WGA has proven troublesome on random computers. So, don't jump on the
"pirated" copy train just yet. WGA doesn't like tampering with particular
files and sometimes gets confused even when it is nothing more than a
Microsoft update. So, first try to find what is causing the error. If that
fails, force it to start over. (Confirmation would be good.) There are no
pirated copies, only pirated product keys and activation hacks. If you
bought it new from Gateway, this is highly unlikely.
1. Have you tried this tool?
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012
It will create a text file that contains information used for diagnosing why
Vista thinks it is not genuine. That will come in handy if the following
doesn't fix the problem.
2. It maybe a hard disk issue. Yes, it's a new computer, but you may simply
have a bad spot on it.
Check the hard disk
=====================
a. Click "Start", and click "Computer".
b. Right-click the hard disk drive that you want to check, and then click
"Properties".
c. Click the "Tools" tab, and then, under "Error-checking", click "Check"
Now. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type
the password or provide confirmation.
Note: Check for both file errors and physical errors, by selecting both
"Automatically fix file system errors" and "Scan for and attempt recovery of
bad sectors".
d. Click "Start".
Then, please access
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine to validate the system
again.
3. You may need to restart Software Licensing Service:
Below are the steps to reset the Software Licensing Service to start at
every Vista boot.
a. Click on the Start button and in the Start Search box type in:
services.msc
b. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
c. The Services window should now open.
d. Scroll down to Software Licensing, then right-click on it and select
Properties.
e. Under the General tab, click on the Stop button.
f. Set the Startup Type to Automatic, then click Apply.
g. Next, click on the Start button under Service Status.
h. Last, restart your computer.
4. Reset your license:
We will first regenerate the Licensing files, and if that doesn't work, we
will force Vista to ask for your Produt key again and then re-activate,
which will reset the Licensing systems.
Please follow the steps below. If the first set of steps does not resolve,
move on to the next set of steps.
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Step set #1
1) Open Internet Explorer
2) A Browser will open, type: %windir%\system32 into the address field
3) Find the file cmd.exe
4) Right Click on the cmd.exe and select Run as Administrator
5) Type: cscript slmgr.vbs -rilc (It may take a long time for this to
complete, please be patient)
6) Hit the Enter key
7) Reboot 2 times
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Step set #2 (Only if Step #1 fails, read the NOTEs below)
1) Open Internet Browser
2) Type %windir%\system32 into the browser address bar.
3) Find the file CMD.exe
4) Right-Click on CMD.exe and select Run as Administrator
5) Type: net stop slsvc (it may ask you if you are sure, select yes)
6) Type: cd
%windir%\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\SoftwareLi
censing
7) Type: rename tokens.dat to tokens.bar
8) Type: cd %windir%\system32
9) Type net start slsvc
10) Reboot Twice
11) Vista will require you to enter a Product Key and Activate. Use the
Activate by Phone method outlined below
Activate by Phone steps:
a) If you have access to the Start button: Click the Start button, and type
in "slui.exe 4" in the search field and then press the "Enter" key. This
will bring up the Activate by Phone dialog window. Follow the steps provided
by the window. The phone activation process should only take about 6
minutes.
b) If you do not have access to the Start button: Reboot and login to Vista,
a dialog window will come up. In that window, click the option "Access
computer with reduced functionality". Once you do that, Internet Explorer or
Firefox browser will open. In the address bar type
"c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe" press enter, a new window will come up, type:
slui 4 and hit enter and follow steps to Activate over the Phone.
NOTE 1: The key to this process is that you need to talk to a Live
Activation Rep! When you first call, you will be interacting with an
Automated Voice, either select the option to talk to a Live Rep or if there
is no option, do not enter any numbers. This should force the automated
voice to transfer you to a Live Rep.
NOTE 2: Your product is most likely OEM, based on the post, so you will need
to explain to the Live Rep that this is a new computer and you were told to
reactivate the Product key found on the bottom of your computer due to a bad
sector on the hard drive causing a WGA problem. When asked, tell them you
have a Gateway computer. _IF_ the Live Rep refuses to work with you, you
will have to contact Gateway to procede which will probably result in yet
another "full" restoration and not fix your problem.
5. And, of course, posting in the right area will get much better support:
http://forums.microsoft.com/Genuine/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=1004&SiteID=25