Windows 7 Saying "Windows is not genuine" ?

Per Dave Doe:
Phone Microsoft. Activation support is free.

Been there, done that - there is no support once the person at the other
end types in one's product key and the system says "Invalid".
--
Pete Cresswell

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Dave Doe:
Phone Microsoft. Activation support is free.

Been there, done that - there is no support once the person at the other
end types in one's product key and the system says "Invalid".

So I started typing the three groups of key characters
exposed in your above MGAdiag report.

Google immediately offered this "suggested" set of
search terms. In other words, Google completed the
key for me, without me getting to complete a search
or hit carriage return.

hyf8j-cvrmy-cm74g-rphkf-pw487 kms

For example, in a search I then get:

"Default Keys for Vista and Windows 7 deployment "

http://www.cluberti.com/blog/2009/08...-7-deployment/

Windows 7:

Professional - HYF8J-CVRMY-CM74G-RPHKF-PW487

Note that these were easy to acquire, as they are stored
in a file called product.ini in the \sources folder for Vista,
Server 2008, Win7, and Server 2008 R2. To verify, I installed
Windows Vista and Windows 7 without a product key, and then ran
a utility in the OS to display the current product key – I used
GetKey written by GunSmokingMan on the MSFN forums, but anything
that’ll run in Vista or Windows 7 will work.

Where did this key come from ? How did you get your hands on it ?
You're telling me that's printed on a COA sticker ? You typed it in ?

Paul

Per Paul:
Where did this key come from ? How did you get your hands on it ?
You're telling me that's printed on a COA sticker ? You typed it in ?

The key I have been using since day one came with the copy of Windows 7
that I purchased some years ago. Worked then, doesn't work now.

Don't have any interest in using a fake key.

If MS came out an told me that key XYZ had been declared invalid, I'd
feel better about coughing up $200+ to MS for a new copy of 7 or 8 or
whatever.... My Bad... got taken by a dishonest retailer, and all that.

But since they choose to stonewall it, and since my key has been working
for some years with no problems, I have to take seriously the
possibility that MS has messed something up - and I'm going the "slmgr
-rearm" route with no intention of doing anything else unless it does
not pan out.

Sounds like I'll know for sure about 90 days from now.
--
Pete Cresswell

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Paul:
Where did this key come from ? How did you get your hands on it ?
You're telling me that's printed on a COA sticker ? You typed it in ?

The key I have been using since day one came with the copy of Windows 7
that I purchased some years ago. Worked then, doesn't work now.

Don't have any interest in using a fake key.

If MS came out an told me that key XYZ had been declared invalid, I'd
feel better about coughing up $200+ to MS for a new copy of 7 or 8 or
whatever.... My Bad... got taken by a dishonest retailer, and all that.

But since they choose to stonewall it, and since my key has been working
for some years with no problems, I have to take seriously the
possibility that MS has messed something up - and I'm going the "slmgr
-rearm" route with no intention of doing anything else unless it does
not pan out.

Sounds like I'll know for sure about 90 days from now.

Note that some licensing methods, the key is not stored on the machine.

https://community.spiceworks.com/top...ble-key-finder

To get taken by a dishonest retailer, you would need to take the
machine to them with the instructions to "install the OS for me".
Then they work the magic and put a bogus VLK or whatever, on
the machine.

It's more difficult to give you media and a COA sticker, that
"just works" for years, via regular activation.

The key info in your MGADiag, doesn't seem to be something
you'd be typing on your own. Is that the key that was on a
COA sticker with the DVD you bought ?

I'm sure there's some conventional explanation for what
just happened. I'm not a licensing expert, and so the
symptoms "aren't clicking" right now. A more normal
situation, is some mom&pop "offers to install Win7 for $50"
and you take the machine to them. They refuse to give
you a package to take home with you.

Paul

On Thu, 22 Jun 2017 13:31:08 -0400, "(PeteCresswell)"
wrote:

Per Dave Doe:
Phone Microsoft. Activation support is free.

Been there, done that - there is no support once the person at the other
end types in one's product key and the system says "Invalid".

Depending on how strongly you feel that you already paid for your
current copy of Windows and shouldn't have to pay again, you could
simply download the Microsoft Toolkit and be fully activated in a few
seconds. The tool can be used for both good and evil.

--

Char Jackson

Per Paul:
To get taken by a dishonest retailer, you would need to take the
machine to them with the instructions to "install the OS for me".
Then they work the magic and put a bogus VLK or whatever, on
the machine.

It's more difficult to give you media and a COA sticker, that
"just works" for years, via regular activation.

From what I have read so far, the most likely explanation is that:

- All those years ago I bought a copy of Windows 7 that came with
a product ID that somebody had sold to other purchasers.

- MS did not catch on to that particular product ID for some years.

- Finally, they caught on and de-activated the ID.

- Sometime after that, I rebuilt my system and the problem emerged.


But they *have* a database... and it *could* contain de-activated IDs
along with the reason for deactivation... and MS *could* at least tell
people in that situation what's happened.

But they don't.

And it seems to me like anybody who buys a copy of Windows from anybody
but Microsoft is vulnerable to the situation where the copy works for N
years, and then suddenly stops working.

Oh well...
--
Pete Cresswell

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Paul:
To get taken by a dishonest retailer, you would need to take the
machine to them with the instructions to "install the OS for me".
Then they work the magic and put a bogus VLK or whatever, on
the machine.

It's more difficult to give you media and a COA sticker, that
"just works" for years, via regular activation.

From what I have read so far, the most likely explanation is that:

- All those years ago I bought a copy of Windows 7 that came with
a product ID that somebody had sold to other purchasers.

- MS did not catch on to that particular product ID for some years.

- Finally, they caught on and de-activated the ID.

- Sometime after that, I rebuilt my system and the problem emerged.


But they *have* a database... and it *could* contain de-activated IDs
along with the reason for deactivation... and MS *could* at least tell
people in that situation what's happened.

But they don't.

And it seems to me like anybody who buys a copy of Windows from anybody
but Microsoft is vulnerable to the situation where the copy works for N
years, and then suddenly stops working.

Oh well...

A small observation.

No tool on the MS website, provides a means to "validate" keys.

If one existed, it would only be abused to "generate"
keys, even if the keys were copies that a regular user
was using.

The same policy applies to phone operations. They're not
really in a position to give away hints. Sometimes, they
will give a one-time code, to repair a lockout caused by
too many installs or something. But otherwise, they're not
supposed to answer queries about keys.

I just think it strange that the key reported right
now, is not a "typed-in" key. Now, I've used "install-only"
keys for Windows 8, and the idea with those, is you replace
the key (with the appropriate command), after you're satisfied
you're going to keep the install. That's how I installed
my second purchased copy of Windows 8, was with the install-only
first, then a few days later, I finished the job with the
actual key. And that install-only key would be a "well-known"
value, that if I showed it, you could find in Google.

At some point, you must have been prompted to enter a key.
Did you actually enter

HYF8J-CVRMY-CM74G-RPHKF-PW487

by hand ? Or for some reason, did the install you were doing,
completely bypass key entry ?

I don't really care what people do with keys, but I
do value the logic behind them, for future reference purposes.

I mean, if you wanted to get on with life, there's always
Daz Loader (where Daz is some person on MDL or similar, who
invented the technique). Apparently the method used is good
enough, to prevent flagging, or so I've read. I never did
see feedback, on how the people that did Win10 upgrades
using a Daz Win7, eventually made out. They were crowing
that they couldn't get caught, the first couple days that
Win10 came out.

All my keys here are purchased. I use the 30 day grace
period on temporary installs (like in VMs) and... that's it.
I have no first hand experience with Daz, and I don't know
what server has to be up and running on the net, to make it work.

* MDL = https://forums.mydigitallife.net/
‎ (Posts are censored there, so that only people with
accounts can read 100% of posted info. Obviously
something happened there, for them to add a
censorship function to their posting software.
Just in case you were wondering why a high percentage
of messages cannot be read.)

Paul

On Thu, 22 Jun 2017 17:24:52 -0400, "(PeteCresswell)"
wrote:

Per Paul:
To get taken by a dishonest retailer, you would need to take the
machine to them with the instructions to "install the OS for me".
Then they work the magic and put a bogus VLK or whatever, on
the machine.

It's more difficult to give you media and a COA sticker, that
"just works" for years, via regular activation.

From what I have read so far, the most likely explanation is that:

- All those years ago I bought a copy of Windows 7 that came with
a product ID that somebody had sold to other purchasers.

- MS did not catch on to that particular product ID for some years.

- Finally, they caught on and de-activated the ID.

- Sometime after that, I rebuilt my system and the problem emerged.

You could try complaining here, they *may*, or *may not*, offer you a
free, genuine replacement copy, as they once did myself:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/howt...fr/Report.aspx

--
================================================== ======
Please always reply to ng as the email in this post's
header does not exist. Or use a contact address at:
http://www.macfh.co.uk/JavaJive/JavaJive.html
http://www.macfh.co.uk/Macfarlane/Macfarlane.html

"(PeteCresswell)"
news 17:31:08 GMT in alt.windows7.general, wrote:

Per Dave Doe:
Phone Microsoft. Activation support is free.

Been there, done that - there is no support once the person at the
other end types in one's product key and the system says
"Invalid".

Well, technically Pete, when you changed out the mainboard the first
time... you were in violation of the license agreement. That key dies
with the system it was initially loaded on. Technically.

I'm not entirely sure what you meant by rebuild where everything was
the same..Was this a format/reload 'rebuild' or an actual hardware
level rebuild? If the latter, you might have thought those two
'identical' mainboards were the same, but, they weren't exactly
perfect clones of each other. And MS could tell.

At some point, you've used the key on different hardware more than a
single time, and MS antipiracy code finally caught up with you. What
did you think it was doing when you activated? Just doing a quick
check and keeping no notes? Your key isn't invalid, as, you can
'load' Windows with it. But, it is blacklisted now, so you won't be
activating anymore with that particular key. Atleast, not via MS
automated servers and no longer via phone support, as, they're told
the key isn't good anymore too.

If you purchase another key, and, do what you did with the previous
one, you will eventually find yourself in the same boat as you are
now. The later editions of Windows are less tolerant and less
forgiving of the previous ones when it comes to how many times you
can use the key on hardware that's different. MS is more forceful
these days of their licensing terms than they were previously. Too
many people took advantage of it, so...they've tightened it up a bit.

If you're going to buy a key online, make sure it's not a salvage key
from a dead machine. If it is, there's a chance (increasingly good
these days) it's already blacklisted and dead in the water.

You do have options though. You can either resort to piracy on a
larger scale than you already have, OR, if you would prefer to remain
honest, you can opt for an msdn subscription and acquire what used to
be known as a VLK key and use that, instead. It's much more costly,
but, you're far less likely to get your key ****canned as easily.

Or, if you don't need to remain with the Windows world, you can seek
out other OS choices. A PC is quite a capable pile of hardware, it
doesn't HAVE TO RUN Windows only. In most cases. And some of those
other OS choices are free and have no such silly keys to enter.

Just my two cents, take or ignore as you see fit.



--
https://tekrider.net/pages/david-brooks-stalker.php

'A battle of wits?' inquired the dragon. 'To whose death, Sir
knight?'

In article , lid,
(PeteCresswell) says...

Per Dave Doe:
Phone Microsoft. Activation support is free.

Been there, done that - there is no support once the person at the other
end types in one's product key and the system says "Invalid".

Yeah, but what I meant to say, is phone them *back* - and don't accept a
no for an answer. You have a valid product key. Take a picture
beferehand, of the key, and then a shot of the PC with the sticker on it
(hopefully the key is still readable in that pic too) - they *have* to
accept it!

And they will. Demand an e-mail address to post your pics to, or other
method by which the person you're speaking to can get them and see them.

They'll ****en activate you alright! - Demand it.

--
Duncan.

On Thu, 22 Jun 2017 13:49:17 -0500, Char Jackson wrote:
Depending on how strongly you feel that you already paid for your
current copy of Windows and shouldn't have to pay again, you could
simply download the Microsoft Toolkit and be fully activated in a few
seconds. The tool can be used for both good and evil.


What is the Microsoft Toolkit? A quick Google revealed zillions of
variations, none from Microsoft as far as I noticed. So perhaps my
question actually should be: which Microsoft Toolkit?

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://BrownMath.com/
http://OakRoadSystems.com/
Shikata ga nai...

PeteCresswell wrote:

Per Paul:

Summary - you didn't activate, it expired, best guess.

That seems tb the case, but begs the question of how I got through the
last five years or so....

I am guessing that, before the rebuild, MS had not yet deactivated my
key so activation was successful back then.... but by the time I rebuilt
a month ago, MS had deactivated the key.

The Windows 10 activations (subscriptions) are recorded in a Microsoft
account. Previous versions of Windows had their activations
(fingerprints aka unique ID aka hardware hash) recorded locally and in a
license database at Microsoft; however, apparently those activation
records eventually get rolled out of their database. It is unknown what
is the rollover size or expirationbut it looks to be around 3 months.
That is, when you activate, you aren't re-activated forever thereafter.
Microsoft will eventually forget your activation and you have to
re-activate upon a later installation. Microsoft isn't performing a
hash on your hardware to record on their end to test whether or not you
are still activated on every access to Microsoft. The fingerprint is
stored locally, created during activiation, and recorded in their
database. Later, the fingerprints are compared -- if the fingerprint is
still on their server. According to other users, the online activation
record rolls out eventually.

"Microsoft quietly rewrites its activation rules for Windows 10"
http://www.zdnet.com/article/microso...or-windows-10/

How long since the prior installation of Windows 7 that worked okay for
activation (NOT registration) has it been until you tried another
install with the new hardware? Maybe if you wait another 3-4 months the
prior activation record will roll out from Microsoft's database and
you'll be activating anew again. Yeah, who wants to wait that long.

I'm guessing you have an OEM license for Windows 7. That means you
didn't pay for support from Microsoft and probably why they didn't help
you. As soon as they saw "OEM" somewhere in the key, poof went their
support. If you have an OEM license, who is/was your OEM? Did you buy
an OEM license separately or did it come pre-installed on the computer?
If bought separately, your OEM is the seller. If pre-installed, your
OEM is the computer maker.

By the way, when phoning in to get activation support, they should tell
you if a key has been invalidated due to piracy. That's how I found out
my Office key got invalidated. Maybe the Windows techs are less helpful
than the Office techs but I suspect it is the same call center for both
product activations. I did have to push past the 1st-level call center
tech that only knows his canned responses and fixed procedures. Takes
some tact to not get angry or insulting to push past the 1st-level tech.

Something you might want to consider: Windows 10 still for free.
http://askbobrankin.com/windows_10_t...s_10_free.html

Dave Doe wrote:

In article , lid,
(PeteCresswell) says...

Per Dave Doe:
Phone Microsoft. Activation support is free.

Been there, done that - there is no support once the person at the other
end types in one's product key and the system says "Invalid".

Yeah, but what I meant to say, is phone them *back* - and don't accept a
no for an answer. You have a valid product key. Take a picture
beferehand, of the key, and then a shot of the PC with the sticker on it
(hopefully the key is still readable in that pic too) - they *have* to
accept it!

Not if an OEM license.

And they will. Demand an e-mail address to post your pics to, or other
method by which the person you're speaking to can get them and see them.

They'll ****en activate you alright! - Demand it.

Often takes tact to push past the 1st-level tech answering support
calls. They know how to lookup keywords in the canned response database
and they know the procedures for which they've been trained. Beyond
that has them puzzled like deer in headlights. You have to get past the
1st-level tech in their call center. You'll know when that happens when
the callee no longer has an Indian accent.

In article , , VanguardLH
says...

Dave Doe wrote:

In article , lid,
(PeteCresswell) says...

Per Dave Doe:
Phone Microsoft. Activation support is free.

Been there, done that - there is no support once the person at the other
end types in one's product key and the system says "Invalid".

Yeah, but what I meant to say, is phone them *back* - and don't accept a
no for an answer. You have a valid product key. Take a picture
beferehand, of the key, and then a shot of the PC with the sticker on it
(hopefully the key is still readable in that pic too) - they *have* to
accept it!

Not if an OEM license.

Why not? It's the same hardware - you're allowed to make changes, such
as new mobo, hard disk etc - as long as it's not so significant to be
called a 'new PC'.

--
Duncan.

Per Paul:
At some point, you must have been prompted to enter a key.
Did you actually enter

HYF8J-CVRMY-CM74G-RPHKF-PW487

by hand ? Or for some reason, did the install you were doing,
completely bypass key entry ?

No, never, not ever at any time.]

I entered the same key that I have been entering for five-or-so years
since I bought this copy of Win 7.

Dunno where the HYF8J... came from and the install did ask me for a key
and I did enter the one I have been using all this time, *NOT* HYF8J...

--
Pete Cresswell