Possible cause of WGA failure: McAfee?
I just installed an update to McAfee Security Center on my computer (home-built, installed XP myself over a year ago, has had only minimal troubles with windows update which were usually due to a poor internet connection.)
One of the tools on the new Security Center is a "quick-clean" tool, which I ran because my computer was running a bit slow. The next morning, after a McAfee security (definitions) update and a reboot, WGA flagged my computer as non-genuine.
After a lot of dithering and searching around the validation failure website (I highly recommend restructuring it to make it more friendly!), I found a page that let me re-download WGA, and after rebooting, my computer is fine.
I think that McAfee quick-clean deleted part of WGA, and that's what caused the problem.
Just my 2 cents!
All Replies
Lady Silence:
Can you give us the version of McAfee you're running? Our testers want to try this out.
-phil
- The same exact thing has happened to me. I am using the latest version of McAfee. Windows came pre installed on my dell computer.
I'm having exactly the same problem.
The icon indicating that McAfee was downloading was appears in the taskbar but not completing, it just sat there. I tried for ages to solve it through McAfee (word of advice, don't bother. It kept saying the virtual technician had found an error in Virus Scan but everytime I tired to connect to chat to an assistant, IE crashed).
Eventually removed and restalled McAfee Virus Scan, then Microsoft Genuine error began appearing. Used the tool to validate which I thought had cleared up the problem. (Rebooted a couple of times, no problems encountered.)
Went to use the PC again this evening and MS error occured every time I tried to log into the poker site that I use. Was advised to remove the software and reinstall, have done that and the same still occurs. Ran McAfee to check for spyware, viruses etc, and guess what, getting the Windows may be counterfeit message again.
I appreaciate these things happen but what is really bugging me more is McAfee's lack of any sort of practical support. I thought Norton was bad, McAfee appear to be heading the same way.
I'm going to remove all the McAfee software and see if that clears up the problems.
Software Used:
McAfee Security Centre
McAfee VirusScan Online v10.0.27 Engine Version: 4450 DAT 4827 Installed 11/08/2006
McAfee Personal Firewall Plus v7.1.113
McAfee Privacy Service v8.1.0.136
McAfee SpamKiller v8.1.0.136Ran MSDiag and got the following results:
Diagnostic Report (1.5.0540.0):
-----------------------------------------
WGA Data-->
Genuine Validation Status: Genuine
Windows Product Key: *****-*****-YXDGW-VHYVW-9QK9M
Windows Product Key Hash: H7Smr1ocYUxDDsppdbyzUwQFi5U=
Windows Product ID: 76487-OEM-2211906-00824
Windows Product ID Type: 2
Windows License Type: OEM SLP
Windows OS version: 5.1.2600.2.00010100.2.0.med
Download Center code: C6DH3BF
ID: fa16dec7-dc2a-443b-8ad1-cfeb9de260e9
Is Admin: Yes
AutoDial: No
Registry: 0x0
WGA Version: Failed to retireve file version. - 0x80070006
Signature Type: Unknown.
Validation Diagnostic:System Scan Data-->
Scan: Complete
Cryptography: CompleteNotifications Data-->
Cached Result: 5
Cache refresh Interval: 1233 seconds
Extended notification delay(non-genuine): 14
Extended notification delay(un-activated): 31
All disabled: 0
Reminder reduced: 0
File Exists: Yes
Version: 1.5.540.0
Signatue Type: MicrosoftOGA Data-->
Office Status: 100
Office Diagnostics:Browser Data-->
Proxy settings: N/A
User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Win32)
Default Browser: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.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: AllowedFile Scan Data-->
Other data-->
Office Details: <GenuineResults><MachineData><UGUID>fa16dec7-dc2a-443b-8ad1-cfeb9de260e9</UGUID><Version>1.5.0540.0</Version><OS>5.1.2600.2.00010100.2.0.med</OS><PKey>*****-*****-*****-*****-9QK9M</PKey><PID>76487-OEM-2211906-00824</PID><PIDType>2</PIDType><SID>S-1-5-21-3475238150-3157369739-3155254288</SID><SYSTEM><Manufacturer>Packard Bell NEC</Manufacturer><Model>00000000000000000000000</Model></SYSTEM><BIOS><Manufacturer>Award Software International, Inc.</Manufacturer><Version>10w</Version><SMBIOSVersion major="2" minor="4"/><Date>20050802000000.000000+000</Date><SLPBIOS>NECC_,NEC-PC,NEC Computers,NEC_Product</SLPBIOS></BIOS><HWID>04033D6F0184E06C</HWID><UserLCID>0809</UserLCID><SystemLCID>0409</SystemLCID><TimeZone>GMT Standard Time(GMT+00:00)</TimeZone></MachineData> <Software><Office><Result>100</Result><Products><Product GUID="{91170409-6000-11D3-8CFE-0150048383C9}"><LegitResult>100</LegitResult><Name>Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003</Name><Ver>11</Ver><Val>46BA97127F125E6</Val><Hash>9XR3Ikqtv13+m8h2UDUoQUkz7Eo=</Hash><Pid>72079-755-3351423-55523</Pid></Product><Product GUID="{91E30409-6000-11D3-8CFE-0150048383C9}"><LegitResult>100</LegitResult><Name>Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003</Name><Ver>11</Ver><Val>82A22E4A7FE95A2</Val><Hash>COxYb+Yp56jIng9Wssw55Ygl/rw=</Hash><Pid>73931-721-8558754-57250</Pid></Product></Products></Office></Software></GenuineResults>
I used the tool to validate windows again (http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/) and this appears to have solved the problem again.
I'm still going to remove McAfee because I believe it's causing all these problems. It seems a little weird that everything was working fine until the latest DAT was automatically downloaded yesterday, followed by a clean up and a scan.
Hi, I am having the same error.. this is just a transcript of a customer service chat with mcaffee.
Please wait while we find a technician to assist you...
You have been connected to Patrice Larson.
Patrice Larson: Mikymoto, thank you for contacting McAfee Online Support Center. How can I assist you with your McAfee software today?
I got disconnected before once...
Patrice Larson: May I place you on hold for two minutes while I look to your previous session?
------ I get a wga error after running quickclean
ok
Patrice Larson: Thank you for your patience. I am still looking into your issue and I will be back with you shortly.
ok
Patrice Larson: Thank you for being on hold.
Patrice Larson: Do you have an issue with genuuine authentication of Windows?
zzz
yes
Patrice Larson: For that you need to contact System vendor or MicroSoft as some validation key for windows is deleted and that has caused this issue.
yes, but it has been deleted by mcaffe
Patrice Larson: You may get that key only from MicroSoft or from System vendor.
as reported in many forums.. there seems to be a relation between quickclean and mcaffee..
how can I uninstall mcaffee
That can be however we cannot provide that key.
to prevent it from happening in future please uncheck registry cleaner option in QuickClean. <------ so why they include this?
how can I do the cancelation.
For that you need to contact Customer Services.Milkymoto,
Thanks very much for the information. I will research this issue further.
- I just had the same problem myself. WGA has been running fine since June 5. Today I ran the QuickClean utility from McAfee Security Center 7 and after reboot, got the "Victim of Software counterfeiting" message. Fortunately, I had a system restore point from this morning which fixed the problem. I sent McAfee an email detailing the problem, but I trust that someone from MS is already in communication with them on this issue.
PhxCliff:
You bet! Thank you very much for the input.
Can you lookup the version of MCAfee you have running on your machine? (Should be under "help" and "about") :)
-phil
Phil,
McAfee has bundled several applications into what it calls its "SecurityCenter" application. I have version 7, build 7.0.317. I cannot find a version number for the QuickClean utility they have under the "tools" section of the SecurityCenter. The Mcafee VirusScan engine included is Version 11, Build 11.0.209, but I am not having issues with the virus scan, just the QuickClean.
Phx:
Thanks for the clarification. I'll update this post accordingly after I contact McAfee (happening right now). :)
-phil
Phil.
Add me to the list of McAfee Quickclean users who are having problems with Windows authentication exactly as described above. I too have the McAfee Security Centre installed and wish I didn't in view of this and other glitches.. Looking at the messages above I see this problem has been around for about a week.But nothing seems to have been done by McAfee yet--one hopes their antivirus responses are swifter than this.
In particular perhaps they could put out an alert and some message to customers about how to correct this problem? Very much looking forward to your update/. Thanks for whatever you can do.
Same for me. My Dell Dimension came preinstalled with Win XP Home and everything has been very happy until this recent install of a McAfee update. Now I'm getting the "You may be a victim of software counterfeiting" message and the icon in the Taskbar that I cannot seem to make go away.
Running the Validation Wizard seems to indicate the software is genuine (Duh! - I am the only owner of this PC and the Dell came installed with Win XP Home), but I cannot seem to make this icon nor the persistant message go away.
The pattern being reported here is consistant enough... McAfee has done something to screw things up. Who's gonna go to bat and help us users fix this? Microsoft or McAfee ??
Thank you all for the help! I've identified the issue with McAfee, and will be fixed by the next McAfee quickclean patch!
-phil
Thanks.
The online tool solved this problem for me quickly.
I have still heard nothing from McAfee.
Anyone know when the Quickclean patch will run?
- I have been told this coming week. I'll verify though.
Phil
Many thanks for helping to resolve this issue. It was more than McAfee were doing. I await the patch with interest. Once again, thank you for your assistance.
Andrew
I have a Dell E1705 and just updated to McAfee Security Center v 7.0, suddenly my XP is no longer valid. I've already updated this notebook numerous times on the MS updates webpage with no problems. I had to go to the MS Knowledge Base Article ID: 921914, 8/8/06 to remove the WGA from files and registry.
MS WGA website was absolutely zero help, except to promote why you should have the geniune version. Although I do agree with getting a legal version, I think MS could have something on their WGA website discussing these false positives.
I too ran the "quick clean" tool in McAfee, and it did remove some "invalid entries" in the registry; I think it may have removed too much. Hopefully MS and McAfee will share this information immediately.
While the silence from McAfee continues, Windows users should be aware that Quickclean also seems to remove all system restore points. Or at least it has in my case as I discovered this evening. It doesn't seem a very bright idea to remove system restore points and users should at least be made fully aware that this is what they will be doing to their systems before they cut themselves off from a return to safety.
Re the question about how one uninstalls McAfee, go to McAfee.com and look under support. There is a downloadable tool to clean up anything not taken out by 'Add or Remove programs'.
Add me to the list of McAfee Quickclean users who are having problems with Windows authentication exactly as described above.
I ran Mcafee QuickClean yesterday . my version of Mcafee Seurity Center is 7.0, build 7.0.317 adn this was updated on 08/15/2006. As soon as i ran QuickClean , my XP Pro has started stopped updating the downloads and shows me the Embarrassing snag screen,
Any idea how to solve this problem and save some uncomfortable momemts in front of clients while doing presentation?
Add me too... McAfee Quick Clean has deleted something that was absolutely required!
My home PC has been running slower than usual so, last night for the first time, I decided to run the clean-up...
Now XP thinks that it is a counterfeit copy. (I am the sole owner of my PC that came pre-installed with XP, I also have the XP-install disk with it's product-key) I followed the link provided in the above post and ran the tool, It installed WGA(for the 1st time) and said it was authentic, but after a reboot the blue-star icon is still there and XP still thinks it is counterfeit. The user-select screen now shows the counterfeit software message as well.
I have unfortunately run the quick clean with all options checked. I am afraid that any hope of doing a system restore is gone (I am not at home now so I can not check to be sure, but that is the 1st thing I will check this evening). What are my options short of a full system wipe and re-build?
This is serious! I used to trust McAfee and now they have lost that trust.
Jake0042 wrote: Add me too... McAfee Quick Clean has deleted something that was absolutely required!
My home PC has been running slower than usual so, last night for the first time, I decided to run the clean-up...
Now XP thinks that it is a counterfeit copy. (I am the sole owner of my PC that came pre-installed with XP, I also have the XP-install disk with it's product-key) I followed the link provided in the above post and ran the tool, It installed WGA(for the 1st time) and said it was authentic, but after a reboot the blue-star icon is still there and XP still thinks it is counterfeit. The user-select screen now shows the counterfeit software message as well.
I have unfortunately run the quick clean with all options checked. I am afraid that any hope of doing a system restore is gone (I am not at home now so I can not check to be sure, but that is the 1st thing I will check this evening). What are my options short of a full system wipe and re-build?
This is serious! I used to trust McAfee and now they have lost that trust.
I will be following up with McAfee again today. Thanks for the update, its my understanding this was supposed to be released LAST WEEK. Thank you all.
The current "fix" is to reinstall the WGA validation and Notificaiton controls manually here at this link:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=69498
Having talked to McAfee's director in charge of Quick Clean, the patch was released live yesterday.
Check for the update on McAfee's side. It has also been redesigned not to clean restore points.
-phil
I should have replied earlier...
The day after I had the problem. Some new updates were automatically installed from both Microsoft and McAfee, and the issue seemed to resolve itself after another re-boot.
I am still a bit leary of running quick-clean, even though I see your post about the removal of "cleaning" restore points (which is a good band-aid) but the root problem (I think) was that the product key that WGA used to determine whether or not the operating system is a licenced copy was what what "cleaned" from the registry.
Is this still an issue?
- I have a two year plus subscription to McAfee so please recognize that it is operating. Thank you Mary Stein
einstay@sbcglobal.net
