Windows Vista Validation

[Guest]

Hi,

I upgraded to Windows Vista Premium Edition at the start of February and it
worked fine until last night when I tried to download some Windows Updates. I
then got a message saying that my edition wasn't genuine (It is - I got an
OEM copy from the company that built my PC)

I activated Vista the day that I installed and have tried to validate via
the Microsoft website, but keep getting a message saying that I can't
validate Vista until it's been activated.

I seem to be going round in circles - can anybody help ?

Thanks
Steve

 

[Chad Harris]

I just looked at this issue on another recent thread (Richard Urban reported
this experience and that others have). I don't know if any of these MSKBs
will help you, but try turning off your firewall while trying to install the
update.

You receive an error code and the copy of Microsoft Windows is not validated
when you try to use Windows Genuine Advantage to validate your copy of
Windows

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/908440/en-us

You cannot download updates when you access the Windows Update Web site from
a Windows XP-based computer that is behind a firewall or a proxy server
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896226/en-us


You cannot download Windows Genuine Advantage updates on a Windows XP-based
computer that you purchased from an Original Equipment Manufacturer
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914225/en-us

When trying to run the Windows Genuine Advantage validation check located on
the Windows Update web site, you receive the following error code:
"0x80080299"

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919868/en-us


Error message when you run the Windows Genuine Advantage validation check
process: "Windows Activation Required"

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924166/en-us

You may want to comment on this to the WGA team here:

Windows Genuine Advantage Team Blog
http://blogs.msdn.com/wga/default.aspx

Good luck,

CH

 

[Richard Urban]

The problem is caused by the installation of the Silicon Image Sil 3112
SATA/RAID driver update (in my case). It could be that other drivers from
this manufacturer were pushed out at the same time for different
controllers. After a reboot, the SATA drive appears as a new drive to the
O/S. The O/S therefore thinks that it has been installed on a new or second
computer. WGA fails miserably. I was not even presented with an option to
re-activate my O/S. I was just notified by popup that the operating system
was ***Not Genuine***.

THIS IS NO GOOD AND MUST BE FIXED BY MICROSOFT. A driver update must not
ever cause this to happen.

Rolling back the driver in device manager ***does NOT*** solve the problem.
You would have to restore your computer to a point in time before you
downloaded/installed the updates. Then download them again - with the
exception of the offending update. Then "hide" the offending driver so you
are not tempted to install it at a later date.

If you are building your system for the first time, and have held off
activating your O/S, you can, of course, install this update. You would
activate after the drivers has been installed. But if a new update comes out
in 2-3 months it would likely do the same thing all over again.

I have reported this to Microsoft this evening. When I hear anything I will
report it in these news groups.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Guest]

Many thanks for your help. I must admit I did initially use the system
restore but, as you noted, that doesn't rectify the problem.

I ended up contacting Microsoft and, after getting the 3rd degree by
telephone, I managed to get it re-activated and validated.

I think it's a load of cr@p if it's Microsofts own updates that are causing
this problem.
Steve

 

[Charlie Tame]

Recently I reinstalled XP on a machine (Clean Drive) and was prevented from
downloading updates - including security updates - until I activated the
damned thing. I tried this with another new drive just to see and the same
thing happened. So it seems that contrary to earlier statements MS have now
decided to deny ALL updates, security or not until you submit the machine
for scrutiny.

Yes it validated, but security updates at least should be available to
everybody.

 

[Richard Urban]

Critical updates will come in automatically, even before you activate
Windows XP. I have never seen it NOT happen in the first 30 minutes after
installing Windows XP - even without activating. You just can not go seek
them out without validating.

This is the way Microsoft has set this up. If you want the optional updates
you must validate before using Windows Update.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Charlie Tame]

Well, this was within a period of about a week and nothing came in and
nothing was accessible until after activation.
I could not get the 3.1 installer so I assume nothing else could be
obtained.

It could have been a glitch of some kind, to be honest it was something I
set going and left for work and nothing I was particularly anxious about but
nevertheless one has to wonder.

Charlie