How To Disable Windows Genuine Advantage Notification in 3 Simple Steps
By Angsuman Chakraborty, Gaea News NetworkTuesday, April 24, 2007
Following three simple steps now you can get rid of the pesky and sometimes buggy Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) notifications:
1. Reboot Windows in safe mode (hold the f8 key while booting and you will get the option to boot in safe mode) and then:
2. Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and search for wgalogon folder and delete it. You should backup up the registry beforehand, in case somethiong goes wrong.
3. In your windows directory search for files wga* and delete them.
You are done!
Now reboot back normally and continue your work. Windows Genuine Advantage will not bother you anymore.
Note: I had previously posted a tip which requires a third-party executable. Now it is not required anymore. You can do it yourself by carefully following the guide above.
Warning: Use at your own risk. Backup everything before you do.
Bonus Hint: A better option is to switch to Linux and enjoy all the peace of mind that comes from using Genuine Linux operating system and non-Microsoft software and in not using Genuine Windows software. Additionally laugh all the way to your bank with all the money saved in licensing.
Tags: Saved, Warning
vic |
WINDOWS HACKA |
June 17, 2010: 6:21 pm
I JUST HACKED WINDOWS 7 NOW U CAN GET ALL UPDATES AND YOUR COMPUTER WILL SAY ITS GENUINE IF U DO THE ONLINE WINDOWS VALIDATION……… |
informa |
June 13, 2010: 11:33 am
removeWAT.exe worked for me! Im using windows 7. Just search for it, download it and run it;) |
RazorDude |
June 4, 2010: 1:44 am
Hey thanks Really helpful!! |
newbie |
Emmanuel |
May 22, 2010: 5:47 pm
please i to find out if i can get a software that i can used to run my windows to be get blue screen because my windows gives me genuine advantage counterfeit and need to install it software, though i was having the that software site but i forget it so please if someone can help me to get that site to download the software again. |
JOHN RIZOLI |
April 26, 2010: 1:17 pm
I found an easier way. Do a standard search for files. parm = WGA* You will find several instances. Open the scheduler for this wga. You will most likely find it set for ‘logon’ Set it for ‘once’ and you should be saying goodbye to this pain in the ass message every day…. |
wilwad |
April 20, 2010: 7:41 am
deleting the wga* files is only a temporary solution as the wga files would be downloaded again on the next windows update. The solution would be to instead create a stub application which does nothing when launched and name it to the same name as wgasetup and then when windows restarts and looks for the wga, it would find the decoy, try to launch it and nothing happens. You can write such a program in VB 6 and have it start from sub main() and not do anything at all. |
Alex |
ghayas |
scott |
April 12, 2010: 10:06 pm
i did it. i have Windows 7 and i kept getting a message saying windows was not genuine with the background turning black on startup. google removewat.exe |
Weltgeist |
April 11, 2010: 4:53 am
Well, unless you have a pirated OS, it is always best to use genuine validation/authentication- the main purpose & reason is security. To be able to use & run all available updates, service packs, etc. for your system is best. Some ways around it, sure. So thank you for the tips here. But, if you really don’t like Microsoft, then DON’T use their OS’s. |
priyanka |
April 9, 2010: 11:01 pm
when i open my laptop the info. from genuine microsoft software that is you may be victim of software counterfeiting.plz suggest how to remove it.reply asap |
donsmac |
April 7, 2010: 7:35 pm
Search for a small program called removeWAT.exe Worked for me to fix this problem! I’m running windows7 ultimate 64 bit. the notifications are gone and my desktop background no longer gets removed every 20 minutes.YES! |
Reaper |
April 3, 2010: 6:39 pm
Hey, i run win7 64 bit and i cannot locate the files in the system32 folder or in regedit would you know how to find the wga files? |
Anthony Myers |
March 31, 2010: 9:59 pm
It worked! Thank you SO much… I tried playing around deleting items in the registry myself, but that WGA notification kept coming back time and again… like the energizer bunny. My computer is getting a bit old and I didn’t want the crap running in the background, and certainly didn’t need it to constantly be phoning home to Microsoft everyday. |
erlyn |
March 30, 2010: 7:47 am
hey, im using windows 7 too. i cannot find that windows directory. search options are quite hard here compared to Vista and XP. i get rid of that before when im still using XP, but now, i cannot do it. please help me.. thanks so much! |
Jobin Joseph |
March 19, 2010: 3:32 am
i am using windows 7. now it have showing Genuine Notification. how can i remove this from my windows 7. |
Ben |
john |
March 9, 2010: 10:36 pm
I did as you suggested and I can no longer log into windows at all. Can’t even start in safe mode or go to command prompt. How do I get to registry backup?!? HELP! |
syed |
March 3, 2010: 4:15 pm
how to remove wga notification in windows 7 ultimate. when try to find wgatray in system32 folder or notify option in regeditor but nothing appear or no files exist named this? |
hasbullah |
March 2, 2010: 5:12 am
hello, i tried find the file you told, but unfortunately, i’m not found it it my windows7..huhu please help me… |
jrv |
February 25, 2010: 5:07 am
i just used this way. |
Gary |
February 23, 2010: 11:23 am
I’d sure like to get LINUX running. However, I’ve found getting it to load is a formidable task. The 300 page install guideline via fedora 12 is so complex and bounces around way too much. What we need is a straight forward load instruction to deploy your CD and hard drive. The manual seems like it has 100 different ways to load LINUX, most of those options don’t apply to the home / small business user. |
sam el zoro |
markus