"This copy of Windows is not genuine"

Kitty6277

Hi all,

I have a Dell laptop that I got from college, and for the last while it has been giving me the "this copy of Windows is not genuine" error message. This usually happens once a year as I have to re-activate Windows, and the solution is to go to college, plug the laptop into the wired intenet connection, and restart it. However, this time, I have done this on 3 separate occasions and it hasn't worked. I emailed my contact in the IT Department asking if he had any other ideas and he said he didn't.

I'm just wondering if the wise heads on Boards know of a way that I can sort it out?

Thank you! (also apologies if this isn't in the correct place, mods feel free to move)

Turnipman

What version of Windows?

Kitty6277

Turnipman wrote: »

What version of Windows?

Should have mentioned that, sorry, it's Windows 7

DesperateDan

IT department needs kick up the arse. They are managing the Windows installation so they should resolve it. Is your Windows account attached to your college email?

Probably your email account has some how been revoked. Can't think of a decent fix, possibly they are the only ones that can actually sort it out though.

Kitty6277

DesperateDan wrote: »

IT department needs kick up the arse. They are managing the Windows installation so they should resolve it. Is your Windows account attached to your college email?

Probably your email account has some how been revoked. Can't think of a decent fix, possibly they are the only ones that can actually sort it out though.

I thought that myself, that's the entire point of the IT Department :rolleyes:

It's not linked to my college email account afaik, I still have access to it and am getting emails as normal.

Turnipman

Are you getting an error number along with the message?

If so, write it down and check this link to find a solution.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-ie/help/10738

(I know this appears to refer to Windows 10 only, but the small print under the page header says "Applies to: Windows 10 Windows 7 Windows 8.1"

mordeith

When you plug it into the college network are you able to login to the domain as normal?

howamidifferent

It was probably licensed with a volume license tied to a company or institution and so needs periodic checks with a KMS server to re-validate license.

Kitty6277

mordeith wrote: »

When you plug it into the college network are you able to login to the domain as normal?

Yeah, it logs in, and then the message telling me that Windows isn't authenticated comes up

mordeith

Kitty6277 wrote: »

Yeah, it logs in, and then the message telling me that Windows isn't authenticated comes up

Probably not relevant to you but we recently had our staff PCs replaced and one had a message saying windows was genuine. Turned out it was an IP conflict. Once it was resolved Windows activated.

PropJoe10

Your college IT people must be absolute chancers if they won't help you with this - and I would not suggest the fix that the previous poster mentioned for a college machine! Bring it back to the IT people and tell them to fix it. Their laptop (or at least provided by them), their problem.

Kitty6277

PropJoe10 wrote: »

Your college IT people must be absolute chancers if they won't help you with this - and I would not suggest the fix that the previous poster mentioned for a college machine! Bring it back to the IT people and tell them to fix it. Their laptop (or at least provided by them), their problem.

I emailed the guy I know in the IT department again today and he told me to try it in a specific place, and that if I'm still stuck he's around next week to give me a hand, so thank god for that

yoyo

Mod: Removed mention of piracy tool. Please no further mention how to pirate software