Guest H Gohel Posted September 23, 2007 Posted September 23, 2007 Hi all, I'm struggling with a problem on a Toshiba notebook A75-S1253 purchased at CompUSA less than a year ago, which Windows XP now says is not a genuine copy when Windows Update is run. Let's get one thing out of the way - this is a notebook purchased at CompUSA with a pre-loaded Windows XP install, so no piracy is involved. Something has gone wrong, and I'm trying to fix it. Unfortunately the laptop is not with me at the moment and I'm doing long-distance (to/from India!) debugging/problem resolution so it's not easy. My best hope was this MS KnowledgeBase article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916247 which tells me how to check what causes the problem with windows validation, and also tells me how to change the key to validate it again. My sister followed the directions and this what she reported: "I was very hopeful with this - but the product key validation failed. I ran the diagnostics, 1st time some ActiveX validations failed, auto repaired the problem and then everything passed. Then it asked to download product key tool (I've saved it on the desktop). I entered the product key that's on the back of the laptop but it said its not valid for this system. Doesn't give me any other options. :(" Unfortunately I don't know what else to do at this point. About 3-4 months ago my sister had a virus on the notebook and she sent it off to a repair shop locally. Turns out they reformatted her drive and reinstalled windows. My suspicion is that they did *not* use her WindowsXP key when they reinstalled. Could this be the case? Is it possible to fix this Windows Genuine validation issue without reinstallation? Your expertise is much appreciated. -- Himanshu PS: If you'd like to reply by email, remove XXX from the address
Guest Shenan Stanley Posted September 23, 2007 Posted September 23, 2007 Re: Windows Update says "not genuine" - Toshiba notebook, no piracy involved! Re: Windows Update says "not genuine" - Toshiba notebook, no piracy involved! H Gohel wrote: > Hi all, > > I'm struggling with a problem on a Toshiba notebook A75-S1253 > purchased at CompUSA less than a year ago, which Windows XP now > says is not a genuine copy when Windows Update is run. > > Let's get one thing out of the way - this is a notebook purchased at > CompUSA with a pre-loaded Windows XP install, so no piracy is > involved. Something has gone wrong, and I'm trying to fix it. > Unfortunately the laptop is not with me at the moment and I'm doing > long-distance (to/from India!) debugging/problem resolution so it's > not easy. > My best hope was this MS KnowledgeBase article: > > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916247 > > which tells me how to check what causes the problem with windows > validation, and also tells me how to change the key to validate it > again. My sister followed the directions and this what she > reported: > "I was very hopeful with this - but the product key validation > failed. I ran the diagnostics, 1st time some ActiveX validations > failed, auto repaired the problem and then everything passed. Then > it asked to download product key tool (I've saved it on the > desktop). I entered the product key that's on the back of the > laptop but it said its not valid for this system. Doesn't give me > any other options. :(" > Unfortunately I don't know what else to do at this point. About 3-4 > months ago my sister had a virus on the notebook and she sent it > off to a repair shop locally. Turns out they reformatted her drive > and reinstalled windows. My suspicion is that they did *not* use > her WindowsXP key when they reinstalled. Could this be the case? > > Is it possible to fix this Windows Genuine validation issue without > reinstallation? > > Your expertise is much appreciated. Your best option is to contact the manufacturer and ask them why their OEM copy (they are supposed to support the OS too - as they chose to sell it with an OEM copy whose agreement for them ties them to supporting the OS as well) is giving you this trouble. More than likely - you could use something like the product key changer and actually get the product key in the software to match the product key on the sticker on the laptop itself and everything would be resolved... Might want to try that first - before calling Toshiba. The Genuine Advantage Product Key Update Tool is only valid for users attempting to change their current non-genuine Product Key to a genuine COA sticker or genuine Product Key - all without a reinstall! http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=50346&clcid=0x409 -- Shenan Stanley MS-MVP -- How To Ask Questions The Smart Way http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
Guest PA Bear Posted September 23, 2007 Posted September 23, 2007 Re: Windows Update says "not genuine" - Toshiba notebook, no piracy involved! Re: Windows Update says "not genuine" - Toshiba notebook, no piracy involved! What's the exact (verbatim) error message she gets at Windows Update website? Is Automatic Updates enabled and working properly, to the best of your knowledge? Can Windows be Validated here?... http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/ -- Windows Update-specific newsgroup: http://news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windowsupdate ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User) H Gohel wrote: > Hi all, > > I'm struggling with a problem on a Toshiba notebook A75-S1253 purchased > at CompUSA less than a year ago, which Windows XP now says is not a > genuine copy when Windows Update is run. > > Let's get one thing out of the way - this is a notebook purchased at > CompUSA with a pre-loaded Windows XP install, so no piracy is involved. > Something has gone wrong, and I'm trying to fix it. Unfortunately the > laptop is not with me at the moment and I'm doing long-distance (to/from > India!) debugging/problem resolution so it's not easy. > > My best hope was this MS KnowledgeBase article: > > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916247 > > which tells me how to check what causes the problem with windows > validation, and also tells me how to change the key to validate it > again. My sister followed the directions and this what she reported: > > "I was very hopeful with this - but the product key validation failed. > I ran the diagnostics, 1st time some ActiveX validations failed, auto > repaired the problem and then everything passed. Then it asked to > download product key tool (I've saved it on the desktop). I entered the > product key that's on the back of the laptop but it said its not valid > for this system. Doesn't give me any other options. :(" > > Unfortunately I don't know what else to do at this point. About 3-4 > months ago my sister had a virus on the notebook and she sent it off to > a repair shop locally. Turns out they reformatted her drive and > reinstalled windows. My suspicion is that they did *not* use her > WindowsXP key when they reinstalled. Could this be the case? > > Is it possible to fix this Windows Genuine validation issue without > reinstallation? > > Your expertise is much appreciated.
Guest Mistoffolees Posted September 23, 2007 Posted September 23, 2007 Re: Windows Update says "not genuine" - Toshiba notebook, no piracyinvolved! Re: Windows Update says "not genuine" - Toshiba notebook, no piracyinvolved! H Gohel wrote: > Hi all, > > I'm struggling with a problem on a Toshiba notebook A75-S1253 purchased > at CompUSA less than a year ago, which Windows XP now says is not a > genuine copy when Windows Update is run. > > Let's get one thing out of the way - this is a notebook purchased at > CompUSA with a pre-loaded Windows XP install, so no piracy is involved. > Something has gone wrong, and I'm trying to fix it. Unfortunately the > laptop is not with me at the moment and I'm doing long-distance (to/from > India!) debugging/problem resolution so it's not easy. > > My best hope was this MS KnowledgeBase article: > > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916247 > > which tells me how to check what causes the problem with windows > validation, and also tells me how to change the key to validate it > again. My sister followed the directions and this what she reported: > > "I was very hopeful with this - but the product key validation failed. I > ran the diagnostics, 1st time some ActiveX validations failed, auto > repaired the problem and then everything passed. Then it asked to > download product key tool (I've saved it on the desktop). I entered the > product key that's on the back of the laptop but it said its not valid > for this system. Doesn't give me any other options. :(" > > Unfortunately I don't know what else to do at this point. About 3-4 > months ago my sister had a virus on the notebook and she sent it off to > a repair shop locally. Turns out they reformatted her drive and > reinstalled windows. My suspicion is that they did *not* use her > WindowsXP key when they reinstalled. Could this be the case? > > Is it possible to fix this Windows Genuine validation issue without > reinstallation? > > Your expertise is much appreciated. > > -- > Himanshu > > PS: If you'd like to reply by email, remove XXX from the address If it is true that the repair shop had indiscriminately installed a version of Windows XP whilst servicing the laptop, then it would certainly in all probability not match the COA that is affixed to the laptop, failing in the WGA validation test. The options are first to offload all important documents, files, certificates, etc., and return the laptop to the repair shop and have them undo their error by installing the proper version of Windows XP that came with the laptop. Or, alternately, do it yourself. Either way should sort out the WGA issue (and it is doubtful that the MS Product Key Update would succeed since the version install by the repair shop is not going to match the original Toshiba version).
Guest HeyBub Posted September 23, 2007 Posted September 23, 2007 Re: Windows Update says "not genuine" - Toshiba notebook, no piracy involved! Re: Windows Update says "not genuine" - Toshiba notebook, no piracy involved! H Gohel wrote: > > Unfortunately I don't know what else to do at this point. About 3-4 > months ago my sister had a virus on the notebook and she sent it off > to a repair shop locally. Turns out they reformatted her drive and > reinstalled windows. My suspicion is that they did *not* use her > WindowsXP key when they reinstalled. Could this be the case? This is most certainly the cause of the problem.
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