anyone encountered this before?

[wozelbeak]

my dads p.c appears to have a invalid copy of windows xp pro on it.
(that is what you get for buying a second user p.c!)
this i have known for some time.
i removed the anoying icons and reminders from his screen using a tool i downloaded from a web site. i think it was called "lunch".
anyway he had turned off the automatic updates, to avoid seeing the massage again. but last night one of the children visiting his house turned on the automatic updates! now today when he boots up, he gets to a screen that gives the mesage that he might be running a coppied version of windows.
at this point the whole screen becomes frozen! you can't move the mouse or use the keyboard! i tried it in safe mode and still the same thing happens!
there is no way microsoft could be responsible for this is there?
and has anyone else encountered this problem?
please don't jump on the "lets tell him to get a genuine copy of windows" band wagon.
i have told him he needs to get a new copy of windows and he said that he would rather not have the computer than pay another £90 odd pounds!
woz

 

[borat_sagdiyev]

ok, just wait 15 seconds and it should enable control again.

 

[wozelbeak]

no, it stays with the whole screen stuck with the WGA warning on it!
it was on for over 30 mins before i turned p.c off.
i think i am up the creek with this one!!
woz

 

[BigLu]

OK, i made a thread on this earlier which everyone ignored.

1. Lauch Windows Task Manager.
2. End wgatray.exe process in Task Manager.
3. Restart Windows XP in Safe Mode.
4. Delete WgaTray.exe from c:\Windows\System32.
5. Delete WgaTray.exe from c:\Windows\System32\dllcache.
6. Lauch RegEdit.
7. Browse to the following location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify
8. Delete the folder ‘WgaLogon' and all its contents
9. Reboot Windows XP.

 

[The Hypnotist]

Well, problem is, you can't get onto the task manager if your keyboard / mouse are rigged.

 

[wozelbeak]

thanks hypno, you hit the nail on the head.
i can do nothing, apart from re-format the whole thing.
if i do that, i dont have a original copy of windows xp.
i do have original win 98, but i would rather not use that.
my dad is a pensioner, and can't afford to fork out for a new xp disc.
so what about using a linux o/s?
are they ok for a real novice like my dad?
woz