Windows Genuine Advantage Error: Validation Incomplete Unable to Perform Validation

About a month ago my computer got damaged by a lightening storm (full details here.) The result was a wiped out Windows XP Home installation. Well I finally got back around to installing XP Home, and had to go through the hours of updates. Before I could even start the update process I was required to run the Windows Genuine Advantage, which was fine with me. That is up until WGA gave me this error message:

Validation Incomplete: Unable to Perform Validation
You have encountered an unknown error. Please contact your local support team for further assistance with the issue.

Fortunately the solution to this is pretty simple. Here's the solution posted from Microsoft's official WGA forums:

Due to the recent influx and very successful use of the forum, I'd like to have a few steps for all users to follow before making a new post, in order to help alleviate issues regarding validation issues. First, as always, please run the MGA (Microsoft genuine advantage) diagnostics tool BEFORE posting ANYTHING. The tool is conveniently located here (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012).

If you are not able to pass validation, but the MGA Diagnostics tool says "Genuine" in the Validation Status field, then please check for the "WGA Version"!

If the WGA Version says: "Failed to retrieve file version. - 0x80070006", then the easiest fix is to simply download the latest WGA Notifications update and revalidate. The download is located at (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=69498) The other option, if you do not wish to download WGA Notifications, is to head to www.microsoft.com/genuine and click Validate. That will update your system with the latest WGA Validation DLL.

If the WGA Signature Type says "Unknown", then the easiest, and best solution is to install the Notifications software to easily remedy the signature issue. The Notifications software, again, is located at (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=69498) If there are any other issues, please run the MGA Diagnostics tool and provide its output in a reply below so we can better figure out what is happening.

That fixed the problem for me.



I love how the program says Microsoft Confidential. Do not distribute and then they post it on their forums for the whole world to download.