HOW TO REMOVE WINDOWS GENUINE ADVANTAGE NOTIFICATIONS

Windows Genuine Advantage 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.

Solution 1

Lauch Windows Task Manager.
End wgatray.exe process in Task Manager.
Restart Windows XP in Safe Mode.
Delete WgaTray.exe from c:\Windows\System32.
Delete WgaTray.exe from c:\Windows\System32\dllcache.
Lauch RegEdit.
Browse to the following location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify
Delete the folder ‘WgaLogon’ and all its contents
Reboot Windows XP.
Note: With this method, you may be prompted to install WGA Notifications again which can still be unselected.

Solution 2

1-Launch Task manager
2-End process WGAtray.exe
3-Quickly restart in safe mode.
4-Click start, then Run. Type regedit and click ok.
5-Click HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
6-Click Software, microsoft, windowsNT, currentversion, winlogon, notify.
7-On the right hand side find folder WGAlogon and delete it and all of its components.
8-Restart in normal mode.
9-Go to c:\windows\system32 and delete WGAtray.exe file.
10-Next to it should be WGAlogon.dll, delete this too.
11-Delete from recycling bin and reboot.

This should have solved the problem but i advise switching your automatic updates to
“Notify me but dont automatically download or install them”. This should advise you if your computer tries to download WGA again.

Solution 3

For windows XP SP3 users try this method

1 Lauch RegEdit.
2 Browse to the following location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify
3 Delete the folder ‘WgaLogon’ and all its contents
4 Reboot Windows XP.

Solution 4

Disabling and renaming the files ‘WgaLogon.dll’ and ‘WgaTray.exe’ in C:\WINDOWS\system32 folder by using the program Unlocker seems to get rid of all the nags/popups.

Solution 5

Another alternative suggest that three files are installed Windows XP System Folder for WGA:

\WINDOWS\system32\WgaLogon.dll
\WINDOWS\system32\WgaTray.exe
\WINDOWS\system32\LegitCheckControl.dll

The wgatray.exe process makes the check for genuine windows software. If WgaLogon.dll is denied execution right, that WinLogon is unable to call it to check on Windows validity and display notification package at boot, and since WgaLogon is also responsible for running and maintaining WgaTray.exe, no more tray popups either.

To change and disable the execute bit of WgaLogon.dll:

Turn off Simple File Sharing in Tools -> Folder Options -> View tab.
Right click WgaLogon.dll in Windows Explorer and open the Security Tab.
Click Advanced button.
Uncheck the Inherit box at the bottom.
Click the Copy button.
Click OK.
Go through each listed user/group and remove the “Read & Execute” permission for WgaLogon.dll, leaving the “Read” permission as-is.
Click OK to apply the permission changes.
Close the file properties dialog.
Restart the computer.
Turn “Use simple file sharing” on (optional).