Pc Doesn't Pass "genuine Windows" Test

[bkkmick]

In our office I was given a PC to take a look at. As described in the subject line, when you switch it on an error message appears saying that the OS is not a genuine version.

When he bought his copy of Windows XP (from a serviced office in BKK) he cut off the product key and stuck it to the PC.

When I try and resolve the issue the error message displayed says that the product key '.....-????' was not issued by Microsoft. The last part of the product key is as what was stuck on the PC by the owner.

The curious thing is that the PC still downloads and installs updates from Microsoft which kind of suggests that the product key is genuine.

Does anybody have any ideas what is going on? Has the owner been ripped off when he purchased that version of XP?

(no anti-microsoft BS please).

All the best

Mick

[lopburi3]

Do not believe Microsoft ever disables security updates. But he probably could not get IE7 or new Media Player type things.

I take it the (Windows) copy was installed at an office by 'someone' as legal software? Did it cost the 'normal' price? If so believe person getting this warning should be asking for satisfaction from the seller.

I am sure that there are many who could and would make look alike packaging for those looking for a bargain.

There is also the possibility that the installed system is not what was on the computer before if it was ever sent out for servicing as many will re-install whatever copy they have handy in that case.

[Mid]

i have a genuine version of xp ,

occasionally when removing test apps via reg editing my pc will reboot as fake

even to the stage of having to go through the phone option to restore

so it's not foolproof .

[dsys]

Had several problems in XP activation/product keys, here are some holes i have fallen into in the past perhaps you could check these:

1. Change of hardware invalidates license key: Does not happen often, changes of processor and memory at same time can cause the validation software to fail. Solved by giving microsoft a call.

2. Moving copies of XP form machine to machine - as (1) above.

3. XP key and hardware identifier mismatch - had this happen many times, pain in the %%**. For some unknown reason the machine id that XP generates becomes corrupted on transfer to MS. The only way I have been able to resolve this is again by calling microsoft and getting them to fix it.

4. The most common problem is that in fact the license is used more than once. Have had problems where the owner purchases a legit copy of XP and installs it on laptop and desktop, invalidates the license on one of the machines.

5. Pirate software - actually easier to fix than the rest, bite the bullet and call microsoft they charge a low fee to convert the license and will send you a free copy. Last time i did it it was in the UK and cost £45. Not bad for XP pro and the user only paid £20 for the pirate copy.

As for the updates they continue to work its just the "add-on" software thats need genuine software activation that will not work.

Agree with Lopburi - may not be the original software on the PC. May be worth reinstalling the opsystem if possible.

[bkkmick]

I now have the disk in front of me and it all appears genuine. It's the brown/gold holographic original CD and the Windows XP Professional OEM sticker also appears 'genuine' (must use a different word). When he bought the PC there was a 'hookey' version of XP on it. (Now I'm getting more of the story!) then he bought the 'official' version and the guy in the office installed it. Now I hear the guy went into registry and tried editing 'something' to get rid of the blue star in the task bar that tells you that your version of windows is not legal. (ha! I wonder if something went wrong there).

Lopburi is correct. I tried installing IE7 today but can't as the verification failed.

Mid: I don't suppose that you have that phone number handy?

[sjaak327]

If your pc doesn't pass the WGA (windows Genuine advantage), you will not be able to download loads of software from Microsoft, indeed from IE7 to all kinds of other tools. Windows update shouldn't work anymore too (except when getting it through WSUS or SUS or other internal sources.

Also you might get nag screens, very annoying.

Call Microsoft. Or google about WGA.

[rambling]

If this is a legit copy then call M$ support.

In our office I was given a PC to take a look at. As described in the subject line, when you switch it on an error message appears saying that the OS is not a genuine version.

When he bought his copy of Windows XP (from a serviced office in BKK) he cut off the product key and stuck it to the PC.

When I try and resolve the issue the error message displayed says that the product key '.....-????' was not issued by Microsoft. The last part of the product key is as what was stuck on the PC by the owner.

The curious thing is that the PC still downloads and installs updates from Microsoft which kind of suggests that the product key is genuine.

Does anybody have any ideas what is going on? Has the owner been ripped off when he purchased that version of XP?

(no anti-microsoft BS please).

All the best

Mick

[A_Traveller]

Presumably you have the XP key, have you compared that with the key on the PC?

Regards

[Mid]

Mid: I don't suppose that you have that phone number handy?

sorry , it's a toll free numbers to an auto human pencil and paper needed ........thing reads out the numbers one box at a time , once.

i accessed it through the internet connection box ( the phone number ) when i finally convinced that step to abort ...................

[pampal]

I run 2 pantip versions of winxp sp2 using multi boot

both versions are able to download all security fixes and updates with no problems

just dont install the microsoft genuine advantage and everything will download without annoying messages

[JAS21]

I now have the disk in front of me and it all appears genuine. It's the brown/gold holographic original CD and the Windows XP Professional OEM sticker also appears 'genuine' (must use a different word). When he bought the PC there was a 'hookey' version of XP on it. (Now I'm getting more of the story!) then he bought the 'official' version and the guy in the office installed it. Now I hear the guy went into registry and tried editing 'something' to get rid of the blue star in the task bar that tells you that your version of windows is not legal. (ha! I wonder if something went wrong there).

Lopburi is correct. I tried installing IE7 today but can't as the verification failed.

Mid: I don't suppose that you have that phone number handy?

I have MS Bangkok as 02 257 4970...never used it so can't confirm

[Richard-BKK]

Call Microsoft Thailand, and not be scared to get a bit upset.... As I read in previous postings, we get the "fake" warning several times. We use Windows XP only for testing, so reinstalled many times, advanced register editing, deliberately infect with viruses .....etc

Normally the problem of being "fake" doesn't last one day....so you have hope

[manuchaomk]

Hi bought Sony Vaio in Pantip two years ago and I have the same problem. .

They gave me the notebook with all cd's (including the Sony Vaio recovery cds) and I had the MS Key. Sticker too.

Last year I tried to re-setup the OS (Win XP Professional) and drivers with the originals cds and Nothing. Denied me to run the setup correctly. I bought cd in Pantip and I was able to make the setup. But since the first Windows update, it appear the "Genuine message"....and I must provide to update my OS offline... .

manu

[nikster]

I once recovered a friend's laptop which had this issue. He had a legit version of Win XP which came with his laptop.

It was a very peculiar problem though - we would go through the MS WGA checking procedure, and at some point it would either not continue or just start over without having completed the test. So we were stuck in "illegal" mode.

I can't remember the exact details, but I managed to google a Microsoft tech note which explained how to fix it. It involved replacing dome DLLs and un-registering and re-registering DLLs - but they were very clear instructions and they worked. Later on, it broke again with the same problem and we were able to fix it the same way.

Can't find that MS knowledge base entry right now, so I would suggest to just call and complain.

There's also a WGA diagnostics tool on microsoft.com...

[manuchaomk]

hey nikster,

thanks a lot for your suggestions. appreciate.

manu

[rychrde]

just to confirm had similar problem with my UK laptop. Was purchased new with all legit CDs. This genuine advantage (lmfao) crap came in while I was in Thailand so went through their process only to be told I was not genuine! Stupidly I'd left the Cds somewhere in a box in storage in the UK. Anyway, when I had a harddisk failure some months ago I had no qualms about buying a copy of xp from pantip. I will know in a month if reinstalling the 'original' copy from CD will make me a good and proper member of the ms club. For what I actually need linux is becoming an ever-more tempting option. I also had similar experience to nikster, so will look into the dll issues if need to.

rych

[britmaveric]

I had the same problem - I think it went fake because of the number of reinstalls I have done. However I have found a work-around that gets things back on track. Bit annoying one has to do this especially when u have a legit copy.

[smo]

I had the same problem - I think it went fake because of the number of reinstalls I have done. However I have found a work-around that gets things back on track. Bit annoying one has to do this especially when u have a legit copy.

Care to share your work-around fix?

[britmaveric]

I had the same problem - I think it went fake because of the number of reinstalls I have done. However I have found a work-around that gets things back on track. Bit annoying one has to do this especially when u have a legit copy.

Care to share your work-around fix?

pm your email addy and I'll share.

[Stabbo-Lad]

I had the same problem - I think it went fake because of the number of reinstalls I have done. However I have found a work-around that gets things back on track. Bit annoying one has to do this especially when u have a legit copy.

Care to share your work-around fix?

pm your email addy and I'll share.

Similar thing happened to me. I recently bought a new desktop from Zeer Langsit. Came with XP Pro and many other apps pre-loaded - all prirate! Not that I'm complaining, I was just surprised that a legit shop would do that, even for Thailand it surprised me. Anyway, I found a patch on a torrent site that has turned my priated xp into a legit copy. Passed WGA, all security updates downloaded and now running IE7.

Best bit of kit I've ever d/l'ed!

[A_Traveller]

Re the above, if I type quickly enough

Zeer is also listed as a 'clean shop' by Microsoft.

Go figure as they say.

Reagrds

[cdnvic]

I passed on the info. Hopefully they have at least one honest employee in Thailand who will do something. Not holding my breath though.

[astral]

Yesterday I was trying to download Windows Defender.

I was told that my machine had to be authenticated and that I had to download a small programme to do the job.........

The problem was that downoads.microsoft.com could not be found.

What a joke they are.

[cdnvic]

The problem was that downoads.microsoft.com could not be found.

What a joke they are.

Probably your ISP being a joke.

Edited June 17, 2007 by cdnvic

[ronw]

just to confirm had similar problem with my UK laptop. Was purchased new with all legit CDs. This genuine advantage (lmfao) crap came in while I was in Thailand so went through their process only to be told I was not genuine! Stupidly I'd left the Cds somewhere in a box in storage in the UK. Anyway, when I had a harddisk failure some months ago I had no qualms about buying a copy of xp from pantip. I will know in a month if reinstalling the 'original' copy from CD will make me a good and proper member of the ms club. For what I actually need linux is becoming an ever-more tempting option. I also had similar experience to nikster, so will look into the dll issues if need to.

rych

Exactly the same as what happened to me...........and microshaft still asked me to buy XP again....i ignored them, and a few days later.....I got the dreaded blue screen...........nothing worked.....tried installing several versions of windows.............and failed.....

Have switched to linux...[ubuntu 7].....had many problems at first....because of not knowing the system.....but persevered...and am now very happy and comfortable with using it...........it has everything I need...it runs beautifully....is quick.....AND IT IS FREE!!!!

[higgy88]

Astral, did they ask you to go to another site to validate your windows? That has never happened to me and I have been having my windows validated since the day they started it, and I have had to revalidate a number of times, the last time just last week when I went to the microsoft update site. Also, I was in the US in April and installed windows defender in my mom's relatively new computer. I went to the windows defender site and clicked to download and install. It told me that I had to have a genuine windows to use this software, and to click here to validate. I clicked and waited for ms to do it's thing, and when it was done the text changed to click here to download and install. Piece of cake. It did not tell me to go to another site to validate. I have always been able to validate on the spot without going to download.microsoft.com or anywhere else.

Just an observation from my own experiences and that of others I know. Those who bought their computers with windows pre-installed (at the factory, not at the store they bought it), have not had problems with validating. The ones who seem to be having the most problems are those who bought the installation CDs (maybe having the store install it and giving them the CDs) seperately.