Windows phone and your computer running Windows 7 to communicate with each other.
  
• When the installation is complete, the Windows Mobile Device Center Start screen appears. You have two options on the Windows Mobile Device Center Start screen: to set up the device or to connect without setting it up. Because you want to partner your Windows phone with your computer, click Set up your device.
  Microsoft Office Outlook is the only program that Windows phones synchronize information with by default, so if you don't have Outlook installed, a warning message appears, and the e-mail, calendar, tasks, notes, and contacts on your Windows phone won't be synchronized with your desktop computer. Click OK to dismiss the message if it appears.
  
• Select the items you want to synchronize between your Windows phone and your computer. If you don't have Outlook installed, Mobile Favorites and Files are the only options available. Select the content you want to keep up to date, and then click Next. If you have Outlook installed, be sure to select the check boxes next to E-mail, Tasks, and Notes.
  
• Next, name your phone, and click the Set Up button.
  You'll see a progress indicator as Windows Mobile Device Center configures the phone and the computer. After a few moments, a new screen appears and the first synchronization starts.
  
  
  

Connect Your Cell Phone To PC Through Bluetooth

You’ll need two things for this to work:

1. A Bluetooth-enabled computer. Most laptops now have Bluetooth and so do some desktops. If yours doesn’t, you can buy a USB Bluetooth adapter cheaply on sites such as EBay.
2. A Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone.

Go to Control Panel under the Start Menu and look for ‘Bluetooth devices’ as pictured in the screenshot. If you’re using Vista, select classic view to display all of  the icons. Click on the Bluetooth icon. The window below should open.

Click ‘Add Wireless Device’ as seen in the screenshot. Before scanning for devices – turn on Bluetooth on your cell phone.

The exact location of the Bluetooth setting will differ depending on the model of the phone however it will normally follow something along the lines of:
Menu > Settings> Connections > Bluetooth > Turn On

Now scan for devices on your computer. It should pick up your cell phone. If it doesn’t, make sure Bluetooth is turned on and ensure that your status is set to ‘Visible’ or ‘Detectable’. Your phone must also be within 7 meters of your PC to ensure a connection can be established. Once you have done these checks, search again.
When your device is detected, click on the phone’s icon to connect. You may be asked to enter in a security pin. Enter something easy like ’1234′. You phone will then ask you to enter in said pin. This is not a specific number but rather done just for paring purposes. Once you have done this correctly the connection will be established as though the phone were connected via USB cable.
If you disconnect or simply power off your PC, the connection should be saved. That means that when you turn back on your PC (assuming both Bluetooth setting are still activated) the connection should resume itself. Your PC may launch a pop-up in the bottom right hand corner at the task bar asking your permission for the connection. This is for security reasons and depends on your security/firewall settings.
Your phone should now be visible under ‘My Computer’ so you can transfer files, etc. Note that Bluetooth can be pretty slow for transferring large files such as videos or establishing an internet connection.
Make sure that you turn off the Bluetooth on your phone if you won’t be using it again for some time. It consumes your battery like crazy and is also a security issue.
What do you use your phone’s Bluetooth connection for?