nellie2 Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 There has been quite a bit of discussion over Microsoft's WGA notification, like everyone else, I have no problems with WGA validation, that is fair enough but I do object to my computer phoning home to MS everytime I boot up.I have been blocking it with my firewall but Suzi Turner (of Spyware Warrior) told me that a much easier way is to download AutoRun from SysInternals and use that... I must admit it was easy to do and now I'm not bugged by Microsoft every time I boot up :D See Suzi's blog at Znet for detailshttp://blogs.zdnet.com/Spyware/index.php?p=831 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadyassa Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 Thats interesting, I have all the latest updates etc, but I am not aware of it phoning home when I boot up, although I do use XP firewall. I also have a router with a built in firewall. How would I know if it is trying to phone home ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted June 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 The windows firewall doesn't check for things phoning home from your computer... it just checks for things trying to get in.I was only aware of it because my firewall was telling me that it wanted to get out. I suppose you could check your processes on bootup but I would think that you will need to be pretty quick as once it connects and says what ever it says to microsoft then it will shut down again.But if you download Autoruns and have a look at the Winlogon tab... if you have WgaLogon there then it will be phoning home when you boot up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 When I disabled WGA in Autoruns - I got the "You have updates message" from windows at the next reboot and it installed 905474 again !I've got 2 WGA logons in WinLogon now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted June 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 Well yes, I got that too... I just haven't re-downloaded it. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 I was using the "royal "I"" :D I'm not the only person using this PC :) I've been away for a couple of days.My wife is trained to automatically download whatever Windows says when the yellow shield pops up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted June 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 Oh... back to the drawing board then. There are other methods posted here but I liked the Autoruns one as it seemd simple and didn't involve doing anything dodgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason.b.c Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 Hey., Not to take away from the subject here but, What are those extra buttons on the top of that screenshot..??And how can i get them.?? , I've got something similar but not that.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted June 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 That is the Autoruns application that I linked to.. it's got all those buttons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason.b.c Posted June 23, 2006 Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 That is the Autoruns application that I linked to.. it's got all those buttonsYea in that screenshot for autoruns, You knew what i was talking about right.??There's two extra buttons just to the left of the minimize , maximize , and close buttons, What do they do..?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted June 23, 2006 Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 Has anyone tried RemoveWGA? (use Google to find a download site of your convenience)P.S. A new version 8.52 of Autoruns is available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarecrow Man Posted June 23, 2006 Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 I just used Sygate Firewall to block the original.. Never heard from it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted June 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 I must be going mad... I can't see the minimise, ,maximise and close buttons in Boris's screen shot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason.b.c Posted June 23, 2006 Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 I must be going mad... I can't see the minimise, ,maximise and close buttons in Boris's screen shot No not boris's screenshots , this one ScreenshotCool program :D , I don't have the WGA stuff in there , it never showed up .. Guess thats good though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamb Chop Posted June 24, 2006 Report Share Posted June 24, 2006 I just had a look and ive got that WGA on my computer as at 18.5.06I havent noticed any calling back home. Or messages but I have ZoneLabs Firewall and it will only allow programs to call home if you allow it - notifies you even if a program is changed by updates etc. Great Firewall and FREE. Mind you I no longer take auto updates as someone on Washington Post Tech section said not to - only a few months ago. I get them notified and then look at them and only then downoad them etc. Dont know if this helps me or not, not a tech so only follow what seems to be good advice from thems that know better.Ihave just checked and my WGA is able to call home silly me - so what does it say or do that is bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted June 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2006 It isn't bad.. and we shouldn't be getting this out of proportion. However I just think it's unnecessary for this thing to connect to Microsoft on every boot up, intrusive even. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cozofdeath Posted June 24, 2006 Report Share Posted June 24, 2006 Many programs on my computer phone home when I startup. Its nice to be updated and everything but man is it hard to keep track of all the things shooting outbound information. ZoneAlarm goes crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted June 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 Microsoft have come up with the good it seemshttp://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;921914 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 I got a new version of WGA Notifications installed today via Automatic Updates (together with the WD definitions update and the Australian daylight savings change). Not sure if it changes its behavior, but then I never noticed the thing before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 I received a new version of the WGA on one machine but not the others. Odd! May be they'll come along later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 Actually, my Automatic Update started this morning, I gave it permission to proceed, then it just disappeared.I finally ran Microsoft Update to get all the available updates. The servers may have been overloaded.P.S. What's new in version 1.5.540.0:http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/feature...6/06-27WGA.mspx... so the daily contact with Microsoft will no longer be performed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamb Chop Posted June 29, 2006 Report Share Posted June 29, 2006 I have mine set to notify me of updates and then I can download them at my leisure - HUH Got the one for daylight saving - thought well might as well have it although cant see why as my time is from my ISP or so I thought.Unticked the WGA notificationas I already have it twice.Now cant get rid of it - wont go away.Any ideas? Or are we now having to go to manual altogether so as not to get same old same old they obviously mean to put it out every single month to make sure no one is pirating XP or have I got the wrong idea of why it is there al all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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