Solve : Counterfeit Windows??

1.	Solve : Counterfeit Windows??
Answer» I've been using Windows XP for months on my HP Pavilion PC. Suddenly, when powering-up, I get a message saying that I might not have genuine Windows but a counterfeit. I am afraid to follow the steps shown to verify if I have the actual Windows. I think it could be a scam or a virus. Has anybody ever had this message before? Should I do the verification? Quote from: Myron on May 28, 2011, 03:19:38 AM I've been using Windows XP for months on my HP Pavilion PC. Where did you get this Windows XP from ?? Was it always on your PC ?? Can you post a screen shot ?? But just letting you know, if it is a pirate copy, we will not help you here.What steps does it ask you to take? Did you recently have the computer shut down unexpectedly, due to power outage or turning off the computer before shutting down Windows?What is the EXACT message you get?I read something online a few years ago about pirated copies of XP showing up on ebay etc. The tell tale sign of these were some unusual batch files located in the root of C:\ that bypassed the requirement for activate against microsoft. It wasnt until a user tried to get updates and it tests for it to be genuine that its detected as pirated. Look at your C:\ drive in the root of it for batch files and post back if you find any and their names. I think one was named key something or activation.Tons of info here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/help/genuine/faqI believe this is micrososft's work. I think they want you to just upgrade to window's 7 and they crash Xp for you. When window's Vista first came out and my window's Xp computer crashed I went on Microsoft's website to order a window's XP Cd. I bought a copy for something a little over $100. (can remember the full price) Microsoft stated that the disk and all manuels will arive in 2 week's time. Anyways the funny thing is this was a disk straight from Microsoft and in 2 years time after the release of window's 7 it also gave me the genuine error. How is it possible that a disk from Microsoft isn't genuine? It must be a big scam in getting you to upgrade to 7. I got mad and called microsoft and they said they couldn't do nothing about it for window's XP is outdated and they told me that buying window's 7 would be a better investment. So i just re-installed my FULLY GENUINE FROM MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP PRO! Quote from: comda on May 31, 2011, 07:47:11 AM I believe this is micrososft's work. I think they want you to just upgrade to window's 7 and they crash Xp for you. Utter nonsense.The only time I've ever had trouble with getting Microsoft to cooperate on a key for an operating system was for a used / laptop I bought from a store. When it crashed, it was a three-way finger-point between the manufacturer, the vendor, and Microsoft. (That laptop then ran Ubuntu Linux until it died.) Any other time I've called Microsoft with questions, or help with registering or re-registering a legitimate copy of an operating system, or with a legitimate key, I've never had a problem. Microsoft may date the official support of an operating system, but they are not in the business of causing operating systems to fail in order to force people to upgrade. Quote from: Aegis on May 31, 2011, 08:09:45 AM Microsoft may date the official support of an operating system, but they are not in the business of causing operating systems to fail in order to force people to upgrade. Of course they aren't. Can you imagine?I can hardly imagine. I mean, things are bad ENOUGH, as it is! Quote from: comda on May 31, 2011, 07:47:11 AM I believe this is micrososft's work. I think they want you to just upgrade to window's 7 and they crash Xp for you. No. That doesn't make any sense at all. Quote When window's Vista first came out and my window's Xp computer crashed I went on Microsoft's website to order a window's XP Cd. I don't think you've ever been ABLE to do that; except via dreamspark, or more recent windows versions. Windows XP was only available at retail (and thus also downloadable via internet retailers) I don't believe you can order a Windows XP CD from MS. I'll humour you for now THOUGH. Quote I bought a copy for something a little over $100. (can remember the full price) Why the censored were you buying a NEW copy in the first place, anyway? If your XP computer crashed, you contact the manufacturer, or use the recovery disk that came with said computer. you don't just go buy a new OS CD, that's stupid, and makes very little sense. Quote Microsoft stated that the disk and all manuels will arive in 2 week's time. Anyways the funny thing is this was a disk straight from Microsoft and in 2 years time after the release of window's 7 it also gave me the genuine error. err.... what? What is your point here? OMG! 2 years after Windows 7 was released it gave you a WGA error? What are you trying to say here? They both use the number 2 so it's some kind of conspiracy? Any number of hardware and software changes can trigger activation/WGA, and one phone call fixes it, despite what you claim. Quote How is it possible that a disk from Microsoft isn't genuine? It's not. The software that get's installed can be made to believe it isn't a legal copy by: -being installed on another machine from previously -general "overtweaking"- you mess around with system files and patch things and then wonder why WGA fails... -malware - malware often sets it off as well. Quote It must be a big scam in getting you to upgrade to 7. Sure it is. Or, you could just phone MS and reactivate it the long way. Quote from: comda on May 31, 2011, 07:47:11 AM I bought [an XP cd] ... the funny thing is this was a disk straight from Microsoft and in 2 years time after the release of window's 7 it also gave me the genuine error. Well, you must be a Time Lord because 2 years after Windows 7 was released is October 22, 2011. So you could get in your time machine and go back to a time when your XP was still genuine Quote How is it possible that a disk from Microsoft isn't genuine? The disk was, is, and will continue to be genuine. Something about the installation it made on your system has possibly changed or maybe there was an error caused by malware or messing about as BC_Programmer said. Quote It must be a big scam in getting you to upgrade to 7. How very foolish. Anyhow, Windows 7 is a much better OS and has the advantage of not being nearly 10 years old. Quote So i just re-installed my FULLY GENUINE FROM MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP PRO! Well, bully for you! It is not from Microsoft. But if the OP thinks it is, he can call MS by phone and talk about it. There is a new wave of virus or Trojan things out there that pretend to be from Microsoft. Only in the far east was MS hostile toward any suspect copies of Windows.In the western world you could still use windows even after that message, It was 'nag-only', not 'find and destroy.' Do not do the verification. Try to boot in safe mode. It is a scam. You need to scan the scam. If you can not boot in safe mode and by-pass the message, get a CD that can boot and run a scan and find the scam. http://www.techmixer.com/free-bootable-antivirus-rescue-cds-download-list/ Only use the free stuff. Don't buy anything.Just back-up your files and do a complete reinstall of your operating system.

Answer»

I've been using Windows XP for months on my HP Pavilion PC. Suddenly, when powering-up, I get a message saying that I might not have genuine Windows but a counterfeit. I am afraid to follow the steps shown to verify if I have the actual Windows. I think it could be a scam or a virus. Has anybody ever had this message before? Should I do the verification? Quote from: Myron on May 28, 2011, 03:19:38 AM

I've been using Windows XP for months on my HP Pavilion PC.

Where did you get this Windows XP from ?? Was it always on your PC ??

Can you post a screen shot ??

But just letting you know, if it is a pirate copy, we will not help you here.What steps does it ask you to take?

Did you recently have the computer shut down unexpectedly, due to power outage or turning off the computer before shutting down Windows?What is the EXACT message you get?I read something online a few years ago about pirated copies of XP showing up on ebay etc. The tell tale sign of these were some unusual batch files located in the root of C:\ that bypassed the requirement for activate against microsoft. It wasnt until a user tried to get updates and it tests for it to be genuine that its detected as pirated.

Look at your C:\ drive in the root of it for batch files and post back if you find any and their names. I think one was named key something or activation.Tons of info here:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/help/genuine/faqI believe this is micrososft's work. I think they want you to just upgrade to window's 7 and they crash Xp for you. When window's Vista first came out and my window's Xp computer crashed I went on Microsoft's website to order a window's XP Cd. I bought a copy for something a little over $100. (can remember the full price) Microsoft stated that the disk and all manuels will arive in 2 week's time. Anyways the funny thing is this was a disk straight from Microsoft and in 2 years time after the release of window's 7 it also gave me the genuine error. How is it possible that a disk from Microsoft isn't genuine? It must be a big scam in getting you to upgrade to 7. I got mad and called microsoft and they said they couldn't do nothing about it for window's XP is outdated and they told me that buying window's 7 would be a better investment. So i just re-installed my FULLY GENUINE FROM MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP PRO! Quote from: comda on May 31, 2011, 07:47:11 AM

I believe this is micrososft's work. I think they want you to just upgrade to window's 7 and they crash Xp for you.

Utter nonsense.The only time I've ever had trouble with getting Microsoft to cooperate on a key for an operating system was for a used / laptop I bought from a store. When it crashed, it was a three-way finger-point between the manufacturer, the vendor, and Microsoft. (That laptop then ran Ubuntu Linux until it died.)

Any other time I've called Microsoft with questions, or help with registering or re-registering a legitimate copy of an operating system, or with a legitimate key, I've never had a problem.

Microsoft may date the official support of an operating system, but they are not in the business of causing operating systems to fail in order to force people to upgrade. Quote from: Aegis on May 31, 2011, 08:09:45 AM

Microsoft may date the official support of an operating system, but they are not in the business of causing operating systems to fail in order to force people to upgrade.

Of course they aren't. Can you imagine?I can hardly imagine.

I mean, things are bad ENOUGH, as it is! Quote from: comda on May 31, 2011, 07:47:11 AM

I believe this is micrososft's work. I think they want you to just upgrade to window's 7 and they crash Xp for you.

No. That doesn't make any sense at all.

Quote

When window's Vista first came out and my window's Xp computer crashed I went on Microsoft's website to order a window's XP Cd.

I don't think you've ever been ABLE to do that; except via dreamspark, or more recent windows versions. Windows XP was only available at retail (and thus also downloadable via internet retailers) I don't believe you can order a Windows XP CD from MS. I'll humour you for now THOUGH.

Quote

I bought a copy for something a little over $100. (can remember the full price)

Why the *censored* were you buying a NEW copy in the first place, anyway? If your XP computer crashed, you contact the manufacturer, or use the recovery disk that came with said computer. you don't just go buy a new OS CD, that's stupid, and makes very little sense.

Quote

Microsoft stated that the disk and all manuels will arive in 2 week's time. Anyways the funny thing is this was a disk straight from Microsoft and in 2 years time after the release of window's 7 it also gave me the genuine error.

err.... what? What is your point here? OMG! 2 years after Windows 7 was released it gave you a WGA error? What are you trying to say here? They both use the number 2 so it's some kind of conspiracy? Any number of hardware and software changes can trigger activation/WGA, and one phone call fixes it, despite what you claim.

Quote

How is it possible that a disk from Microsoft isn't genuine?

It's not. The software that get's installed can be made to believe it isn't a legal copy by:

-being installed on another machine from previously
-general "overtweaking"- you mess around with system files and patch things and then wonder why WGA fails...
-malware - malware often sets it off as well.

Quote

It must be a big scam in getting you to upgrade to 7.

Sure it is. Or, you could just phone MS and reactivate it the long way.
Quote from: comda on May 31, 2011, 07:47:11 AM

I bought [an XP cd] ... the funny thing is this was a disk straight from Microsoft and in 2 years time after the release of window's 7 it also gave me the genuine error.

Well, you must be a Time Lord because 2 years after Windows 7 was released is October 22, 2011. So you could get in your time machine and go back to a time when your XP was still genuine

Quote

How is it possible that a disk from Microsoft isn't genuine?

The disk was, is, and will continue to be genuine. Something about the installation it made on your system has possibly changed or maybe there was an error caused by malware or messing about as BC_Programmer said.

Quote

It must be a big scam in getting you to upgrade to 7.

How very foolish. Anyhow, Windows 7 is a much better OS and has the advantage of not being nearly 10 years old.

Quote

So i just re-installed my FULLY GENUINE FROM MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP PRO!

Well, bully for you! It is not from Microsoft. But if the OP thinks it is, he can call MS by phone and talk about it.
There is a new wave of virus or Trojan things out there that pretend to be from Microsoft. Only in the far east was MS hostile toward any suspect copies of Windows.In the western world you could still use windows even after that message, It was 'nag-only', not 'find and destroy.'

Do not do the verification. Try to boot in safe mode. It is a scam. You need to scan the scam. If you can not boot in safe mode and by-pass the message, get a CD that can boot and run a scan and find the scam.

http://www.techmixer.com/free-bootable-antivirus-rescue-cds-download-list/
Only use the free stuff. Don't buy anything.Just back-up your files and do a complete reinstall of your operating system.

Solve : Counterfeit Windows??

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