Two months ago, Microsoft pushed an update of its Windows validation software, part of the Windows Genuine Advantage program, to all Windows XP users. I’m hearing an increasing number of reports of problems with this update. I’ve written about this at ZDNet (Microsoft presses the Stupid button).
If you’ve experienced WGA problems recently, I’m interested in hearing about it. Leave a comment here and describe your experience.
Microsoft WGA has corrupted my computer ! After installing two days ago, my CD-driver no longer works, the graphics have disappeared, I cannot access items like my scanner.
What other company can get away selling dangerous products to its custromers.
Help.
I have a self built PC with a legal OEM version of Win XP Pro, I have no problems with registering. BUT now that I have the Dam WGA, every time I uninstall software or update software, or uninstall graphic drivers to install the latest drivers, I get a pop up box claiming that my Hardware has changed and I have 3 days to reactivate! Well I see a problem here as there has been NO hardware changed! In a weeks time due to Software problems and Win DVD told me it was a Nevada graphic driver problem, I updated and changed these drives and updated software 3 time this past week, each time the drive was changed I receive the “pop up box claiming that my Hardware has changed and I have 3 days to reactivate! I did this up until I got a message during reactivation stating I had used up all my time’s I can reactivate!!!!!
Bull !@#$ to this. I lucked out by restoring my PC to a date 4 days prior and upon reboot told I had to reactive and this time it passed.
MS needs to answer up for this headache.
I intend to build a new PC and fully intend to use the OEM of XP (legal) on it, of course this PC will be stripped and I will use the current HDD in the new box. I paid for it and as long as it is only used on one machine that should suffice.
I would like to know why I have this problem with reactivation when the is no hardware changed?
Regards,
Deb
Debbie, that error has nothing to do with WGA. It’s an activation issue.
Glad you were able to resolve it.
Recently tried to update a clients machine (virtually new).
Upgraded to IE7, WGA and Malicious Software tool….
System started suffering BSOD and “black” screen hangs, with what looked like “video” corruption.
Removed IE7… ever since, every time I attempt to update IE7, WGA or Malicious Software removal Tool the problem represents.
A call logged to Microsoft was eventually (after nine calls over three weeks) closed with the following work arounds …. decline all offered updates for the three applications (and flag, don’t re-notify…. only good until a new release) and wait for and immediately implement XP SP3 when it’s released!!!!
Was suggested that…
Corruption issues related to some video drivers have been identified…
Memory leakage and memory mapping issues have been identified with IE7 ….
And other issues…
Support rep claimed SP3 is imminent and “weighty”.
Anyone able to confirm SP3 release????/
Well – had a piece of RAM blow in the middle of a disk scan, screwed up my windows install royally. So, I ran the repair install. After the repair install, strange thing s ensued with IE (which had been downgraded to version 6), and WGA started malfunctioning and telling me my key was no good (it’s an MSDN volume key from my fully registered subscription, so I doubt that). Went to install IE7 – hitting the Validate button crashed IE. Every time I try to log on to Windows Update or surf to a web page it says something about my key not being found in a validation set and crashes IE. I managed to get to windows update by typing in “windows Update” in google (for some reason clicking links works but typing in addresses doesn’t). Hopefully an update will solve the problem – if not, I don’t know where to go from here…
I updated with WGAN since it seemed that it was the only way to continue using automatic updates. Now it tells me it thinks I have a non-genuine licence but it isn’t sure because it can’t complete the validation test due to my anti-virus software (Norton.) Norton immediately decided to uninstall itself but I still can’t update or remove the WGAN because of some problem with ActiveX controls. I keep on clicking ‘install’ and it keeps on saying it can’t. I downloaded the .exe installation but the system won’t allow that to run because the originator can’t be verified, but isn’t the originator MS?
i have been facing similar troubles like most who have mentioned this. its utterly rediculous! my friend has a dell latitude, and winxp refuses toaccept the valid license key! the windows had been completely corrupted prior to this, and warranted a format and fresh install. but this whole wga sucks. its been days at end, i havent been able to find any solution. if MS employs a killswitch, eople should bay for thier heads, replace the osama cards with billgates and allchin and the motely crue. i hate them all for the wasted time and effort!
I flipflopped on upgrading to XP (from… don’t laugh… an ancient but stable 95 install) versus moving to Linux on the desktop (it already runs on the server), and let my husband talk me into XP.
It’s been increasingly unstable, and MS blamed the Nvidia driver. So I upgraded it, and suddenly the WGA magically activated. Windows is supposed to be set to manually update, and hasn’t notified me of one in quite awhile… so if it’s actually respected the manual selection (which I begin to doubt), it certainly shouldn’t be anything new in WGA itself.
So yay, now I have machine that still crashes, *and* thinks its license key is corrupt. Or something.
I’m pretty sure switching to Linux at this point would be less work… the only reason I hesitate now is that dangitall, I PAID MICROSOFT ALREADY, and I haven’t gotten my money’s worth out of XP yet.
Hadn’t installed windows in a couple years, didn’t read up on the WGA thing. Installed a widely distributed winxp torrent version(ABSOLUTELY pirated, came with a publically distributed key they’ve probably seen a million times) , ran *perfectly*, that is until i updated. Reinstalled the system 5 times before i realized wga was corrupting my system32/config/files (after 2nd round updating). I decided to do first round only, and set updates to notify only. Got a notification icon in the bottom, clicked it, computer immediately rebooted, and every time the bios hits the mbr it autoreboots again, cant do anything, now the CD says the drive is corrupt and cannot install anymore, could be a coincidence, drive might have died, but it was all working perfectly before the wga thing, brand new drive as well, returning it, we’ll see what happens with the next one
Thank you’ll for your lists of problems I think the auto-update feature will be off on all my machines until this mess is fixed- Fortunately my machine was configured for manual install, and I seached for issues before installation. As anticipated MS is never a help to fix missing features or to bridge problems,(A fix to use visual studio on xp home once existed but now gone). but they never miss an opportunity to be both greedy and provide a defective product.
sucks for ppl in india…. everythings pirated out here… tough time finding an original copy of windows here!
i was trying to fix a friends pc she has a hp media center pc. well she had problems and could not use the restore disk’s that she had burned when she bought the pc. she tried to get hp to give her the disk but they wanted her to buy them. instead she used and xp disc that a friend had and the key code. i was trying to update xp but it says her copy is not valid. i have the key code that came with the pc. i do not know how too change the key code. when i go too activate its says already activated
Office 2007 requires Xp Sp2 or Vista to install. Why when W2k SP4 is written to the same API?
When Microsoft is using it’s monopoly position to force an upgrade on people whose OS is perfectly adequate, but whose client’s/business contacts require Offiice 2007 it would seem to be time for DOJ to revisit their action against Microsoft. Clearly Office can run equally well on W2k and XP. The difference is just WGA, and Microsofts ability to force the upgrade because of it’s monopoly position in the industry, no more, no less.
April 2009 and the WGA hell starts again. My personal frustration involves KB905474. Since I earn my living as Microsoft Certified Pro, and always ensure all our systems are absolutely legal, I am now furious 1) at being treated like a criminal 2) at the huge waste of my time, especially as we are at the critical stage in a major software project. Just for the record: my personal system completes the WGA install, and tells me I AM LEGAL and authenticated, however the bloody annoying WGA wizard “nagware” continues to pop up at reboot. The only “support” I have received thus far is that the Microsoft help squad took the same Key numbers, ran them on their validator, and insist that these are NOT genuine. Go figure. The whole experience makes me think Microsoft actually want us to all go use Linux.