Windows Genuine Disadvantage

I've just about has it with all this Windows Genuine Advantage crap.

I have a Dell PC which came preloaded with Windows XP Pro. I have validated
my PC several times. Obviously this PC has a legit copy of XP on it. Enough
already!

Now today I have, once again, a Windows Genuine Advantage update. I install
it and now my computer requires a restart. I can't even just ignore it
because I get an Automatic Update popup asking me to restart every 15 minutes.

GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!! What a waste of time. Talk about finding a great way to
annoy your legit customers!!

If you're equally annoyed about this, post your protest here.

Angry Andy wrote:
> I've just about has it with all this Windows Genuine Advantage crap.
>
> I have a Dell PC which came preloaded with Windows XP Pro. I have validated
> my PC several times. Obviously this PC has a legit copy of XP on it. Enough
> already!
>
> Now today I have, once again, a Windows Genuine Advantage update. I install
> it and now my computer requires a restart. I can't even just ignore it
> because I get an Automatic Update popup asking me to restart every 15 minutes.
>
> GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!! What a waste of time. Talk about finding a great way to
> annoy your legit customers!!
>
> If you're equally annoyed about this, post your protest here.

There are millions of people equally annoyed but it appears that MS
doesn't care what their legit customers have to go through with this
flawed, BETA WGA notifier SPYWARE that calls home every time you reboot
or if 24 hours have passed.

If you just did this, use System Restore to take you back to a date
before the "update". Myself, I plan to reinstall windows soon and NOT
download *anything* WGA.

Here are a few articles that blast WGA:

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ne...nG=Search+News

Alias

Please download and install:

http://www.download.windowsupdate.co...d496154544.exe

Then re-boot Windows. Does this solve your problem?



"Angry Andy" wrote:


| I've just about has it with all this Windows Genuine Advantage crap.
|
| I have a Dell PC which came preloaded with Windows XP Pro. I have validated
| my PC several times. Obviously this PC has a legit copy of XP on it. Enough
| already!
|
| Now today I have, once again, a Windows Genuine Advantage update. I install
| it and now my computer requires a restart. I can't even just ignore it
| because I get an Automatic Update popup asking me to restart every 15 minutes.
|
| GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!! What a waste of time. Talk about finding a great way to
| annoy your legit customers!!
|
| If you're equally annoyed about this, post your protest here.

Carey Frisch [MVP] wrote:
> Please download and install:
>
> http://www.download.windowsupdate.co...d496154544.exe
>
> Then re-boot Windows. Does this solve your problem?

The WGA spyware *is* the problem. The OP obviously has a legit copy of
XP so why should the OP have to jump through these hoops that you don't
really know will work or not? Perhaps, if you could enlighten us as to
how to remove this spyware, your post would be helpful. I think MS
should send a tech to his or her house, no charge, remove the spyware
from his machine and compensate him or her for the wasted time dealing
with this spyware.

Alias
>
>
>
> "Angry Andy" wrote:
>
>
> | I've just about has it with all this Windows Genuine Advantage crap.
> |
> | I have a Dell PC which came preloaded with Windows XP Pro. I have validated
> | my PC several times. Obviously this PC has a legit copy of XP on it. Enough
> | already!
> |
> | Now today I have, once again, a Windows Genuine Advantage update. I install
> | it and now my computer requires a restart. I can't even just ignore it
> | because I get an Automatic Update popup asking me to restart every 15 minutes.
> |
> | GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!! What a waste of time. Talk about finding a great way to
> | annoy your legit customers!!
> |
> | If you're equally annoyed about this, post your protest here.
>

This is pretty much accurate.

My nephews computer , a custom built gaming rig , purchased with no OS.
Deleted MS XP Home ( retail copy) and transfered it to the new rig.

It accepted the product code and activated and worked fine until about two
weeks ago. He told me about the Non Genuine WGA notifivations at Thanksgiving
dinner.

I went down to his house yesterday expecting the standard issue problem -
changed hardware etc.

Discovered that the latest WGA "update" failed to install. The attached
information was useless. Tried calling WGA support to be treated extremely
rudely by 3 MS "employees" (contractors?) who tried to tell me that there has
only been one release of WGA (????) -*Hi Nathan , baby, that was you* - and
another who told me there was only email tech support at Microsoft only - no
phone support - which having delete with some very good tech support by phone
in the past I knew was Bull.

Called the general support line , they tried to toss me back to WGA staff ,
I refused to go and said this is an Windows Update issue and managed to get a
case # and transfer to tech support. While waiting I notice that there was no
product key in the System properties anymore.

Spent the next 1 1/2 hour on the phone while the tech tried to fix the
product key issue and failed. Finally he told me we will have to repair from
Original 2002 disk . We walked trough it and the new product key he gave me
failed. i proceded to ignore him and keyed in the original product code which
worked. Which worke BECAUSE I HAD A VALID PRODUCT!

At this point signed off with MS Support , leaving case open , because I had
to install SP3 and MSIE 7.

But during the SP3 install it locked up. rebooted uninstalled SP3 and
reinstalled it in SAFE mode because a Driver which I could not Identify could
not install. SP3 installed in Safe mode.

Tried to install MSIE in Safe mode but it failed because it can't be
installed in safe mode. Then it failed because my MSIE download file
apparently is too old? Finally called MS back and went the the process again
with the same case # and it turned out that SP3 turned off the Windows
Installer service.

I suspect the SP3 update clobbered the product key to begin with.

So , I am now out 5 hours of repair time plus my nephews time to rebuild
customazation to get it back to where it was. So let's call it 8 houers of
wasted user time. What value added did We the Customer get out of this
exercise?

Nothing.

But Ballmer & Co. get enhanced revenue streams.


Where , Mr. or Ms. MVP do I send my bill for repaired Microsoft induced
malfunctions ? These products are written sloppy, support articles are
written obtusely or reference completely off point topics, Microsoft support
for WGA are contracted out to untrained, unknowledgable personnel who are
apparently trained to lie to the customer.


Steve, are you proud of this , give me a call - Live's got my email.


"Angry Andy" wrote:

> I've just about has it with all this Windows Genuine Advantage crap.
>
> I have a Dell PC which came preloaded with Windows XP Pro. I have validated
> my PC several times. Obviously this PC has a legit copy of XP on it. Enough
> already!
>
> Now today I have, once again, a Windows Genuine Advantage update. I install
> it and now my computer requires a restart. I can't even just ignore it
> because I get an Automatic Update popup asking me to restart every 15 minutes.
>
> GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!! What a waste of time. Talk about finding a great way to
> annoy your legit customers!!
>
> If you're equally annoyed about this, post your protest here.

mcarrcpa wrote:
> This is pretty much accurate.
>
> My nephews computer , a custom built gaming rig , purchased with no OS.
> Deleted MS XP Home ( retail copy) and transfered it to the new rig.
>
> It accepted the product code and activated and worked fine until about two
> weeks ago. He told me about the Non Genuine WGA notifivations at Thanksgiving
> dinner.
>
> I went down to his house yesterday expecting the standard issue problem -
> changed hardware etc.
>
> Discovered that the latest WGA "update" failed to install. The attached
> information was useless. Tried calling WGA support to be treated extremely
> rudely by 3 MS "employees" (contractors?) who tried to tell me that there has
> only been one release of WGA (????) -*Hi Nathan , baby, that was you* - and
> another who told me there was only email tech support at Microsoft only - no
> phone support - which having delete with some very good tech support by phone
> in the past I knew was Bull.
>
> Called the general support line , they tried to toss me back to WGA staff ,
> I refused to go and said this is an Windows Update issue and managed to get a
> case # and transfer to tech support. While waiting I notice that there was no
> product key in the System properties anymore.
>
> Spent the next 1 1/2 hour on the phone while the tech tried to fix the
> product key issue and failed. Finally he told me we will have to repair from
> Original 2002 disk . We walked trough it and the new product key he gave me
> failed. i proceded to ignore him and keyed in the original product code which
> worked. Which worke BECAUSE I HAD A VALID PRODUCT!
>
> At this point signed off with MS Support , leaving case open , because I had
> to install SP3 and MSIE 7.
>
> But during the SP3 install it locked up. rebooted uninstalled SP3 and
> reinstalled it in SAFE mode because a Driver which I could not Identify could
> not install. SP3 installed in Safe mode.
>
> Tried to install MSIE in Safe mode but it failed because it can't be
> installed in safe mode. Then it failed because my MSIE download file
> apparently is too old? Finally called MS back and went the the process again
> with the same case # and it turned out that SP3 turned off the Windows
> Installer service.
>
> I suspect the SP3 update clobbered the product key to begin with.
>
> So , I am now out 5 hours of repair time plus my nephews time to rebuild
> customazation to get it back to where it was. So let's call it 8 houers of
> wasted user time. What value added did We the Customer get out of this
> exercise?
>
> Nothing.
>
> But Ballmer & Co. get enhanced revenue streams.

Sick of this crap? Check out Ubuntu at www.ubuntu.com. It's a very user
friendly version of Linux that has no activation or becoming genuine
nonsense. Not only is it free, it comes with access to over 24,000 free
programs. The only drawbacks are that it won't run made for Windows
video games and it won't run some applications like AutoCAd that are
made only for Windows.

Alias
>
>
> Where , Mr. or Ms. MVP do I send my bill for repaired Microsoft induced
> malfunctions ? These products are written sloppy, support articles are
> written obtusely or reference completely off point topics, Microsoft support
> for WGA are contracted out to untrained, unknowledgable personnel who are
> apparently trained to lie to the customer.
>
>
> Steve, are you proud of this , give me a call - Live's got my email.
>
>
> "Angry Andy" wrote:
>
>> I've just about has it with all this Windows Genuine Advantage crap.
>>
>> I have a Dell PC which came preloaded with Windows XP Pro. I have validated
>> my PC several times. Obviously this PC has a legit copy of XP on it. Enough
>> already!
>>
>> Now today I have, once again, a Windows Genuine Advantage update. I install
>> it and now my computer requires a restart. I can't even just ignore it
>> because I get an Automatic Update popup asking me to restart every 15 minutes.
>>
>> GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!! What a waste of time. Talk about finding a great way to
>> annoy your legit customers!!
>>
>> If you're equally annoyed about this, post your protest here.

> Deleted MS XP Home ( retail copy) and transfered it to the new rig.

Huh?

mcarrcpa wrote:
> This is pretty much accurate.
>
> My nephews computer , a custom built gaming rig , purchased with no OS.
> Deleted MS XP Home ( retail copy) and transfered it to the new rig.
>
> It accepted the product code and activated and worked fine until about two
> weeks ago. He told me about the Non Genuine WGA notifivations at
> Thanksgiving dinner.
>
> I went down to his house yesterday expecting the standard issue problem -
> changed hardware etc.
>
> Discovered that the latest WGA "update" failed to install. The attached
> information was useless. Tried calling WGA support to be treated extremely
> rudely by 3 MS "employees" (contractors?) who tried to tell me that there
> has only been one release of WGA (????) -*Hi Nathan , baby, that was
> you* -
> and another who told me there was only email tech support at Microsoft
> only
> - no phone support - which having delete with some very good tech support
> by phone in the past I knew was Bull.
>
> Called the general support line , they tried to toss me back to WGA staff
> ,
> I refused to go and said this is an Windows Update issue and managed to
> get
> a case # and transfer to tech support. While waiting I notice that there
> was no product key in the System properties anymore.
>
> Spent the next 1 1/2 hour on the phone while the tech tried to fix the
> product key issue and failed. Finally he told me we will have to repair
> from
> Original 2002 disk . We walked trough it and the new product key he gave
> me
> failed. i proceded to ignore him and keyed in the original product code
> which worked. Which worke BECAUSE I HAD A VALID PRODUCT!
>
> At this point signed off with MS Support , leaving case open , because I
> had
> to install SP3 and MSIE 7.
>
> But during the SP3 install it locked up. rebooted uninstalled SP3 and
> reinstalled it in SAFE mode because a Driver which I could not Identify
> could not install. SP3 installed in Safe mode.
>
> Tried to install MSIE in Safe mode but it failed because it can't be
> installed in safe mode. Then it failed because my MSIE download file
> apparently is too old? Finally called MS back and went the the process
> again
> with the same case # and it turned out that SP3 turned off the Windows
> Installer service.
>
> I suspect the SP3 update clobbered the product key to begin with.
>
> So , I am now out 5 hours of repair time plus my nephews time to rebuild
> customazation to get it back to where it was. So let's call it 8 houers of
> wasted user time. What value added did We the Customer get out of this
> exercise?
>
> Nothing.
>
> But Ballmer & Co. get enhanced revenue streams.
>
>
> Where , Mr. or Ms. MVP do I send my bill for repaired Microsoft induced
> malfunctions ? These products are written sloppy, support articles are
> written obtusely or reference completely off point topics, Microsoft
> support
> for WGA are contracted out to untrained, unknowledgable personnel who are
> apparently trained to lie to the customer.
>
>
> Steve, are you proud of this , give me a call - Live's got my email.
>
>
> "Angry Andy" wrote:
>
>> I've just about has it with all this Windows Genuine Advantage crap.
>>
>> I have a Dell PC which came preloaded with Windows XP Pro. I have
>> validated
>> my PC several times. Obviously this PC has a legit copy of XP on it.
>> Enough
>> already!
>>
>> Now today I have, once again, a Windows Genuine Advantage update. I
>> install
>> it and now my computer requires a restart. I can't even just ignore it
>> because I get an Automatic Update popup asking me to restart every 15
>> minutes.
>>
>> GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!! What a waste of time. Talk about finding a great way
>> to
>> annoy your legit customers!!
>>
>> If you're equally annoyed about this, post your protest here.

Mark Shuttleworth has mentioned gOS, an 8.1 Ubuntu based GUI:
http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/130
They recently went 3.0. If you're trying out distros in VirtualBox,
you might want to eyeball this one. They didn't include GCC, which
VBox needs to install its extensions, so you'd have to put that in for
mouse integration. My VBox host is XP SP3, but Linux also hosts it.

I share PA Bear's sour view of WGA Notifications accepters who
complain loudly, but seem to be incapable of doing a simple Google
search. You don't have to agree to everything you're urged to do.

"Alias" <> wrote in message
news:ggrgph$ivs$...
> Sick of this crap? Check out Ubuntu at www.ubuntu.com. It's a very user
> friendly version of Linux that has no activation or becoming genuine nonsense.
> Not only is it free, it comes with access to over 24,000 free programs. The
> only drawbacks are that it won't run made for Windows video games and it won't
> run some applications like AutoCAd that are made only for Windows.
>
> Alias
>>

I had the Home XP retail package installed on a previous PC , When we got the
new PC with no OS - I wiped the OS off the Old PC, installed it on the new PC
and sucessfully activated it on the new PC - all acceptable under the retail
TOS.

Capice?

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> > Deleted MS XP Home ( retail copy) and transfered it to the new rig.
>
> Huh?
>
> mcarrcpa wrote:
> > This is pretty much accurate.
> >
> > My nephews computer , a custom built gaming rig , purchased with no OS.
> > Deleted MS XP Home ( retail copy) and transfered it to the new rig.
> >
> > It accepted the product code and activated and worked fine until about two
> > weeks ago. He told me about the Non Genuine WGA notifivations at
> > Thanksgiving dinner.
> >
> > I went down to his house yesterday expecting the standard issue problem -
> > changed hardware etc.
> >
> > Discovered that the latest WGA "update" failed to install. The attached
> > information was useless. Tried calling WGA support to be treated extremely
> > rudely by 3 MS "employees" (contractors?) who tried to tell me that there
> > has only been one release of WGA (????) -*Hi Nathan , baby, that was
> > you* -
> > and another who told me there was only email tech support at Microsoft
> > only
> > - no phone support - which having delete with some very good tech support
> > by phone in the past I knew was Bull.
> >
> > Called the general support line , they tried to toss me back to WGA staff
> > ,
> > I refused to go and said this is an Windows Update issue and managed to
> > get
> > a case # and transfer to tech support. While waiting I notice that there
> > was no product key in the System properties anymore.
> >
> > Spent the next 1 1/2 hour on the phone while the tech tried to fix the
> > product key issue and failed. Finally he told me we will have to repair
> > from
> > Original 2002 disk . We walked trough it and the new product key he gave
> > me
> > failed. i proceded to ignore him and keyed in the original product code
> > which worked. Which worke BECAUSE I HAD A VALID PRODUCT!
> >
> > At this point signed off with MS Support , leaving case open , because I
> > had
> > to install SP3 and MSIE 7.
> >
> > But during the SP3 install it locked up. rebooted uninstalled SP3 and
> > reinstalled it in SAFE mode because a Driver which I could not Identify
> > could not install. SP3 installed in Safe mode.
> >
> > Tried to install MSIE in Safe mode but it failed because it can't be
> > installed in safe mode. Then it failed because my MSIE download file
> > apparently is too old? Finally called MS back and went the the process
> > again
> > with the same case # and it turned out that SP3 turned off the Windows
> > Installer service.
> >
> > I suspect the SP3 update clobbered the product key to begin with.
> >
> > So , I am now out 5 hours of repair time plus my nephews time to rebuild
> > customazation to get it back to where it was. So let's call it 8 houers of
> > wasted user time. What value added did We the Customer get out of this
> > exercise?
> >
> > Nothing.
> >
> > But Ballmer & Co. get enhanced revenue streams.
> >
> >
> > Where , Mr. or Ms. MVP do I send my bill for repaired Microsoft induced
> > malfunctions ? These products are written sloppy, support articles are
> > written obtusely or reference completely off point topics, Microsoft
> > support
> > for WGA are contracted out to untrained, unknowledgable personnel who are
> > apparently trained to lie to the customer.
> >
> >
> > Steve, are you proud of this , give me a call - Live's got my email.
> >
> >
> > "Angry Andy" wrote:
> >
> >> I've just about has it with all this Windows Genuine Advantage crap.
> >>
> >> I have a Dell PC which came preloaded with Windows XP Pro. I have
> >> validated
> >> my PC several times. Obviously this PC has a legit copy of XP on it.
> >> Enough
> >> already!
> >>
> >> Now today I have, once again, a Windows Genuine Advantage update. I
> >> install
> >> it and now my computer requires a restart. I can't even just ignore it
> >> because I get an Automatic Update popup asking me to restart every 15
> >> minutes.
> >>
> >> GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!! What a waste of time. Talk about finding a great way
> >> to
> >> annoy your legit customers!!
> >>
> >> If you're equally annoyed about this, post your protest here.
>
>

Stevie Ballmer - still calling you out -brother- don't worry - I won't make
you cower behind a desk from EGGS!!!!!!!!!!!!

"mcarrcpa" wrote:

> This is pretty much accurate.
>
> My nephews computer , a custom built gaming rig , purchased with no OS.
> Deleted MS XP Home ( retail copy) and transfered it to the new rig.
>
> It accepted the product code and activated and worked fine until about two
> weeks ago. He told me about the Non Genuine WGA notifivations at Thanksgiving
> dinner.
>
> I went down to his house yesterday expecting the standard issue problem -
> changed hardware etc.
>
> Discovered that the latest WGA "update" failed to install. The attached
> information was useless. Tried calling WGA support to be treated extremely
> rudely by 3 MS "employees" (contractors?) who tried to tell me that there has
> only been one release of WGA (????) -*Hi Nathan , baby, that was you* - and
> another who told me there was only email tech support at Microsoft only - no
> phone support - which having delete with some very good tech support by phone
> in the past I knew was Bull.
>
> Called the general support line , they tried to toss me back to WGA staff ,
> I refused to go and said this is an Windows Update issue and managed to get a
> case # and transfer to tech support. While waiting I notice that there was no
> product key in the System properties anymore.
>
> Spent the next 1 1/2 hour on the phone while the tech tried to fix the
> product key issue and failed. Finally he told me we will have to repair from
> Original 2002 disk . We walked trough it and the new product key he gave me
> failed. i proceded to ignore him and keyed in the original product code which
> worked. Which worke BECAUSE I HAD A VALID PRODUCT!
>
> At this point signed off with MS Support , leaving case open , because I had
> to install SP3 and MSIE 7.
>
> But during the SP3 install it locked up. rebooted uninstalled SP3 and
> reinstalled it in SAFE mode because a Driver which I could not Identify could
> not install. SP3 installed in Safe mode.
>
> Tried to install MSIE in Safe mode but it failed because it can't be
> installed in safe mode. Then it failed because my MSIE download file
> apparently is too old? Finally called MS back and went the the process again
> with the same case # and it turned out that SP3 turned off the Windows
> Installer service.
>
> I suspect the SP3 update clobbered the product key to begin with.
>
> So , I am now out 5 hours of repair time plus my nephews time to rebuild
> customazation to get it back to where it was. So let's call it 8 houers of
> wasted user time. What value added did We the Customer get out of this
> exercise?
>
> Nothing.
>
> But Ballmer & Co. get enhanced revenue streams.
>
>
> Where , Mr. or Ms. MVP do I send my bill for repaired Microsoft induced
> malfunctions ? These products are written sloppy, support articles are
> written obtusely or reference completely off point topics, Microsoft support
> for WGA are contracted out to untrained, unknowledgable personnel who are
> apparently trained to lie to the customer.
>
>
> Steve, are you proud of this , give me a call - Live's got my email.
>
>
> "Angry Andy" wrote:
>
> > I've just about has it with all this Windows Genuine Advantage crap.
> >
> > I have a Dell PC which came preloaded with Windows XP Pro. I have validated
> > my PC several times. Obviously this PC has a legit copy of XP on it. Enough
> > already!
> >
> > Now today I have, once again, a Windows Genuine Advantage update. I install
> > it and now my computer requires a restart. I can't even just ignore it
> > because I get an Automatic Update popup asking me to restart every 15 minutes.
> >
> > GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!! What a waste of time. Talk about finding a great way to
> > annoy your legit customers!!
> >
> > If you're equally annoyed about this, post your protest here.