my counterfeight windows

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my windows xp pro is not genuine. i discovered this through micosofts
checker. i have xp pro sp1 on origional disk now and am worried about
installing it, as during installation a windowopens and says my current
version is newer and if i continue it may result in loss of information my i
currently run sp2. can anyone tell me what will be lost if anything does go
wrong please please help me need to fix my problem
 
Hello gingernutter. The first thing you need
to do is back up all your files and
folders to cd or dvd for future use after
installing your legal copy.
 
It doesn't necessarily mean your Windows is not "Genuine". It may be that
WPA thinks it's over-installed (too many machines), that a key legitmately
used by you was copied off the COA sticker and used by someone else
repeatedly, or it is affected by malware corruption and so on and on and on
and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on
and on and on.

WGA Notifications is flawed in it conception, let alone its implementation.

So don't go kicking yourself, nor the person who sold you the computer - it
probably is not their fault neither.

OK, about the error message when installing using the SP1 disc:

Yes, since you updated to SP2, the system will refuse the SP1 disc's files.
You must uninstall SP2 first OR do a "clean" install with the SP1 disc. You
can find the entry for SP2 in Add/Remove programs .. make sure to check on
the checkbox named "Show updates". Once uninstalled, rebooted and all that,
then pop in the WinXP SP1 disc. Or, like I mentioned, you might take the
opportunity to do a true "clean" install.


NOTE: Whatever you do make sure important data, music, document files are
backed up somehow.

NOTE: Download drivers and burn to CD-R before installing, for convenience's
sake.

NOTE: Obtain SP2 (download full / network version and burn to CD-R or order
from Microsoft on CD-ROM).

Download full SP2 here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...be-3b8e-4f30-8245-9e368d3cdb5a&displaylang=en

AND APPLY it BEFORE ever connecting to the Interent. SP1 can be compromised
within minutes, before you can downlaod and install the critical updates.
SP2 really must be installed beforehand.


Also keep in mind:

1. For the time being ignore the WGA N messages .. you will still receive
critical updates.

2. You might talk to the person who sold or provided you with the computer.
They may be able to help.

3. For heaven's sakes don't pay for Windows twice, especially when you
bought legitmately.
 
roger the main problem being that i hve an extreme ammount of info on my hard
drive that has taken me over 3 years to compile and most of which is nearly
impossible to get again backing up is going to take forever and a lot ov
disks if the info i will loose is system info such as updates and active x
controls things of that sort then i can live with that i just need to find
out xactly what it is i will loose your help is much appreciated hanks
 
roger the main problem being that i hve an extreme ammount of info on my hard
drive that has taken me over 3 years to compile and most of which is nearly
impossible to get again backing up is going to take forever and a lot ov
disks if the info i will loose is system info such as updates and active x
controls things of that sort then i can live with that i just need to find
out xactly what it is i will loose your help is much appreciated hanks
Click to expand...

If you have 3 years worth of valuable data, don't you think it's worth
purchasing a external USB drive and making a backup to that drive?

If you make a backup you can restore the data after you reinstall.
 
You don't really need to loose anything. The fact that the product key for
your installation is blacklisted, doesn't mean very much in and of itself.
You will still receive critical updates and your computer will continue
working indefinitely and the Windows XP code itself might be A-OK genuine
anyway.

Now, even so, you probably want to rectify the "Genuine" business.

Backing up to CD-R may not be the way, nor even DVD-R (you say you have an
"extreme" amount of data). You are probably looking more at a USB external
harddrive. I got one, an iomega 160GB, for around $120 Cdn. Or if there's
another computer on a home/business network, you can copy the data to a
share on its harddrive.

You also might look into the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. There are
options that enable you to pick and choose what gets backed up so you don't
have to duplicate what you may have backed up by other means. The FSTW
results can go onto removable media e.g. CD-R or onto a network share or
onto an external USB harddrive etc. etc.

Once you have copied over data and / or run the FSTW, you can gather
together all the stuff you need for an install. Numbers, configurations,
product keys, drivers (be sure to download and burn to CD-R any drivers you
might need for you computer - this is an opportunity to get the latest from
the manufacturers), and software media for third party apps.

Now I'm loathe to say go get a legitimate copy of Windows if you haven't
otherwise secured one from the where you bought your computer. Remember that
the person who sold you the computer has a difficult time of it. Microsoft
requires that COA stickers (with the Windows Product key) are openly
displayed! A pirate could have easily copied the number! Yet at the same
time buyers expect that the Window Product key is unique for them. The
seller is between a rock and a hard place. Anyway, if you get a new copy,
get a copy of Windows, say from newegg.com for a reasoable price -- OEM is
OK if you envision only using it on this computer -- and you are set to go.
If you know for sure you don't use the features of Pro, consider Home ed.,
it's much less pricey. Make sure it is at SP2 level.

If you decide, on the unlikely otherhand, to reuse the disc you already
have, check it to make sure it is a real Windows XP Pro hologram disc. Make
sure none of the holograms are "stick-ums", that the disc's intergrity is
A-OK. The real one is quite a sight and hard to duplicate:

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/en/counterfeit.mspx

NOTE: If you haven't resolved the key issue, you might get the "not genuine"
issue all over again. So either resolve this or use a new disc + new key.

Boot from your new Windows XP disc .. delete any partitions .. create new
one(s) .. format and install.
 
gingernutter wrote:
|| my windows xp pro is not genuine. i discovered this through micosofts
|| checker. i have xp pro sp1 on origional disk now and am worried about
|| installing it, as during installation a windowopens and says my
|| current version is newer and if i continue it may result in loss of
|| information my i currently run sp2. can anyone tell me what will be
|| lost if anything does go wrong please please help me need to fix my
|| problem

Google slipstream XP......

<http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=223562>
 
gingernutter said:
roger the main problem being that i hve an extreme ammount of info on
my hard drive that has taken me over 3 years to compile and most of
which is nearly impossible to get again backing up is going to take
forever and a lot ov disks if the info i will loose is system info
such as updates and active x controls things of that sort then i can
live with that i just need to find out xactly what it is i will loose
your help is much appreciated hanks
Click to expand...


The two statements "an extreme ammount of info on my hard drive that has
taken me over 3 years to compile and most of which is nearly impossible to
get again" and "backing up is going to take forever and a lot ov disks "
don't make any sense together. You are living very dangerously.

If that "an extreme ammount of info" is important to you, it is critical
that you *always* have a current backup of it. It is always possible that a
hard drive crash, user error, nearby lightning strike, virus attack, even
theft of the computer, can cause the loss of everything on your drive. As
has often been said, it's not a matter of whether you will have such a
problem, but when.

Backing up to disks is only one way to accomplish it. You might want to
consider using an external hard drive instead.
 
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