Laxmi Sundar Shilpakar
Microsoft Genuine Advantage Program Information
 | Program Overview |
| | Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) for Windows Vista |
| | Windows Genuine Advantage for Windows XP |
Program Overview
What is the Windows Genuine Advantage Program?
Microsoft Genuine Advantage programs, including Windows Genuine Advantage, help you determine whether or not your copy of Windows is genuine. Genuine Windows software is published by Microsoft, properly licensed, and supported by Microsoft or an authorized partner, giving you full capabilities, access to all the latest updates, and confidence tha
t you are getting the experience you expect. Microsoft continues to invest in education, engineering, and enforcement in order to more effectively combat software piracy. It’s part of Microsoft’s commitment to help protect its intellectual property and to help you avoid problems before they happen.
Why you should care that your computer is running genuine Windows
In today’s world, you rely on your computer to work for you and to run your business. You store thousands of photos, music collections, and important documents; you make purchases, enter personal information, and search the Web. Imagine what it would be like to lose all your favorite family photos, or have your financial data stolen as a result of malicious or unwanted software running on your computer. Market research firm IDC reported in a recent study (English only) that obtaining and using pirated software can pose a serious security threat to organizations and individuals. Often, counterfeit software is bundled with malicious and unwanted software that can lead to a corrupted system, a loss of data, and even identity theft. The risk of running counterfeit software is real. Windows is the operating system and the brain behind everything you do on your computer; you can help protect your data by installing only genuine Windows.
How software piracy impacts l
ocal businesses and global economies
Software piracy is an industry-wide problem that has significant impact on the global economy, and affects legitimate businesses that have to compete with those selling counterfeit software. The Business Software Alliance and market research firm IDC reported in The Global Software Piracy Study (English only) that software piracy contributed to nearly $40 billion in global losses. Consumers spend millions of dollars each year on counterfeit copies, financing scammers who threaten the integrity of the software industry and the security of home and business computers. Software piracy puts everyone at risk. Microsoft and its customers can work together to stop it.
What Microsoft is doing to help protect you and the Windows ecosystem
As an industry leader, Microsoft has an obligation to help level the playing field for its partners and to help the broader computing ecosystem by doing all it can to address software piracy. Microsoft continually invests in technologies and programs that make piracy harder, make it easier for you to recognize counterfeited software, and help you if you have been a victim of it. Microsoft’s anti-piracy efforts are organized under an umbrella initiative called the Microsoft Genuine Software Initiative, Learn more about Microsoft’s Genuine Software Initiative. The Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) program provides technologies that help you determine whether your copy of Windows is genuine, including product activation and validation. Both help you ensure that your copy of Windows is genuine and properly licensed. You can find out if you’re running genuine by clicking Validate Windows on www.microsoft.com/genuine. Microsoft values your privacy and does not use any information collected to contact you or identify you. Read the Windows Genuine Advantage Privacy Statement.
What Microsoft is doing to help you get genuine
If your copy of Windows is not genuine, Microsoft can help you to quickly fix the problem and get genuine. Customers can contact Microsoft Support or visit the Microsoft Genuine Advantage support page to resolve the problem. Microsoft also offers several options to help victims of counterfeit software obtain a legal copy of Windows, including a complimentary offer for victims who were deceived into buying high-quality counterfeit copies. Read the Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about genuine Windows offers.
Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) for Windows Vista
Windows Vista has built in anti-piracy technology that enables Microsoft to combat piracy more effectively. This new technology is a part of the Windows Genuine Advantage program. It changes how Windows Vista activates, validates, and behaves when attempts are made to tamper with the activation or validation requirements of the operating system. This helps to make piracy harder and provides a better experience for customers running genuine Windows. Using genuine Windows Vista helps customers enjoy the full functionality of Windows while helping to avoid viruses, tampered files, and other malicious software often associated with counterfeit copies. Windows product activation and validation are the experiences customers see when using WGA.
Windows Product Activation
Activation is an anti-piracy technology designed to make sure that the proper product key is being properly used with the software license associated with it. All editions and distributions of Windows Vista, including those obtained through a volume license program, are required to complete activation within the first 30 days of using Windows Vista. Because activation is required, failure to activate will result in the system being placed in a reduced functionality mode. Learn more about reduced functionality mode by visiting the Frequently Asked Questions.
Windows Validation
Validation helps confirm that a copy of Windows Vista is activated and properly licensed. Users may be asked to validate their copy of Windows when they download content that is reserved for users of genuine Windows from the Microsoft Download Center. Validation can also occur as part of an update from Windows Update. In some instances, a computer that has previously passed validation may fail the validation process. This may happen because Microsoft constantly discovers new forms of piracy. As new forms of piracy are discovered, Microsoft updates the anti-piracy components to help disable the emerging threats and therefore, a copy of Windows that previously passed validation may fail a later validation check. Copies of Windows Vista that are unable to validate as genuine may need to activate and validate again in order to maintain full functionality.
Designed to give you a great experience
Microsoft is strengthening its commitment in the fight against software piracy by building new anti-piracy technology right in to Microsoft software products. As Microsoft leverages new technology, a key goal is to maintain a great experience for customers using genuine software. Overall, Microsoft would like customers to expect fairness, great service, and a positive experience in the implementation of our anti-piracy measures, and Microsoft has taken steps to make it easy and convenient for victims of counterfeit to get a genuine copy of Windows Vista.
Windows Genuine Advantage for Windows XP
The Windows Genuine Advantage program for Windows XP uses Windows product activation, validation, and notifications to verify that your copy of Windows is genuine. Using genuine Windows delivers better performance and lets you access all downloads in the Microsoft Download Center, while helping to protect you from the risks of counterfeit software. Learn about Microsoft Genuine Advantage programs.
Activation is an anti-piracy technology designed to make sure that your copy of Windows XP is properly licensed. It works by verifying that the product key is valid and is only being used on the number of computers permitted by the software license. Activation uses a simple and fast process to protect your copy and ensure that you paid for the right thing.
Validation is a quick process that allows you to find out if the product key you activated is counterfeit or has been misused. For example, you may have accidentally received a product key that was reported as lost or stolen by its original owner. Sometimes, during a repair or reinstall, an invalid product key is used if the original product key is not handy. Microsoft values your privacy and does not use information collected during the validation process to identify you or contact you.1
Notifications helps Microsoft to fight software piracy and helps to you validate that the copy of Microsoft Windows XP that's installed on your computer is genuine and properly licensed. It reminds you that your copy of Windows XP did not pass validation and provides resources that help you to easily fix the problem online. Get more information about WGA Notifications.
By confirming that your copy of Windows XP is genuine, you can take advantage of all the capabilities, support, and continuous improvements—as well as the peace of mind—that come with using genuine Windows.
Genuine Software From Microsoft
| About genuine Windows® |
| |
| Genuine Windows software is published by Microsoft and is supported by Microsoft or an authorized licensor. Genuine Microsoft® Software gives you access to all the latest updates and helps keep your computer performing at its best by helping protect you from the risks and problems of counterfeit software. HP supports genuine Microsoft software. Microsoft products are licensed by HP and accompanied by a Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity (COA) affixed to your computer. You can find out if you're running Genuine Windows by clicking Validate Windows on www.microsoft.com/genuine. Microsoft values your privacy and does not use any information collected during the validation process to contact or identify you. Read the Windows Genuine Advantage Privacy Statement. |
