You have two few options to check if you windows 10 is genuine or not - First Method - You can right click on system and properties. There you will see information about windows 10. Second Method -Click on Start - Search - Activation: Here it will show whether it is activated or not. Diagnostic Tool Information: The Microsoft Genuine Advantage Diagnostic Tool provides detailed information about the Microsoft Genuine Advantage components and settings currently on your system. This tool allows you to dianose and automatically resolve problems in some cases. Jun 21, 2014 All users of genuine Windows and non-genuine Windows software can access security updates through Automatic Updates. The Windows validation is required to make sure that customers have access to the latest features, updates, and support from Microsoft.
| Developer(s) | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Stable release | |
| Operating system | Windows XP to Windows 7 |
| Platform | IA-32, x86-64 |
| Type | Copy protection, digital rights management |
| License | Proprietary (same as Windows) |
| Website | microsoft.com/genuine/ |
Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) is an anti-infringement system created by Microsoft that enforces online validation of the licensing of several Microsoft Windowsoperating systems when accessing several services, such as Windows Update, and downloading Windows components from the Microsoft Download Center. In Windows 7, WGA is renamed Windows Activation Technologies.[1] WGA consists of two components: an installable component called WGA Notifications that hooks into Winlogon and validates the Windows license upon each logon and an ActiveX control that checks the validity of the Windows license when downloading certain updates from the Microsoft Download Center or Windows Update. WGA Notifications covers Windows XP and later, with the exception of Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition. The ActiveX control checks Windows 2000 Professional licenses as well.[2]
WGA also advertises the latest service pack, Service Pack 3, for Windows XP, which requires manual intervention to disable. Previously voluntary, it became mandatory for use of these services by July 2005.
Despite its name it does not actually evaluate the integrity or security of any computer.[3]
- 2Software
- 7Criticisms
Features[edit]
The WGA validation process validates the present installation of Windows and its license key against the detected computer hardware and determines if the software was licensed from Microsoft. It is accessible by either a stand-alone program, a Netscape-compatible web browser plug-in, or as an ActiveX control within Internet Explorer, the latter of which is relevant to any attempt to access Microsoft updates via its browser. It includes the following steps:
- Upon their first visit to Windows Update or certain updates on the Microsoft Download Center, users receive a message requiring them to validate their copy of Windows by downloading an ActiveX control which checks the authenticity of their Windows software. If successful in validating Windows, it stores a license file on the PC for future verification.
- After successful validation, the regular update download can continue.
- If the software decides the instance of Windows does not have a valid license, WGA displays a specific notice to the user and prevents non-critical updates from being downloaded from Microsoft. This includes changing the wallpaper to black and displaying a watermark in the bottom-right of the screen.
The ActiveX control is downloaded on the first validation and when a new version is available, but the validation itself can be performed any time the user connects to a Microsoft Website to update.
Microsoft Genuine Diagnostics Tool Windows 7
On Windows Vista without service packs, 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 Windows ReadyBoost. 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. This behavior however has been removed in Service Pack 1 of Windows Vista in favor of prominent notices on systems believed unlicensed.
Software[edit]
WGA Validation Tool[edit]
When a user installs Windows Genuine Advantage, an Internet Explorer add-on is installed labeled 'Windows Genuine Advantage'. In early releases the tool could be readily disabled with the IE Add-on Management feature. A Windows Group Policy was added by later updates, causing this option to be unavailable by default, but still accessible if the policy were removed. As of July 2006, the latest update blocks management by other means.
The program uses either a stand-alone program to generate a key or an ActiveX control to discover whether the license key is valid; either way an Internet connection is required. On Windows XP, if WGA determines that a user's copy of Windows is unauthorized but was installed from seemingly legitimate media (i.e., the CD/DVD and holographic emblem present on real copies of Windows seems genuine), then Microsoft will supply the user with a new CD/DVD. However, newer versions of Windows will still require the user to purchase a new copy. Microsoft also offers discounts to people who want to purchase a legitimate copy of Windows but do not have a valid CD. Microsoft has indicated that they will continue to deliver critical security updates through their Automatic Updates service as well as via the Microsoft Download Center, so that all systems, including those that fail to pass validation, will still continue to receive critical security updates.
The company has made installation of Windows Genuine Advantage a requirement for use of the Windows Update and Microsoft Update websites, in part to be sure that customers who use support resources of the company are aware when their software is unlicensed. According to Microsoft themselves, it is legal to run Microsoft Windows without Windows Genuine Advantage[citation needed]. However, since non-critical Windows updates are not presented by Automatic Updates, installation of WGA is required for installation of such non-critical updates, which are only available through Windows Update or the Microsoft Download Center.
WGA Notifications[edit]
On April 25, 2006, Microsoft began distributing Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications[4] as 'critical update' KB905474 to Windows users. For Windows 7, KB971033 has the same function.[5] Back in 2006, users with copies the WGA believed to be unlicensed were exposed to alerts[6] at startup, login, and during use of the Windows OS, stating that they do not have a genuine copy of Windows. Users with legitimate copies are not supposed to see the alerts (although some do anyway[7]). On May 23, 2006, Microsoft updated the program, closing some forms of circumvention, but reportedly not all.[8] It was updated again on May 30, June 6 and June 27, 2006, though some forms of circumvention are still usable. The latest versions do not roll out worldwide at the same time: the dates given are the earliest dates on which the versions appeared, so the actual version being offered in some places will be an earlier version than the latest release. It is still possible to opt out of receiving this update using the 'do not show' option at the Windows Update site (Windows XP), and the 'Hide' option in the right-click menu of Windows Update in Control Panel (Windows Vista/7/8). In addition to these notifications, Windows Genuine Advantage will also notify users with the message 'This version of Windows XP is no longer secure' if users on an XP Operating System are not using Service Pack 3, and it will provide a link to help users to update their systems to the new service pack.
The version of Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications released November 29, 2006, had a changed install process to inform the user of what the program does, and can also be set to automatically update to newer versions of Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications. It also informs users that may have a non-genuine version of Windows why their Windows version isn't being reported as genuine. However, unlike previous releases, it started being only automatically delivered to Windows machines using four widely distributed product keys.[9]
The latest update (version 1.9.0040.0) was released on March 24, 2009.
WGA Validation Library[edit]
Microsoft includes the Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Library in several products, such as Windows validation tool or Windows Media Player 11, to check the validation about all Windows software. As of version 7, Internet Explorer no longer requires the user to pass a Windows Genuine Advantage test in order to download or install the software.
The WGA Validation Library is also included in the Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0 and validate the Windows installation whether it is legitimate or not. The program will stop working after 30 days once it failed the validation process.
The information is then used in the WGA Library to check for overuse of license keys.
Circumvention[edit]
In September 2005, Microsoft filed lawsuits against a number of companies that sold unauthorized copies of software based on information from users who were told they have copyright infringing software by the Windows Genuine Advantage application.[10]
On May 4, 2006, Microsoft announced lawsuits for allegedly distributing unauthorized copies of Windows against eDirectSoftware of Montana, and Chicago-area resellers Nathan Ballog and Easy Computers.[11]
Notifications and firewalls[edit]
Some personal firewalls, though not one embedded in Windows, may alert on the method by which wgatray.exe is started; in the case of Outpost firewall, it is identified as a 'hidden process'. The wgatray.exe process itself can be firewall blocked, without apparent problems.
A tool has been released by a firewall vendor to prevent WGA Notifications transmitting information from one's PC.[12]
Microsoft Genuine Tool Box
Data collected[edit]
Through Windows Genuine Advantage, Microsoft collects the following data:[13][14]
- Computer make and model
- BIOSchecksum, make, version, and date
- Globally unique identifier (GUID), a number WGA assigns to the Windows installation
- Windows version, product ID (PID), and localization
- Windows or Microsoft Office registration key
- WGA validation and installation results
WGA in China[edit]
On October 20, 2008, many users of Windows XP in China received a black desktop, as Microsoft introduced its WGA system for Chinese language systems[15][16][17] in an effort to combat copyright violation, which is extremely common in China. Since the majority of users in China run an unlicensed copy of Windows, many users have experienced what is described as a 'black screen syndrome', where the operating system changes the desktop background to a black screen, as well as displays constant warning messages.[18][19] Some users have even reported the disabling of Office programs such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Outlook.[20]
According to various polls carried out by Chinese portals such as Sohu.com, QQ.com, 21cn.com, and many others, a large number (over 60% of those surveyed) of Chinese Internet users are hostile to Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) and Office Genuine Advantage (OGA).[21]
Criticisms[edit]
Time bomb[edit]
Even if WGA does not really make the program unusable, no updates except critical ones can be downloaded from Microsoft. Rather than just disallowing updating, Windows Vista originally ran in reduced-functionality mode if found by WGA to be compromised,[22][23] which has made some people compare WGA to time bomb software.[24][25][26] Windows Vista SP2 has removed this behavior and reverted to the nag-only methods of Windows XP.[27]
Spyware accusations[edit]
The notification tool has been accused of spyware-like behavior, 'phoning home' on a daily basis.[28][29][30] Microsoft subsequently admitted the behaviour, but denied that it amounted to spyware.[31][32] Following pressure, Microsoft announced that in future the tool would only phone home once every two weeks, instead of every day.[33] Microsoft has also provided removal instructions for the pilot version of WGA.[34]
Despite this, Microsoft was sued under anti-spyware statutes over WGA's non-disclosed 'phone home' behaviour.[35] The lawsuit has since been dismissed.[36]
False positive rate[edit]
The WGA program can produce false positives (incorrectly identifying a genuine copy of Windows as 'not genuine'). This can happen for any number of reasons such as failed updates, etc. Microsoft has established a forum to help users encountering problems.[37] In February 2007, a 'Not Sure' section was added to the program, in case of an incorrect reading.[38]
According to an Ars Technica editorial, WGA reported around 22% of 500 million Windows computers as failing the test; of these less than 0.5% were due to unauthorized software, with the balance (over 20%, or 90% of all positives) related to edge cases. Microsoft 'refused to comment on the rate of pure false positives' beyond saying it was 'under 1%' (or as stated, at most around 5 million users affected).[39]
False negatives[edit]
On June 18, 2007, news surfaced that it is possible to positively validate as a 'Genuine Microsoft Product' user (and as a result be able to download certain software from Microsoft's official website) using Internet Explorer with IEs4Linux and Wine, running on Linux,[3] without even having a Windows-family system installed.
Major failures in WGA system[edit]
On October 5, 2006, a WGA failure occurred, incorrectly flagging some systems as being non-genuine.[40]
On August 25, 2007, the Microsoft WGA servers suffered an outage, resulting in many legitimate copies of Windows XP and Vista being marked as counterfeit.[41] The issue was solved about 12 hours later. According to Microsoft, 'fewer than 12,000 systems were affected worldwide.'[42]
On July 18, 2008, reports of Microsoft's WGA and OGA servers being offline surfaced again. Microsoft later responded that only offline verification was temporarily down.[43]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^WGA dubbed Windows Activation Technologies with Windows 7
- ^'The Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) validation check process does not complete when you try to validate your copy of Windows Vista, Windows XP, or Windows 2000 Professional'. Microsoft. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
- ^ ab'Ubuntu Linux Validates As Genuine Windows'. Slashdot. 2007-06-18.
- ^Microsoft.com – Description of the Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications application, retrieved June 13, 2006
- ^Description of the update for Windows Activation Technologies
- ^Digital Inspiration – Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications, retrieved June 13, 2006
- ^Announcement on usenet entitled 'Windows Genuine Advantage – warning appears on activated machine' by Rubert Sland
- ^Sydney Morning Herald – Microsoft back to drawing board on piracy, retrieved June 13, 2006
- ^MSDN Blogs – New Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications Released, retrieved December 3, 2006
- ^'Microsoft Files Lawsuits to Protect Consumers and Software Resellers' (Press release). Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2006.
- ^InformationWeek – Microsoft: Users may have to prove legal Windows use, retrieved June 13, 2006
- ^The Register – How to stop Microsoft's WGA phoning home
- ^What data is collected? -Microsoft, retrieved May 2012
- ^Microsoft's Calling Home Problem: It's a Matter of Informed Consent, retrieved October 20
- ^微软发出“黑色提醒”
- ^微软开始打击盗版 桌面背景变为黑色
- ^Microsoft Peeves Chinese With Anti-Piracy Tactics – Wired.com
- ^对网上盛传的《微软详解Vista SP1封杀盗版激活》三点质疑
- ^盗版的噩梦？Vista SP1新的反盗版技术
- ^微软开始打击盗版 桌面背景变为黑色
- ^Panicking users rail against Microsoft anti-piracy crackdown
- ^ZDNet | Technology News, Analysis, Comments and Product Reviews for IT Professionals
- ^The Ed Bott Report | Page 221 | ZDNet
- ^Dvorak, John C. (October 16, 2006). 'Onerous Vista Activation—A Time Bomb?'. PC Magazine.
- ^'Windows Genuine Advantage: A Ticking Time Bomb?'. Fox News. October 19, 2006.
- ^» Is Microsoft about to release a Windows “kill switch”? | Ed Bott’s Microsoft Report | ZDNet.com
- ^'New WGA Behavior in Windows Vista Service Pack 1'. Retrieved 2008-01-01.
- ^Lauren Weinstein's Blog – Windows XP update may be classified as 'spyware', retrieved June 13, 2006
- ^Microsoft's antipiracy tool 'phones home' daily, retrieved June 13, 2006 Archived June 16, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^Brian Livingston (June 15, 2006). 'Windows Secrets – Genuine Advantage is Microsoft spyware'. Newsletter. Windows Secrets. Retrieved 2007-03-03.
- ^Ars Technica – Microsoft admits Windows Genuine Advantage phones home, retrieved June 13, 2006
- ^Lauren Weinstein's Blog – Microsoft responds regarding Windows XP gr update vs Spyware, retrieved June 13, 2006
- ^ZDNet – Microsoft to ease up on piracy check-ins, retrieved June 13, 2006 Archived June 15, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^'How to disable or uninstall the pilot version of Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications'. Microsoft. July 12, 2006.
- ^Lawsuit calls Microsoft's anti-piracy tool spyware | Seattle Post-Intelligencer, retrieved June 29, 2006
- ^Microsoft wins windows xp wga lawsuit | Ars Technica, retrieved August 4, 2010
- ^Microsoft WGA Help Forum
- ^Ars Technica: Windows Genuine Advantage's newest setting: 'You might be a pirate', retrieved June 6, 2009.
- ^Fisher, Ken (January 24, 2007). 'Windows Genuine Advantage falsely accuses millions'. Ars Technica. Condé Nast. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^WGA failure on October 5th, 2006
- ^Microsoft WGA Help Forum citing response from MS Support
- ^Update on Validation Issues
- ^Users reporting failed Windows and Office validations or.. (Updated)
External links[edit]
- Official website
Split from this thread.
Diagnostic Report (1.9.0027.0):
-----------------------------------------
Windows Validation Data-->
Validation Code: 50
Cached Online Validation Code: 0x0
Windows Product Key: *****-*****-QCPVQ-KHRB8-RMV82
Windows Product Key Hash: +Rj3N34NLM2JqoBO/OzgzTZXgbY=
Windows Product ID: 00359-OEM-8992687-00095
Windows Product ID Type: 2
Windows License Type: OEM SLP
Windows OS version: 6.1.7601.2.00010300.1.0.003
ID: {1AAB623E-45D1-405D-95F9-097455E6D833}(1)
Is Admin: Yes
TestCab: 0x0
LegitcheckControl ActiveX: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Product Name: Windows 7 Home Premium
Architecture: 0x00000009
Build lab: 7601.win7sp1_ldr.160408-2045
TTS Error:
Validation Diagnostic:
Resolution Status: N/A
Vista WgaER Data-->
ThreatID(s): N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Windows XP Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
File Exists: No
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaTray.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaLogon.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGA Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAExec.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAAddin.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGA Data-->
Office Status: 109 N/A
OGA Version: N/A, 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Office Diagnostics: 025D1FF3-364-80041010_025D1FF3-229-80041010_025D1FF3-230-1_025D1FF3-517-80040154_025D1FF3-237-80040154_025D1FF3-238-2_025D1FF3-244-80070002_025D1FF3-258-3
Browser Data-->
Proxy settings: N/A
User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Win32)
Default Browser: C:Program Files (x86)GoogleChromeApplicationchrome.exe
Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Disabled
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Allowed
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Disabled
Allow scripting of Internet Explorer Webbrowser control: Disabled
Active scripting: Allowed
Script ActiveX controls marked as safe for scripting: Allowed
File Scan Data-->
Other data-->
Office Details: <GenuineResults><MachineData><UGUID>{1AAB623E-45D1-405D-95F9-097455E6D833}</UGUID><Version>1.9.0027.0</Version><OS>6.1.7601.2.00010300.1.0.003</OS><Architecture>x64</Architecture><PKey>*****-*****-*****-*****-RMV82</PKey><PID>00359-OEM-8992687-00095</PID><PIDType>2</PIDType><SID>S-1-5-21-2384523446-2227417125-1899103443</SID><SYSTEM><Manufacturer>Dell Inc.</Manufacturer><Model>Studio 540 </Model></SYSTEM><BIOS><Manufacturer>Dell Inc.</Manufacturer><Version>1.0.1</Version><SMBIOSVersion major='2' minor='5'/><Date>20080811000000.000000+000</Date></BIOS><HWID>BD3C3607018400FA</HWID><UserLCID>0409</UserLCID><SystemLCID>0409</SystemLCID><TimeZone>Eastern Standard Time(GMT-05:00)</TimeZone><iJoin>0</iJoin><SBID><stat>3</stat><msppid></msppid><name></name><model></model></SBID><OEM><OEMID>DELL </OEMID><OEMTableID>AS09 </OEMTableID></OEM><GANotification/></MachineData><Software><Office><Result>109</Result><Products/><Applications/></Office></Software></GenuineResults>
Spsys.log Content: 0x80070002
Licensing Data-->
Software licensing service version: 6.1.7601.17514
Name: Windows(R) 7, HomePremium edition
Description: Windows Operating System - Windows(R) 7, OEM_SLP channel
Activation ID: d2c04e90-c3dd-4260-b0f3-f845f5d27d64
Application ID: 55c92734-d682-4d71-983e-d6ec3f16059f
Extended PID: 00359-00178-926-800095-02-1033-7601.0000-1472016
Installation ID: 018073660416979796249662342273502401155046780254728625
Processor Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88338
Machine Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88339
Use License URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88341
Product Key Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88340
Partial Product Key: RMV82
License Status: Notification
Notification Reason: 0xC004F07C.
Remaining Windows rearm count: 3
Trusted time: 7/2/2016 8:40:13 AM
Windows Activation Technologies-->
HrOffline: 0x00000000
HrOnline: 0x00000000
HealthStatus: 0x0000000000000000
Event Time Stamp: 6:21:2016 20:02
ActiveX: Registered, Version: 7.1.7600.16395
Admin Service: Registered, Version: 7.1.7600.16395
HealthStatus Bitmask Output:
HWID Data-->
HWID Hash Current: OAAAAAIABAABAAIAAAACAAAAAgABAAEAonaiYBxTAr+ENHSURrzQC/z7eLfYbCbYAB6CqkwBzDE=
OEM Activation 1.0 Data-->
N/A
OEM Activation 2.0 Data-->
BIOS valid for OA 2.0: yes
Windows marker version: 0x0
OEMID and OEMTableID Consistent: yes
BIOS Information:
ACPI Table NameOEMID ValueOEMTableID Value
APIC081108APIC1657
FACP081108FACP1657
HPET081108OEMHPET
MCFG081108OEMMCFG
SLICDELL AS09
OEMB081108OEMB1657
GSCI081108GMCHSCI
SSDTDpgPmmCpuPm