What is Windows Genuine Advantage?

Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) is an automated validation process integrated on later Microsoft operating system products. Windows Genuine Advantage was developed by Microsoft Corporation in order to bolster its anti-piracy campaign. This automated validation process makes it a requirement for Microsoft Windows OS users to go through a series of validation systems before being granted by the Microsoft website to download and subsequently install updates and various version releases of software programs.

Feature:

The WGA validation process validates the present installation of Windows and its license key, against the hardware involved. It is accessible by either a stand-alone program, or (within Internet Explorer), an ActiveX control.

If an instance of Windows doesn't seem to have a valid license, WGA display a specific notice to the user and prevent any updates being downloaded from Microsoft except security upgrades that are rated "Critical."

There are two separate parts of Windows Genuine Advantage for Windows XP: WGA Validation and WGA Notifications.

WGA Validation is the component that checks Windows to make sure it's a properly licensed copy of the software. Your system must be validated in order to receive some software (such as Internet Explorer 7, Windows Defender, and Windows Media Player 10) from Windows Update and Microsoft Update. WGA Validation has been required for access of these types of downloadable software from Microsoft since July 2005.

WGA Notifications was designed to remind users who fail validation that their Windows software has been deemed by WGA Validation to be illegitimate. It directs people who experience this to resources to learn more about getting what Microsoft calls "genuine" software. WGA Notifications is delivered via Automatic Updates and it is technically optional.

Behavior on Windows VISTA:

On Windows Vista, WGA validation failure has a greater impact. In addition to persistent notification and the disabling of non-critical updates, WGA also disables Windows Aero, Windows Defender, and Ready Boost. The user is given a grace period in which to then pass validation, after which most of the operating system is disabled and Windows reverts to reduced functionality mode.

What is Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool?

When a user installs WGA, an Internet Explorer add-on is installed labeled "Windows Genuine Advantage". Microsoft includes the Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Library in several products like Windows Defender, Internet Explorer 7, Microsoft Folder and Windows Media Player 11 to validate about the Windows installation.

History:

Right after its release during the early 2000s, Windows Genuine Advantage was designed to be a voluntary add-on to the OS versions of Microsoft Windows users. But after Microsoft Windows OS 2005 versions were released, Windows Genuine Advantage is now a requirement when it comes to accessing the services that are being offered by Microsoft Download Center and Windows Update.

How to Disable IT:

To disable Microsoft's How to disable or uninstall the pilot version of Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications Knowledge base article.

If you prefer not to mess around with the System Registry yourself, there's a free utility called RemoveWGA available for download on the Internet from Firewall Leak Tester. I've tested RemoveWGA 1.2 and I recommend it as an alternative.