Does WGA update often?

[Guest]

I am curious as to why, when I go to the Microsoft update site and check for
updates manually, it almost always tells me I need WGA. Is that thing
updated frequently? I have been doing the manual checks several times a
year, for a variety of reasons, mostly my suspicious mind.

And, because of that suspicious mind, I have also observed that, every
single one of those has an expired security certificate (you know, the one
for the ActiveX control that tells us to check, but no one ever does).

Can anyone tell me why--if indeed there is a new version of WGA several
times a year--why would there not be an up-to-date security certificate on
the ActiveX control to install it?

Thanks so much

 

[Ghostrider]

I am curious as to why, when I go to the Microsoft update site and check for
updates manually, it almost always tells me I need WGA. Is that thing
updated frequently? I have been doing the manual checks several times a
year, for a variety of reasons, mostly my suspicious mind.

And, because of that suspicious mind, I have also observed that, every
single one of those has an expired security certificate (you know, the one
for the ActiveX control that tells us to check, but no one ever does).

Can anyone tell me why--if indeed there is a new version of WGA several
times a year--why would there not be an up-to-date security certificate on
the ActiveX control to install it?

Thanks so much

Our observation when manually updating Windows 2000 systems is that
GenuineCheck.exe has to be run every 3 to 4 weeks in order to obtain
a new validation number.

 

[Guest]

Thanks so much for taking time to read and reply. I guess I didn't make
myself clear, or perhaps I am not clear about what's going on. I hated to
click the NO button, but I couldn't really click yes, either.

I know what you mean about getting a code to validate when you haven't
installed WGA at all. In my case, I *have* installed WGA, so I don't use
that "alternate validation method" with the cut and paste code.

What I am talking about, and maybe you are to, is going to the Windows
update site manually, where the system checks to see if your updates are
current. I am signed up for "Download updates, but let me install them," by
the way, so I don't always go to that site for my updates.

At any rate, when I go to that site, I almost always see that I am supposed
to install the new WGA, and if I don't, of course, I can't get any further in
that site.

I am just wondering how often WGA is "updated" in this way.

Thanks to all who spend their time here.

 

[smlunatick]

Thanks so much for taking time to read and reply. I guess I didn't make
myself clear, or perhaps I am not clear about what's going on. I hated to
click the NO button, but I couldn't really click yes, either.

I know what you mean about getting a code to validate when you haven't
installed WGA at all. In my case, I *have* installed WGA, so I don't use
that "alternate validation method" with the cut and paste code.

What I am talking about, and maybe you are to, is going to the Windows
update site manually, where the system checks to see if your updates are
current. I am signed up for "Download updates, but let me install them," by
the way, so I don't always go to that site for my updates.

At any rate, when I go to that site, I almost always see that I am supposed
to install the new WGA, and if I don't, of course, I can't get any further in
that site.

I am just wondering how often WGA is "updated" in this way.

Thanks to all who spend their time here.






- Show quoted text -

Who knows? WGA seems to get "updated" when MS decides. However, I do
know that WGA is checking your XP at every boot. I had an XP that was
not connected to the Internet for a few days (while clear off
virues.spywares.) WGA was stating that this XP was not "legal" Then,
I connected it to the Interent and it "became" legal!

 

[Ghostrider]

Thanks so much for taking time to read and reply. I guess I didn't make
myself clear, or perhaps I am not clear about what's going on. I hated to
click the NO button, but I couldn't really click yes, either.

I know what you mean about getting a code to validate when you haven't
installed WGA at all. In my case, I *have* installed WGA, so I don't use
that "alternate validation method" with the cut and paste code.

What I am talking about, and maybe you are to, is going to the Windows
update site manually, where the system checks to see if your updates are
current. I am signed up for "Download updates, but let me install them," by
the way, so I don't always go to that site for my updates.

At any rate, when I go to that site, I almost always see that I am supposed
to install the new WGA, and if I don't, of course, I can't get any further in
that site.

I am just wondering how often WGA is "updated" in this way.

Thanks to all who spend their time here.

We were probably writing about different aspects of the same thing. To
prevent WGA from being used after being hacked, it is believed that that
a new validation algorithm is introduced at 2 to 3 week cycles. In the
case of the Windows 2000 example, the old, validated code is no longer
recognized. For Windows XP, verifying legitimacy probably looks at some
mathematical product of the activation Product ID calculated by the new
WGA update.