Windows7 saying its not genuine

grifter09

My windows7 is saying its not genuine.
It keeps coming up with a message that there may be a security threat etc etc.

It came installed on a built pc i bought from a guy on adverts.
He said it was a genuine windows on the machine at the time of sale (about a year ago). When i asked him why i had no packageing for it, (there is a disk with windows 7 hand written on it) he said it was genuine, it was OEM and that it was downloaded from microsoft or something to that effect.

Can anyone help?

Penrose

Oh dear, that does not sound good. Open up Start -> Control Panel -> system and Security and then System.

Does it list your product key and is it asking you to activate it? If so activate it using the internet. If it lists as not genuine. Call Microsoft to confirm. Since its been a year its going to be hard to chase down.

maglite

Any sticker on the case? if so does this match the serial no on the computer?

Fysh

maglite wrote: »

Any sticker on the case? if so does this match the serial no on the computer?

That's your smoking gun one way or another - if it's legit, it should have the Genuine Windows OEM sticker on the case, with your product key listed.

Unfortunately, if it doesn't have that, you'll need to take it up with whoever sold you the computer, because Microsoft's position will be that you never had a legitimate licence. They may offer you a cheapish legit licence to sort out the problem, but it's up to you whether that's easier than talking it over with the chap who sold you the computer.

grifter09

Im constantly getting this message,

Windows did not pass genuine validation.
Microsoft security essentials will become disabled in 27 days
if you do not resolve this issue.

There is an option to go online and get genuine windows now.



I specifically said to the guy when I was viewing the pc, "I thought you said in your Ad windows 7 was genuine"
He replied "It is genuine. I downloaded it from the microsoft website. Its a genuine OEM. Look, see here" (and then he showed me where it said it was valid on the computer.)
I said I was concerned as there werent any original discs. 2 of the disks are system images he done and the other 2 have 'windows backup 30th Jan 2010' written in marker.
That was his explanation.

Was I stung? :eek:

Fysh

grifter09 wrote: »

Was I stung? :eek:

Yep.

If you don't have the Windows Certificate of Authenticity sticker on the box, you've been stung. Some OEMs provide original media (usually branded, but then it depends on the size of the company), but it's not a requirement - those that don't provide it will normally provide either a recovery partition or a way to create your own media or recovery discs.

Unfortunately, at this point your options are either go back to the guy who sold you the computer and have the argument (and there's a good chance you're not the only person to have this happen with a computer he's sold, if the product key he's using is now being flagged as non-genuine), or stump up the cash to Microsoft for a new licence of your own.

grifter09

He was some lier but pretty stupid though. I picked it up from his house....:mad:

CptSternn

Before you call the guy a crook, be aware of KB971033. Also known as the Windows Activation Technology update. It was an update they rolled out about a year ago to combat piracy. The problem was though, some machines appeared to be not genuine when they actually were. Many companies that cloned machines and used the same MAK all of a sudden had hundreds of PC saying they weren't genuine (which is why I advise larger organisations to use KMS instead of MAK).

Google KB971033 and read up on it. In the meantime you can click on Windows Updates, check out the history, and uninstall the update to remove that warning. You will of course have to search for updates after doing that then block KB971033 from downloading again (there is an option to do this).

It wouldn't be the first time a legit copy of Windows appeared bad and wasn't.

Just a heads up.

grifter09

thanks for that CptStern
Come to think of it i hooked the machine up to the net for the first time in a long time the other day.
I allowed downloading of updates to take place.

will look into it

Fysh

CptSternn wrote: »

Before you call the guy a crook, be aware of KB971033. Also known as the Windows Activation Technology update. It was an update they rolled out about a year ago to combat piracy. The problem was though, some machines appeared to be not genuine when they actually were.

It may explain how the notification came about, but it doesn't explain the absence of installation/recovery media or CoA/licence documentation with the machine.

grifter09

Is it possible he was telling the truth? Can windows 7 be downloaded legally?

Dude111

I wonder if doing a system restore will help the issue..

Did it JUST START doing this??

Fysh

grifter09 wrote: »

Is it possible he was telling the truth? Can windows 7 be downloaded legally?

I bought my upgrade licence as a digital copy from Digital River last year. However, I also received an email from them with the details of my licence (including the product key). You can now buy download-only versions of Windows through the Microsoft store for your country. That being said, given that OEM licences tend to be used by larger vendors/manufacturers, I'd be quite surprised if they were being sold as download-only options. (Then I'm quite surprised at the number of places that sell them at all, as IMO they should not be available at retail...but that's a different argument).

If this guy was selling you a system with an OEM licence, he should have provided you with some documentation concerning that licence - either recovery media or the means to create it, and a CoA sticker on the box or paperwork detailing your licence and product key should reinstallation be necessary.

Pike Bishop

Hi,you can download a little program called <snip> that disables the warning.It works for me.

Capt'n Midnight

Pike Bishop wrote: »

Hi,you can download a little program called <snip> that disables the warning.It works for me.

Please read the stickies about warez etc.

Kristopherus

CptSternn wrote: »

Before you call the guy a crook, be aware of KB971033. Also known as the Windows Activation Technology update. It was an update they rolled out about a year ago to combat piracy. The problem was though, some machines appeared to be not genuine when they actually were. Many companies that cloned machines and used the same MAK all of a sudden had hundreds of PC saying they weren't genuine (which is why I advise larger organisations to use KMS instead of MAK).

Google KB971033 and read up on it. In the meantime you can click on Windows Updates, check out the history, and uninstall the update to remove that warning. You will of course have to search for updates after doing that then block KB971033 from downloading again (there is an option to do this).

It wouldn't be the first time a legit copy of Windows appeared bad and wasn't.

Just a heads up.

CptStrenn, what is the equivalent KB no. for XP Pro?

testicle

CptSternn wrote: »

Many companies that cloned machines and used the same MAK all of a sudden had hundreds of PC saying they weren't genuine (which is why I advise larger organisations to use KMS instead of MAK).

MAK = Multiple Activation Key. How big are these organisations you're talking about? My Client MAKs are good for 5000 activations, Server MAKs for 2000...

Darkphenom

It is very suspicious when he shows you installation discs with marker written on them. I know that Windows 7 is available on torrent sites but I doubt they work very well. This may be the issue.