Windows XP Genuine Advantage Validation Issues (Windows XP)

Announcements

• Changing your Product Key without a Reinstall to match your genuine Product Key or COA.

  Stephen Holm Tuesday, March 31, 2009 8:15 PM
  Valued Customers,
  
  

  First, please verify if your COA sticker or product key (http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/en/coa.mspx) matches your Product Key being used on your system? You can view your product key with the Genuine Advantage diagnostics tool (at least the last 15 digits) located here: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012 .

   

  www.microsoft.com/genuine/selfhelp/pkuinstructions.aspx is the link for the tool.

• How to Replace lost Microsoft Software or Product Keys

  Darin Smith MSMSFTMonday, July 13, 2009 8:04 PM

  
  Replace Software:
  
  KB326246 "How to replace Microsoft software or hardware, order service packs and product upgrades, and replace product manuals" http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/326246
  
  
  
  Replace Product Key:

  KB811224 "How to identify, locate, and replace a product key"  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811224

  or

  KB824433 "Lost or misplaced product key (certificate of authenticity) for Windows" http://support.microsoft.com/kb/824433
  (this doc is specific to Windows 95, 98, Millennium and Windows 2000, but should also work for XP).
  
  Thank you,
  Darin MS

• -Please Read Before You Post!-

  Stephen Holm Tuesday, March 31, 2009 9:30 PM
  Valued Customer,
  
  

  Welcome to the Windows Genuine Advantage Forum!

  This forum is for Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) validation or Notifier issue support and is specific to Windows XP only.

    We do not provide support for Product Activation, Windows Install or any other issue not directly related to WGA on Windows XP. Nor can we answer licensing questions.

  DO NOT add your issue to an existing post. This causes confusion having more then one issue per thread. Create a new post for your issue

  -For Product Activation assistance: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307890
                                                              http://support.microsoft.com/ph/1173

  -For Windows Install assistance: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/install.mspx
                                                          http://support.microsoft.com/ph/1173
                                                          For XP Home: http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=3219&gprid=37013
                                                          For XP Pro: http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=3518&gprid=185522
      

  -For Licensing questions : http://www.microsoft.com/resources/sam/what_basics_licensingWhat.mspx
                                                http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/mplahome.mspx
                                                http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/default.mspx

  -For other issues: http://support.microsoft.com

  
  
  --Where is the WGA KIT I ordered?--

    Thank you for purchasing a Windows Genuine Advantage Kit! Your new Windows XP product key and a link to an online conversion tool will be sent to the e-mail address you provided, within 2 business days. A CD will also be sent in case you need to reinstall Windows XP (allow 2-4 weeks for shipping).
   
    We recommend checking your junk folders/filter if your new product key hasn’t arrived by e-mail within 2 business days of completing your order. If you still haven’t received your product key or have other issues with your order, going to http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/selfhelp/orderhelp.aspx and selecting the country that you reside in, a phone number or email address will be displayed that you can use to contact your local customer service team.

  Order support is available during regular business hours.
   

  
  --Cryptographic--

    For any cryptographic issues (not including the rare cryptographic errors resulting from DirectX 9.0c install)

  1) Go to http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/diag/
  2) Click "Start Diagnostics"
  3a) If it passes, then you are not having a "normal" cryptographic issue. Please post on the forums with a detailed description of the symptoms.
  3b) If you see "Failed Validation Self-help: Cryptography check" and text below will state: "Your computer is not properly configured to run the Microsoft validation process. Click Resolve Now to continue"
  4) Click the "Resolve Now" button.
  5) DO NOT BE ALARMED! Your browser will appear freeze, but it is just fixing the issue. Wait a minute or so.
  6a) If the fix was successful: you will see all the items listed with "Passed" in green and text at below that states: "Your computer is properly configured to run the Microsoft validation process. Click either Validate Windows or Validate Office to use the Microsoft validation process.
  6b) If the fix was not successful: You will see the text: "The following error(s) occurred while trying to repair your computer configuration. To learn how to resolve each configuration error, click More Information"
  7b) If you are not able to resolve the errors on your own, click the "Submit a technical support request" link.

  8) Regardless if your issue was resolved (by the tool) or not, please post your results/feedback in the forums so we may better refine the tool to your needs.

   

  --Can't pass validation, but the MGA Diagnostics report says "Genuine"--

  If you are not able to pass validation, but the MGA Diagnostics Tool report says "Genuine" in the Validation Status field:
   
  1) Go to http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/diag/
  2) Click "Start Diagnostics"
  3) You will see one or more "Failed" listings.
  4) Click the "Resolve Now" button and follow any directions provided.
  5) If this does not resolve your issue, post your Diagnostic Report in the forums with a complete description of your issue.

  --Installing WGA Notifications Update Manually--

  1) Go to http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=69498
  2) Once download is completed, run program.
  3) Follow directions.
   

  --If you still have a WGA related issue--

    We request all users initially run the Genuine Diagnostics tool to try and identify the issue you may be having.

  Download and run the utility at this link http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012 , then click the Windows tab, Copy to Clipboard, then paste the report into a New Post on this Forum.

  Step 2 is telling us about the COA. Tell us:
  1. What edition of Windows XP is it for, Home, Pro, or Media Center?
  2. Does it read "OEM Software" or "OEM Product" in black lettering?
  3. Or, does it have the computer manufacturer's name in black lettering?
  4. DO NOT post the Product Key.
  5. Please also provide a short description of the issue you are experiencing.

  NOTE: The data collected with the Genuine Diagnostics Tool does NOT contain any information that can personally identify you and can be fully reviewed, by you, before being posted.

• Please Run MGA Diagnostic Before Posting

  Stephen Holm Tuesday, March 31, 2009 6:46 PM

  Valued Customers,

   We understand the inconvenience you are currently experiencing and would like to provide you with some self-help options we have made available for our customers. Please follow the steps outlined below as it could either resolve your issue or, if need be, provide us with additional information to determine the cause of this issue.

                                                        

  1.      Ensure you log onto the computer experiencing the issue with “Administrator” rights.

  2.      Next we would like to confirm that you are running the most current version of the Genuine Advantage control on your computer. In order to do this please follow the below link and choose the “Validate Windows” option.

   

  http://www.microsoft.com/genuine

   

  If the above steps did not resolve your issue lets continue with the steps below.

  If you could also please follow the steps outlined below, the diagnostics Web Site will attempt to resolve the validation errors you are experiencing with Windows.

  http://www.microsoft.com/Genuine/diag/RunDiags.aspx?displayLang=en

  Next follow the on-screen prompts to resolve the issue if any of the checks at the above site fail. If, after attempting to resolve the issue as per the instructions on the above site fails, please refer to the link below and run the MGA Diagnostics tool:

   

  http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012

   

  You will be prompted to either “Run” or “Save” the tool. Choose to “Run” the tool and follow the on-screen prompts. You will receive an “Internet Explorer-Security Warning” dialog box for the “Windows Genuine Advantage Diagnostic Tool”; you must choose to “Run” this tool when prompted.

   

  Once you are presented with the Diagnostics tool choose “Continue” to run the diagnostic report. If the “RESOLVE” button is available after running the diagnostics, please click “RESOLVE” to allow the diagnostic tool to attempt a repair.

   

  1.      After running the MGA Diagnostic tool, click on the “Windows” tab and then click on “Copy”.

  2.      Please return to this post and “Paste” the results here for additional review.

   

  Step 2 is to look on the computer itself, in the documentation you received with the computer or with your retail purchase of Windows to see if you have a Certificate of Authenticity (COA).  If you have one, tell us about the COA.  Tell us:

  1.  What edition of Windows XP is it for, Home, Pro, or Media Center, or another version of Windows?

  2.  Does it read "OEM Software" or "OEM Product" in black lettering?

  3.  Or, does it have the computer manufacturer's name in black lettering?

  4.  DO NOT post the Product Key.

  Not sure what to look for?  See this page for reference:  http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/en/coa.mspx

   

  NOTE: The data collected with the Genuine Diagnostics Tool does NOT contain any information that can personally identify you and can be fully reviewed, by you, before being posted.