# "Windows Genuine Advantage" infects my computer - Help! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 16, 2009, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997 "2009-10-16T05:03:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/81 "2009-10-18T23:37:02Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > Do you have a cite for this? Over 2000 machines that have passed through my shop. I have seen exactly 1 key that would not activate. When pressed that customer admitted his brother had used the same key on several other installs. Sure, he was holding the legit one, but by having his brother loading other machines with it, he made his licence status suspect. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/82 "2009-10-19T00:06:14Z")
> [@nyctea scandiaca](#): > > I am hesitant to call because how will they know that my Windows is not stolen? How can I prove this? How do they typically handle false positives? What if they say, sorry, you’re shit outta luck? What will happen then? **ns** , I’m glad you were able to get rid of the troublemaking patch, but really – anxiety to NOT go through MS’s own channels because of “what if I can’t prove they’re wrong”? I really prefer “bastards, _they_ did this to me, why should I ask _them_ for help”; much more stylish 🆒 In any case, for all of us, the deal is you buy from MS, you get MS on your case for the rest of your product’s life. And the terms we agree on? They probably include somewhere at the bottom of page 387 something to the effect that the terms can be changed and accepting an update means accepting any changed terms that may come along with it. It’s the way of the world… ---
**Author:** ![Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fake_Tales_of_San_Francisco)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/83 "2009-10-19T00:14:22Z")
> [@nyctea scandiaca](#): > > Why _would_ it be illegal? Well, since it allows you to pirate Windows with no worries I guess. But as drachillix says, it’s in violation of the software agreement, that’s what I was looking for. Illegal was the wrong word to use. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/84 "2009-10-19T01:49:56Z")
**drachillix** , **BorgHunter** Apparently there’s an error rate atleast. Assuming you take M$'s word for the accuracy of WGA. > **[Windows Genuine Advantage falsely accuses millions](https://arstechnica.com/uncategorized/2007/01/8690/)** > > Since July 2005, one in five computers running Windows have failed so-called … > [@](#): > > Last summer Microsoft admitted that over 20% of WGA failures were caused by something other than key piracy, that is, piracy involving either a product key generator or use of a volume licensing key. Now that we’ve established that there is an error rate, further I’d like to point out WGA is an asinine annoyance to legitimate users. It’s trivially easily defeated by real pirates, it’s only left hurting legitimate users. Now if excuse me I have to be off finding hacks. Seems my s-video port isn’t good enough for dvd video because I can’t “turn on copy protection for analog sources”. I just checked, the legally purchased video I’m attempting to watch is available on the pirate bay for free, with none of these hassles, illegally of course. How is this retarded shit from the brainless cluster fucks at M$ helping again? I’d be better off pirating the movie than buying it legal. Just as a pirate version of windows has less hassels than a legal one. ---
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/85 "2009-10-19T02:42:40Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > Apparently there’s an error rate atleast. Assuming you take M$'s word for the accuracy of WGA. I imagine so, but what is that error rate? “20% of WGA failures were caused by something other than key piracy” != “20% error rate”. I’m inclined to believe **drachillix** when he says he has seen exactly one problem caused by WGA, which is an error rate—anecdotal, of course—of 0.05%. And the fault for that error lies with the user, rather than with Microsoft. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/86 "2009-10-19T03:42:31Z")
> [@BorgHunter](#): > > I imagine so, but what is that error rate? “20% of WGA failures were caused by something other than key piracy” != “20% error rate”. I’m inclined to believe **drachillix** when he says he has seen exactly one problem caused by WGA, which is an error rate—anecdotal, of course—of 0.05%. And the fault for that error lies with the user, rather than with Microsoft. So if it’s not a problem with the key, then why exactly does it fail? If it has a legal key why isn’t it legal? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/87 "2009-10-19T04:23:57Z")
> [@BorgHunter](#): > > I imagine so, but what is that error rate? “20% of WGA failures were caused by something other than key piracy” != “20% error rate”. I’m inclined to believe **drachillix** when he says he has seen exactly one problem caused by WGA, which is an error rate—anecdotal, of course—of 0.05%. And the fault for that error lies with the user, rather than with Microsoft. From [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Genuine_Advantage#False_positive_rate) > [@Wiki](#): > > False positive rate > > The WGA program can produce false positives (incorrectly identifying a genuine copy of Windows as “not genuine”)… > > According to an editorial on the [arstechnica.com](http://arstechnica.com) technology website, WGA reported around 22% of 500 million Windows computers as failing the test; of these less than 0.5% were due to pirate software, with the balance (over 20%, or 90% of all positives) related to non piracy issues. I was one of those false positives. This was the last straw - I am going to begin migrating to Linux… I may keep MS on this machine (for work), but my other machines will be Linux from now on. ---
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/88 "2009-10-19T04:25:15Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > So if it’s not a problem with the key, then why exactly does it fail? > > If it has a legal key why isn’t it legal? **drachillix** has provided an example of when a valid, unpirated key might fail. The OEM, too, could screw something up—it has happened before, and it will likely happen again. Businesses may provide MSDN subscriptions for employees, and the employees then misunderstand the terms and conditions for OS downloads through that channel, and run afoul of Microsoft’s licenses in those cases. A user may try to install the same copy of Windows onto a new computer that was a replacement for the original installation, which died somewhere along the way. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list, either. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/89 "2009-10-19T05:36:32Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > Then you have no clue what you are talking about, I make this call a dozen times a week. So, people who get infected with WGA pay you to call Microsoft to get it resolved? That must be some easy money for you. Maybe this is why you’re so pro-WGA, because it’s a money-maker for you? (Serious question; not being snarky) How much did I save myself by resolving it on my own? I also suppose did my part to keep MS product prices lower by not wasting 10 minutes of their call center staff time to fix this “problem.” :rolleyes: > [@drachillix](#): > > Over 2000 machines that have passed through my shop. I have seen exactly 1 key that would not activate. When pressed that customer admitted his brother had used the same key on several other installs. > > Sure, he was holding the legit one, but by having his brother loading other machines with it, he made his licence status suspect. So how did this case resolve? Did he have to buy a new copy of Windows? ---
**Author:** ![srzss05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@srzss05](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/srzss05)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/90 "2009-10-19T06:57:02Z")
> [@nyctea scandiaca](#): > > From [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Genuine_Advantage#False_positive_rate) > I was one of those false positives. Don’t rely on wikipedia for your information. The article source from Ars Technica actually says this: > [@](#): > > Last summer **\<2006\>** Microsoft admitted that over 20% of WGA failures were caused by something other than key piracy, that is, piracy involving either a product key generator or use of a volume licensing key. The company would not reveal the exact nature of these results, other than to say that a portion of them stemmed from unauthorized use of OEM keys on non-OEM hardware (i.e., someone using a Dell copy of XP on a non-Dell machine). At the time, Microsoft refused to comment on the rate of pure false positives, that is, the rate of verifiably incorrect identifications of pirated software. > > With the release of this latest data, Microsoft said that WGA had a false positive rate “under 1 percent.” A more precise number has not been forthcoming. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Piranha\_Brothers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@The\_Piranha\_Brothers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Piranha_Brothers)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/91 "2009-10-19T07:47:46Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > You declined free professional help in correcting your problem. You spent days wringing your hands about how you were being inconvenienced and accused of theft. WGA is not a problem on a properly licenced machine. You dodged installing it for years then were suprised when it glitched. All of your hyperbole and paranoia aside WGA is not spyware in any realistic sense of the word as it is commonly used. > > I make my living on a computer too. You spent days complaining about something that would be fixed in minutes. You were inconvenienced by your own mental and or emotional failings, not by microsoft. To be honest, if you make a living selling or repairing computers, then you should know that not everyone is good at dealing with computer problems. For some people the problem and the solution are evident, for others they aren’t. (My parents for example have no idea what to do if anything unusual happens on a computer.) Which is one of the reasons why I don’t think the OP is a pirate. Don’t be so hard on him. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/92 "2009-10-19T14:56:46Z")
> [@nyctea scandiaca](#): > > So, people who get infected with WGA pay you to call Microsoft to get it resolved? That must be some easy money for you. Maybe this is why you’re so pro-WGA, because it’s a money-maker for you? (Serious question; not being snarky) How much did I save myself by resolving it on my own? I also suppose did my part to keep MS product prices lower by not wasting 10 minutes of their call center staff time to fix this “problem.” :rolleyes: Everything that comes in gets turned on and looked at breifly before checking in. If it was jusa a WGA thing I would try to run the activation wizard. If that did it, no charge, have a nice day. We have “first 5 min is free” policy with regard to small little stuff in the shop. WGA mainly helps protect my price point on systems. Guys on craigslist spawning dozens if not hundreds of machines for sale off of pirated corp keys can sell machines for $100-$150 less than me, or worse, the same as me. Customers have no clue they are being sold pirated software. > [@](#): > > So how did this case resolve? Did he have to buy a new copy of Windows? He did, but we had no idea he had a key problem (his hard drive was dead) until we tried reloading it on a new drive and it failed activation. I don’t make any real money on an OS sale. $5-$10. ---
**Author:** ![supergoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@supergoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supergoose)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/93 "2009-10-19T20:48:21Z")
Well, I’m freaking out a little now. I do automatic updates and don’t know much about computers. Ever since that Windows Genuine Advantage install wizard window started showing up, I’ve been intending to run it past my extremely computer literate father and just letting it hang out in the background without doing the install or clicking cancel in the meantime. Being forgetful and a procrastinator, I’ve never gotten around to dealing with it. When I turn off the computer, the install window is still up, and it’s still there when I turn the computer on again. I’ve never done a system restore. I only ever back up my files. Am I in danger of Something Bad happening that requires a system restore? Can I just let the install wizard hang around indefinitely or do I need to deal with it? What do I do before dealing with it that would allow me to do a system restore/go back in time if things get fubared? (It goes without saying that I would back up my files again before doing anything, even just turning off the computer tonight.) I hope it’s okay that I ask these questions in this thread. I’ll start a new one if that would be more appropriate. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/94 "2009-10-19T21:02:41Z")
> [@supergoose](#): > > Am I in danger of Something Bad happening that requires a system restore? Can I just let the install wizard hang around indefinitely or do I need to deal with it? What do I do before dealing with it that would allow me to do a system restore/go back in time if things get fubared? (It goes without saying that I would back up my files again before doing anything, even just turning off the computer tonight.) WGA is part of windows, its a patch like many others you have applied. No need to panic over backups. WGA failures do not crash your PC or lock you out of your computers, they just nag. You can install it, it will not hurt anything. All of the teeth gnashing from **nyctea scandiaca** was over a percieved slight to his/her honor. The computer still worked fine. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/95 "2009-10-19T21:10:47Z")
> [@nyctea scandiaca](#): > > From [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Genuine_Advantage#False_positive_rate) > I was one of those false positives. > > This was the last straw - I am going to begin migrating to Linux… I may keep MS on this machine (for work), but my other machines will be Linux from now on. And if the reason was the extremely common flagged OEM image key, the fault lies not with MS, but with the OEM. Maybe you should be disgusted Dell/Gateway/HP/Compaq/Guydownthestreet. I understand this stuff intimately, MS has its failings (grumble… no USB support in VM’s.. grumble), but this isn’t one that deserves the histronics it is recieving. ---
**Author:** ![supergoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@supergoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supergoose)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/96 "2009-10-19T23:24:34Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > WGA is part of windows, its a patch like many others you have applied. No need to panic over backups. WGA failures do not crash your PC or lock you out of your computers, they just nag. > > You can install it, it will not hurt anything. All of the teeth gnashing from **nyctea scandiaca** was over a percieved slight to his/her honor. The computer still worked fine. Oh, okay. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/97 "2009-10-20T15:46:22Z")
Of course it’s harmless! If you have absolutely no standards whatsoever. As people have repeatedly pointed out in this thread: MS has had repeated outages on its servers which have caused many people to have their OSes declared invalid. And it doesn’t just end with a nag. People have been unable to use their PCs until the servers were restored. Phone calls don’t fix these problems in ten minutes. Read the links folks. Just because it hasn’t happened to you don’t mean diddly. And 2) WGA is **not** the same thing as initial online key validation. (Which is what XP originally only had.) It is an _completely separate later add-on_. Please try to keep these two straight. Too many people are defending the first but not addressing the issues of the second. If you want to defend the first, maybe start a different thread. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/98 "2009-10-20T16:11:10Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Of course it’s harmless! If you have absolutely no standards whatsoever. > > As people have repeatedly pointed out in this thread: MS has had repeated outages on its servers which have caused many people to have their OSes declared invalid. And it doesn’t just end with a nag. People have been unable to use their PCs until the servers were restored. Phone calls don’t fix these problems in ten minutes. Read the links folks. Just because it hasn’t happened to you don’t mean diddly. Now you are conflating the two. Failing activation or to activate will eventually leave you with an unusable PC, WGA does not. If the call takes more than 10 min you do not have a basic WGA/Activation issue and probablly have another issue to resolve. Manually rerunning the activation as I posted way above with the key on the case will correct the WGA issue too. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/99 "2009-10-20T19:25:45Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > If the call takes more than 10 min you do not have a basic WGA/Activation issue and probablly have another issue to resolve. > > Manually rerunning the activation as I posted way above with the key on the case will correct the WGA issue too. Or you could take a lesson from me and just Google “Remove WGA” (freeware), install and run, and you’re cured! No “10 minute” calls to the Company who forcibly infected your computer to begin with. I hope my experience can be of help to someone who wants to get rid of this annoyance instead of f\*cking around with M$ support (or paying someone like **drachillix** to do it for you). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997/100 "2009-10-20T21:32:50Z")
I really don’t understand your hostility toward people trying to help you to get _the right_ support. You’re really not going to like Linux if this episode is anything to go by. Edited to add: (not because of any kind of scary authoritarian stuff, but because Linux inevitably requires a good deal of titting about with settings and configuration, which in turn requires _asking people for help_ and occasionally _heeding their earnest suggestions_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-genuine-advantage-infects-my-computer-help/513997.md?page=6)