Windows 7 not genuine??? But I have a valid number

Hi, I had a HDD crash a while ago on my Alienware m17x-R2 and I reinstalled Windows 7 which worked for a while, now the background is black and in the bottom right corner it says:

Windows 7
Build 7600
This copy of Windows is not genuine.

Anybody got a fix? It reminds me every time I log back in. My product key is legit! I tried fixing the problem the way windows says to do it. That didn't work... Most said they contacted Microsoft, but as far as I can see there is no way to contact them without paying even though they screwed up. Dell won't help either, my warranty is up. I wouldn't care since everything works the same, except I can't update and something is wrong with my WMP...

Anyone wanna tackle that problem too while we're at it? The videos freeze every 8-12 seconds just long enough to get stuck in yet another sentence. My computer is plenty fast enough... The files I'm playing work fine since I also stream to my PS3.

 

Genuine Microsoft Software

You might also want to run a chkdsk + SMART check on your hdd, validation failing in addition to video stuttering could indicate an hdd problem.

 

Is the OS OEM or Retail?
If its OEM then Dell should help you and if its retail then you should contact Microsoft and provide proof of purchase. This will sort that out.
Goto this link:
Assisted Support Options

Select your OS version and follow the steps.
It will take you to the support.

Hope that helps

 

In "Services", are you sure that "Software Protection" is set to automatic? Disabling this service may cause genuine Windows to be declared as not genuine.

 

I've gotten that error on all my PC's for some reason. I just rebooted, re-entered the key, then it was working fine again. I don't get it. In a couple instances I had to manually activate again, use a new TechNet key, or enter an incorrect key, then a correct one. So stupid.

Just go to Start --> Right Click "Computer" and choose "properties" --> in the system info screen at the bottom click the link "change product key" and try to re-enter your key, then reboot.

If that doesn't work then on reboot, type "activate" in the start/search box and click "activate windows" to see if it will activate.

Last case, type in your product key but purposely entering a couple wrong characters, try to activate. Then enter the proper key again and try to activate again. Reboot after each try though. My machines still said not genuine until I rebooted.

I'd like to know what the problem is though, as it's clearly something Microsoft FUBAR'd. I even called and they said my keys were fine and couldn't help me and said they'd elevate it yet never heard back. But I got it working so whatever.

 

You could just call Microsoft directly, it only takes less than 30 mins to activated. Their generated authenticator has higher precedence over their online automated one. Less prone to falling into non genuine flag due to their manual check is less stronger than the online check.

Not all electronics can consistently spit out 0's and 1's, and have it right 100% of the time. There alot of factors that could cause it to flip but the odds of occurring are really rare. This is the one of the reasons why Electrical Engineers major has to take probability courses.

 

Extremely rare? That's why 7 out of 7 of my machines I use had the problem?

And that's not why Electrical Engineers take probability courses. All engineers are required to take probability courses as are any number of technical fields.

 

If all 7 of 7 machine have it, you might have issues with your hardware or environment or simply unlucky.

I had that triggered a few times on one of my workstation (I actually did thought MS was stupid). Was caused by a defective cpu, which wasn't noticed until with my project calculated odd valued addresses after it ran for a week.

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As for the probability course, I posted it as a application or reason why they have to take it. Not that fact they are required to take it.

You are welcomed to private message me about this.

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To the Op,
Also, I forgot to note, there should be no charge if you call their toll free numbers depends which country where you calling from.

 

Just call Microsoft, it should be free for activation help. I've done it myself a few times without any problem.

 

Unfortunately ... unless he know someone with similar model with an intact cerf, all he can do is to call MS.

 

Are all your keys Technet? None of those 7 are OEM or Retail keys?

One reason why Technet keys randomly ask for reactivation is simple piracy check.

License keys authenticity is validated at the time of activation. However, even the stolen Technet keys validate first, until MS finds out some certain batch and disables them. Since only the key type is stored in activation, MS can only bumb those that lable themselves Technet to re-activate and at that time the keys are re-checked against the blacklisted ones. Since there is no way to detect blacklisted keys beforehand, everyone has to re-activate and genuine ones prevail.

I assume you used the OEM sticker key under the laptop when you reinstalled? That does not automatically activate over the internet, first time needs phone activation.

Reason for that is once again piracy: Some shady vendors back in the early XP days used to sell whitebox computers and branded ones. They would then remove branded OEM stickers and put them on the whiteboxes, since the key itself is regular OEM and it would activate over the internet. The branded computer had it's recovery discs that contained offline activation (what sama98b did briefly explain for greater detail).

It was around 2003-2004 I think when activation was changed and the branded stickers did not activate directly anymore. I remember the first one I encountered was Toshiba and we did wonder about that since the HP's and Fujitsu/Siemens licenses worked just fine. Later it was expanded to all brands.

I've called countless times to the activation center in order to activate my customer's computers. Never have I called to any number that would cost anything and I don't remember ever being denied activation either. Many times I've talked with a person instead of just computer, it wasn't scary or it didn't hurt either

 

Microsoft technet answers your problem ..

Reinstalling Windows 7 / Re-Activation Quesiton

 

No, I actually posted about this before. They are not all TechNet keys. Mixture of Technet, OEM, and regular license.

They didn't all happen at once, just out of the blue one day I boot up and it says the machine is not genuine. Phoning MS was worthless too. When I had like three happen in the matter of a a week I called. They just said my keys were valid and didn't know why it was doing that and would escalate it and would get back with me. Just strange how in a couple cases I just retyped the key (from windows system "change product key") rebooted, chose to validate and it was fine. My Technet keys I just typed in another key and it was fine. So I dunno.