Windows Is Calling Home

[Kerneldebugger]

When my computer is booted in the morning, Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA)
apparently just has to access the internet. I know this because, when I
deny access in the firewall (Zone Alarm) I get the popup alert that WGA is
trying to gain access. Every time I boot the computer, as soon as the
internet connection is loaded, there are about 4 items that immediately
start sending and receiving data. At least one of those is WGA, perhaps
more than one. Does WGA have to check in every time an XP computer is
booted?

TIA

 

[Shenan Stanley]

When my computer is booted in the morning, Windows Genuine
Advantage (WGA) apparently just has to access the internet. I know
this because, when I deny access in the firewall (Zone Alarm) I get
the popup alert that WGA is trying to gain access. Every time I
boot the computer, as soon as the internet connection is loaded,
there are about 4 items that immediately start sending and
receiving data. At least one of those is WGA, perhaps more than
one. Does WGA have to check in every time an XP computer is booted?

Automatic Updates turned on?

 

[thehman]

you most likly have malware. try running windows defender or spybot. malware
will sometimes have this happen

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

If you agreed to install the optional Windows Genuine Advantage
Notifications (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/905474), this utility will
frequently "phone home." Let me emphasize that your agreed to an explicit
EULA when you installed it.

Automatic Updates will also "phone home" when you (re)start your computer.

 

[VanguardLH]

When my computer is booted in the morning, Windows Genuine Advantage
(WGA) apparently just has to access the internet. I know this
because, when I deny access in the firewall (Zone Alarm) I get the
popup alert that WGA is trying to gain access. Every time I boot the
computer, as soon as the internet connection is loaded, there are
about 4 items that immediately start sending and receiving data. At
least one of those is WGA, perhaps more than one. Does WGA have to
check in every time an XP computer is booted?

WGA wants to phone home.
WGA does not need to connect home for Windows to complete its startup.
Google has lots of articles on how to disable WGA.
You can even use a software restriction policy in Windows itself
to disable WGA (i.e., have Microsoft's OS disable Microsoft's WGA).

When you block the WGA connection in your software firewall, are you
blocking on wgatray.exe or winlogon.dll?

 

[Kerneldebugger]

Nope, no malware, the system is meticulously clean. Besides, it says
Windows Genuine Advantage is trying
to acces the internet...that's my malware

 

[Kerneldebugger]

Roger that, I did agree to buy the operating system, I did pay good money
for it, I did install it under the terms of the EULA, and all of that, but I
did not agree to be pestered by it every single day when I boot my computer
(and it feels obligated to ask Bill Gates if I really and truly paid for the
operating system). What say you now?

 

[Kerneldebugger]

Don't know which one it is blocking...I'm merely telling Zone Alarm (free)
to make the program ask before it connects, and it sez Win Gen Advantage is
asking.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

ZA may be pestering you but WGA Notifications and AU aren't.

 

[Kerneldebugger]

Mr. Bear, you have a unique ability to put on the blinders and block out the
facts which don't suit your reasoning. Perhaps you should try a wider
perception. Here's one example of what I'm presenting: when I purchased
this copy Windows XP Pro there was no mention of WGA, no requirement for my
computer to "call home" regularly, and no requirement to download programs
from Microsoft in order for Microsoft to check on the validity of my
purchase. Now it's mandatory to download and install those "spyware"
programs designed by Microsoft to repeatedly check the validity of my
purchase. That's just one example, of course there are many more.

Obviously, Microsoft has changed the terms and conditions under which we may
utilize software purchased from them in the past. To put it in simple terms
which everyone should be able to understand, Microsoft has changed the users
agreement after the fact, and to make matters worse, they have altered the
conditions under which the buyer may use the product...again, after the
fact. Some might consider that illegal, others may call it harassment. At
any rate, millions of legitimate users are required to jump through hoops
because a few crooks are illegally using the product. I find such behavior
all too common these days, where big business...and oh yes for sure, big
government, ignores the law whenever they so please; punish the masses like
a shotgun blast when a small percentage of the population violates the users
agreement. In attempting to resolve the issues with Microsoft, I've found
those I've communicated with to be not very well informed and even less
concerned about customer satisfaction and quality of care.

I've found Zone Alarm to be much better than the so-called firewall that
Microsoft developed for installation into Windows XP, and you know that to
be true just as well as I do. Zone Alarm, yes the free version, monitors
inbound and outbound traffic on my computer. The Windows firewall does not
do that. Is there something wrong with me using a better free firewall to
protect myself? In my humble opinion, Windows XP was not the least bit
secure when it was developed, and it's required untold millions of man
hours and countless updates in a continuous effort to make it the secure
program it is advertised to be (when one reads the writing on the pretty
blue screen as XP loads). Don't you pity the poor folks who have to update
their insecure XP operating system on a dialup connection? First they have
to download a WGA program, then reboot, then download another program to
enhance that first one, then go completely out of their mind trying to
download and install all of the urgent security fixes...ad infinitum.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

The EULA to which I was referring is the one associated with WGA
Notifications tool (KB905474). WGA Notifications would not have installed
if you'd not approved the EULA.

As far as Windows'Automatic Updates software is concerned, you agreed to
allow it to "phone home" *if Automatic Updates is enabled* when you accepted
the Windows EULA at the time you first booted the machine.

More about this here:
http://blogs.technet.com/mu/archive/2008/07/03/upcoming-update-to-windows-update.aspx
--
~PA Bear

Mr. Bear, you have a unique ability to put on the blinders and block out
the
facts which don't suit your reasoning. Perhaps you should try a wider
perception. Here's one example of what I'm presenting: when I purchased
this copy Windows XP Pro there was no mention of WGA, no requirement for
my
computer to "call home" regularly, and no requirement to download programs
from Microsoft in order for Microsoft to check on the validity of my
purchase...

 

[Kerneldebugger]

You're grasping at straws, and missing the main point. First, you assme I
use automatic updates, that'd be a dumb thing to do for a person with my
high level of experience; so that shoots your theory in the rear end.
Secondly, WGA was added by M$ after I purchased the operating system, kind
of like they are trying to close the barn door after the horse got out (or
the pirates got in, whatever). Punish the masses...50 billion is not enough
I guess, they wants mo; they obviously don't care or give a hoot about
customer service. You aren't helping any either with your confrontational
attitude.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

...you assme I

use automatic updates, that'd be a dumb thing to do for a person with my
high level of experience; so that shoots your theory in the rear end.

If you have AU disabled, Windows is not calling home and you've shot your
own "high level of experience" self in the arse.

If you installed KB905474, your machine will "call home" just as the EULA
told you it would.

 

[Alias]

When my computer is booted in the morning, Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA)
apparently just has to access the internet. I know this because, when I
deny access in the firewall (Zone Alarm) I get the popup alert that WGA is
trying to gain access. Every time I boot the computer, as soon as the
internet connection is loaded, there are about 4 items that immediately
start sending and receiving data. At least one of those is WGA, perhaps
more than one. Does WGA have to check in every time an XP computer is
booted?

TIA

I have three XP computers and none of them have WGA in any of its
flavors or versions installed. I don't need Windows Defenseless, Windows
Media Player 11 or any of the other so-called "goodies" that you get by
installing MS' spyware.

The way I do it is to set Automatic Updates to notify but not download
or install and if WGA raises its ugly head, I tell AU to not download or
inform me of the spyware again.

Alias

 

[Kerneldebugger]

That'll work too Alias. I figured I wouldn't need any security updates for
quite a spell, after my fresh installation of XP Pro with SP-3 slipstreamed.
Wouldn't you think that SP-3, with it's hundreds of high priority security
updates, would hold us for awhile with no urgent, super-duper new security
updates being required? Nope...it's still insecure it seems.

I usually just read the details on each security update and pick those that
seem life threatening...yes, too much time on my hands. However, I got
lazy, and like a dummy I decided to trust M$ and I downloaded a bunch of
updates without checking each one for applicability and necessity. Oops.

Since my confuser is wanting to call M$, I decided to do the same and see
what they have to say. My main concern is that after the last
reformat/reinstall the stupid thing said "you've installed Windows XP too
many times..." and even after the magic 120 day period, the automatic
activation didn't work. That's apparently a secret, till now. Had to jump
through all the hoops, and of course call India, were those gunshots I heard
in the background...and through very broken English the fellow gave me the
magic numbers, so, voila, I was able to activate.

I won't bore you with more details on my communications with M$; suffice it
to say they are sorry that I'm having trouble with activation, there are no
limits on how many times I can activate, they won't say how many times I can
activate before it wipes out the 120-day clean-slate option, they are sorry
about changing the user terms long after (years actually) the purchase date,
and they'll take me off their 'pirates list' so I can have a pleasant life
hereafter...as long as I agree to call India every time I reformat.

Nice to hear from you again Alias.

 

[Alias]

That'll work too Alias. I figured I wouldn't need any security updates for
quite a spell, after my fresh installation of XP Pro with SP-3 slipstreamed.
Wouldn't you think that SP-3, with it's hundreds of high priority security
updates, would hold us for awhile with no urgent, super-duper new security
updates being required? Nope...it's still insecure it seems.

I usually just read the details on each security update and pick those that
seem life threatening...yes, too much time on my hands. However, I got
lazy, and like a dummy I decided to trust M$ and I downloaded a bunch of
updates without checking each one for applicability and necessity. Oops.

Since my confuser is wanting to call M$, I decided to do the same and see
what they have to say. My main concern is that after the last
reformat/reinstall the stupid thing said "you've installed Windows XP too
many times..." and even after the magic 120 day period, the automatic
activation didn't work. That's apparently a secret, till now. Had to jump
through all the hoops, and of course call India, were those gunshots I heard
in the background...and through very broken English the fellow gave me the
magic numbers, so, voila, I was able to activate.

I won't bore you with more details on my communications with M$; suffice it
to say they are sorry that I'm having trouble with activation, there are no
limits on how many times I can activate, they won't say how many times I can
activate before it wipes out the 120-day clean-slate option, they are sorry
about changing the user terms long after (years actually) the purchase date,
and they'll take me off their 'pirates list' so I can have a pleasant life
hereafter...as long as I agree to call India every time I reformat.

MS obviously doesn't care about their paying customers and takes their
de facto monopoly for granted. It will bite them in the ass eventually.

Nice to hear from you again Alias.

Check out Ubuntu if you haven't already. No activation. No WGA. No
malware and user friendly. http://www.ubuntu.com/ It's free and I'm
posting from it right now.

Good to hear from you again as well.

Alias