WGA -

  • Thread starter Thread starter John
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J

John

I understand that WGA stands for "Windows Genuine Advantage".
Who'se advantage? Not mine, I think.
I did a bit of research, and it seems to me that this is an add-on in IE.
Since basically, I don't use IE, what is it doing to me or for me?

It also seems to me that it is basically a little spyware installed on my
computer to see if I have a legal copy of Windows XP (I do).

Every so often at the bottom of my screen (next to the symbols of loaded
programs) there's this "gold" shield. On mouse over, it tells me "Downloading
updates - 0% completed" No updates are being downloaded, it seems.

Is that the spy program working?
Do I have to put up with that?
Are we guilty (of pirating software) until proven innocent?

Somewhere in my Windows folder, there are two files "Legitcheckcontrol.dll"
Could I just delete them?

Thanks for some insight on this item.

John <><
 
"Thanks for some insight on this item."

Computers are not for people with attitudes.
 
Computers are not for people with attitudes.
Click to expand...

Boy, Ted: I'm not sure how you made me feel.
Have I got an "attitude"?
Good one or bad one?
Does that mean I shouldn't be asking questions, or
Does that mean I shouldn't own a computer?
Was your post an "insight"? (Didn't help me a whole lot . . .)
Should I have asked for "an answer" or "answers" instead?

Someone else care to jump into the fray?

Cheers!


John <><
 
John said:
I understand that WGA stands for "Windows Genuine Advantage".
Who'se advantage? Not mine, I think.
I did a bit of research, and it seems to me that this is an add-on in IE.
Since basically, I don't use IE, what is it doing to me or for me?

It also seems to me that it is basically a little spyware installed on my
computer to see if I have a legal copy of Windows XP (I do).

Every so often at the bottom of my screen (next to the symbols of loaded
programs) there's this "gold" shield. On mouse over, it tells me
"Downloading
updates - 0% completed" No updates are being downloaded, it seems.

Is that the spy program working?
Do I have to put up with that?
Are we guilty (of pirating software) until proven innocent?

Somewhere in my Windows folder, there are two files
"Legitcheckcontrol.dll"
Could I just delete them?

Thanks for some insight on this item.

John <><
Click to expand...


Hi John
It seems you wish to have a rant/vent spleen about WGA etc.
If this is the case then try the below links and join the thousands who have
been complaining about it, for the past two months or so - WGA, as a thread
now in these groups, is very much a dead subject.
Good luck

http://forums.microsoft.com/Genuine/default.aspx?SiteID=25

http://forums.microsoft.com/Genuine/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=444&SiteID=25

Antioch
 
Hi John
It seems you wish to have a rant/vent spleen about WGA etc.
If this is the case then try the below links and join the thousands who have
been complaining about it, for the past two months or so - WGA, as a thread
now in these groups, is very much a dead subject.
Good luck

http://forums.microsoft.com/Genuine/default.aspx?SiteID=25

http://forums.microsoft.com/Genuine/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=444&SiteID=25

Antioch
Click to expand...

Thanks, Antioch.
Guess I'm just a bit behiind the times - I hadn't heard a lot about WGA, and
really hadn't worried about it much.

Guess my real question is:
Whenever I start up my computer, andf the little yellow shield appears, is that
in fact a function of WGA.
While it is thhere, it slows down my computer to a crawl.

Thanks, Ted and antioch for your input.
John <><
 
John said:
Thanks, Antioch.
Guess I'm just a bit behiind the times - I hadn't heard a lot about WGA,
and
really hadn't worried about it much.

Guess my real question is:
Whenever I start up my computer, andf the little yellow shield appears, is
that
in fact a function of WGA.
While it is thhere, it slows down my computer to a crawl.

Thanks, Ted and antioch for your input.
John <><
Click to expand...

Lots of us have that little 'barsteward' sitting in our system trays - it
arrived after most were duped into the initial download when it was offered
as a critical update.
I just ignore it.
Afraid I don't see how it might be slowing down your system - first I have
heard of it being accused of that.
Might be a good Q to pose to the feedback etc.
Rgds
Antioch
 
antioch said:
Lots of us have that little 'barsteward' sitting in our system trays
- it arrived after most were duped into the initial download when it
was offered as a critical update.
Click to expand...

This is why it is a good pratice not to install updates on patch tuesday, I
always wait 2 weeks before I instal hotfixes, and my computer is no less
secure than it was the day before the releases.
 
To each their own...I install the patches as soon as they come out.
They're not called "critical" for nothing. And in the unlikely event
that an update would cause me a problem - it's happened only once since
I started using Winup in the Win98 era - I image my system partition
daily, sometimes more often, so I'm back in the saddle in a matter of
minutes.
 
MAP said:
This is why it is a good pratice not to install updates on patch tuesday,
I
always wait 2 weeks before I instal hotfixes, and my computer is no less
secure than it was the day before the releases.
Click to expand...


I am a coward as well and wait for others to find all the problems - perhaps
I should not be admitting this in the groups :-o
Antioch
 
Antioch:

Your practice (of waiting) is advisable when a major revision is made to
software. For example, when your favorite program changes from version
3.x to version 4.x. When SP 2 was released I waited a few months before
upgrading.

In the case of critical security patches, however, in my opinion the
security risk is higher than the risk that the update will harm your
system. I hope you won't adopt a wait and see approach to virus
definition updates, even though these have occasionally been known to
cause trouble for the AV programs they support (as happened recently
with Zone Alarm.)
 
Oh no - keep all security stuff up to date - just hold back a while for the
updates from MS(MINDLESS STUPIDITY)
Antioch
 
I have no patience for people who can't dance and then complain that the
band can't play.
 
Ted said:
I have no patience for people who can't dance and then
complain that the band can't play.
Click to expand...

Ya, but sometimes those people don't realize how badly they
dance. Just a comment: I'm done. Not trying to be
confrontational - it was meant to be a gently jab is all. It can
get tiresome, but there's always the next thread.

Pop
 
Generally I install patches as soon as available.
But I look them up and see exactly what it is and make an informed decision
whether to install or not.

As zero day exploits get closer, it is getting more dangerous to wait simply
to find out if a patch causes problems.
One day is more than sufficient since there are always reports in the
Windows Update newsgroups.
But even one day may be more risky as those wanting to take control of
unpatched computers get better at what they do.
2 weeks can be far to long.
I would never wait that long before updating my antivirus, spyware killer,
firewall etc and that is really another patch.
 
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