Windows Update says "not genuine" - Toshiba notebook, no piracy involved!

[H Gohel]

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.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

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

 

[PA Bear]

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:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windowsupdate

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)

 

[Mistoffolees]

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.

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).

 

[HeyBub]

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.