To ensure that you are running on a genuine version of windows and not accidently using a pirated version and also to curb the increasing piracy issues, Microsoft Windows automatically updated a tool on Windows XP and new versions of Windows with a pilot version of Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) Nnotifications.  There are a few ways to completely uninstall or remove the WGA’s pilot version.

Microsoft WGA notifications

With the increasing piracy issues Microsoft is extra careful and wants to go on a full battle with piracy. As a step towards protecting all the current Microsoft Windows operating system they introduced the Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) notification. This is a program that Microsoft uses to validate the authenticity of a Microsoft patent product. It helps the company validate the version of Microsoft windows that is uniquely registered. This can be ensured since all windows have a unique product key. The notification wants you to remind or ensure you register the version of your windows using the Microsoft windows update. As soon as you register the product on the website the notifications will no longer appear and you can be free from notification telling you are running a anon-genuine version of windows operating system. The primary purpose of the notification is to advice you along with Microsoft the genuinely of the product.

Ensure the version of WGA

When you want to disable the Microsoft Windows genuine Advantage Notifications you need to be in the administrative mode or if on a network get you network administrator to do the function on your behalf. You also need to ensure that the WHA notifications on your computer are the pilot and it is under the number 1.5.0532.x. You can find the version from the Control Panel. In the panel you can double click on Add or Remove Programs and there click on Windows XP-Software and in there the Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications. Once there you can click on support information. This will open a Support Info box, where the version will be displayed.

Disable or delete WGA on XP

You can disable by searching for the following files and renaming it by changing the extensions:

  • %windir%\system32\WgaLogon.dll to %windir%\system32\WgaLogon.old
  • %Windir%\System32\WgaTray.exe to %Windir%\System32\WgaTray.old

You need to restart the computer after you change the file extension names.  Once restarted you need to open the command prompt and entre Regvr32 %Winddir%\system32\LegitCheckControl.dll/u and restart the computer again.  Upon restart open the command prompt again and type in Del %Windir%\system32\wgalogon.old, press enter and type Del%Windir%\system32\WgaTray.old, and press enter and type Del %Windir%\system32\LegitCheckControl.dll, and in the next line type regedit and press enter.  Exit from command prompt ad look for the following files; once you have the files right click and delete them : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify\WgaLogonand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\WgaNotif. Once you have deleted these files, restart the computer.

This will ensure you are have completely deleted and removed the pilot version of the Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage notifications pilot version from your windows XP operating system. Always ensure before  performing the above steps that you are running the pilot version for Microsoft WGA notifications.