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    Hi,

    Upon running windows updates and this tool, I was told my windows copy was not genuine. My problem is many fold. I bought it from a shady online seller whom I can never contact. My apartment caught on fire and I lost most, if not all, of my documentation. I brought the computer to a local shop to repair and fix from smoke and water damage and they have since gone out of business.

    I have no idea who the last person to put windows on my computer was or is, but my question is this: I presently have xp pro which is unvalidated. Can I go out and buy xp home as an upgrade or do I need to buy a full edition for it to install and be legit?

    Finally, is it feasible to buy os online and download to the computer or is that probably illegal software as well?

    Thank you for any and all advice.

     

    r.p

    Saturday, February 3, 2007 6:30 PM

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    You would need to purchase a new WGA Kit for each computer running a non-genuine version of Windows XP. Since you also have a non-genuine version of Microsoft Office installed, then you should uninstall it as you do not have a legitimate license to use the product.
    Monday, February 5, 2007 3:05 PM
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     lancejustice wrote:

    Hi,

    Upon running windows updates and this tool, I was told my windows copy was not genuine. My problem is many fold. I bought it from a shady online seller whom I can never contact. My apartment caught on fire and I lost most, if not all, of my documentation. I brought the computer to a local shop to repair and fix from smoke and water damage and they have since gone out of business.

    I have no idea who the last person to put windows on my computer was or is, but my question is this: I presently have xp pro which is unvalidated. Can I go out and buy xp home as an upgrade or do I need to buy a full edition for it to install and be legit?

    Even if you had a genuine installation of XP Pro, you could not install XP Home as an upgrade for technological reasons.  Going from XP Pro to XP Home in any form for any reason requires a clean installation (which entails at a minimum reformatting the partition).

    In order to use an upgrade license for XP Home, you would have to have something to upgrade from.  If you happen to have a genuine installation CD for a full version of W98 or WMe, you can use that CD as "qualifying media" and install an upgrade license for XP Home, which is the least expensive copy of XP Home sold.  Typically USD$99, but in the run up to Vista's lauch I saw for as little as $39 after rebates in major USA electronics and office supply stores.

    Another option would be to purchase a systembuilder/OEM license for XP Home, which I see being sold for around $69-89 now that Vista has been launched.  This would provide your computer with an original genuine license with the typical restrictions of OEM software:  cannot be moved to another computer/motherboard except if due to a defective mobo; no tech support from MS. If you decide to buy OEM, genuine OEM software will consist of:  A genuine MS Certificate of Authenticity in a sticky-label format so it can be stuck to the computer case; a genuine MS hologrammed XP CDROM (the hologram is embedded in the plastic of the CD and NOT printed on the top surface of the CD and is NOT printed on a thin label affixed to the CD); and a thin user pamphlet.  http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/en/coa.mspx

    If you need the features of XP Pro (many folks do not), then participating in the Genuine Windows Offer and getting a WGA Kit is the best option for you.  The WGA Kit gets you a full retail license for XP Pro that can be moved from one computer to another and that is supported by MS, and the GWO price of USD$149 is half of the normal retail selling price.  You'll get a Product Key emailed to you and with a little luck (depending upon what shape your current XP Pro is in) you won't have to do a reinsallation, just run the Key Updater Utility.

     lancejustice wrote:
    Finally, is it feasible to buy os online and download to the computer or is that probably illegal software as well?

    As far as I know there is no legitimate downloadable Microsoft XP operating system available to the general public.  There are academic programs in some markets that allow students to purchase a product key and download the OS, but I personally don't have any experience with this so I can't give much advice.

    If you buy packaged retail software in person from a major retailer your chance of getting bogus software is Zero.  If you must order online, order from well established and reputable online sellers whose names you know and trust.  It's a shame to say, but my personal opinion is that the chances of getting legitimate software from some schmoe on an online auction site are about Zero.

    And study this site closely!  www.howtotell.com

     lancejustice wrote:
    Thank you for any and all advice. 

    r.p

    Saturday, February 3, 2007 7:33 PM
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    Thank you for your reply.  Although my computer did originally have ME on it, I had to send it back to the company I bought it from, cyberpro or cyberware? because it was damaged in transit. They were nice enough to upgrade it to xp due to letting it sit in a warehouse for a month before finding it and shipping it back.  Despite request for updated cd, they only left me with the ME disk which got destroyed in the fire I had about three years ago. Because I upgraded to service pack 2 quite a while ago with no issues, I had no reason to believe my os was anything but legitimate, until today.  I think the WGA kit sounds like the best bargin as my understanding is if I upgrade, I can move it to my new computer? As you stated,  I really have no need for pro, other than the support and transfer of the OS. Thank you for your help. Ironically this all started because I was trying to install a Zune today, which still doesn't work. I know this may not be the place for this question, but...does the zune require a genuine os to work? The forums implied that you at least had to have service pack 2, which I did, but for some reason it still wouldn't work. Again, thank you for your time and help.

     

    r.p

    Sunday, February 4, 2007 2:53 AM
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    Lancejustice,

    Just to be sure, run the utility at this link http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012, then click the Windows tab, click the "Copy" button, then paste the report into a response in this thread.

    Sunday, February 4, 2007 4:36 AM
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    Diagnostic Report (1.5.0723.1):
    -----------------------------------------
    WGA Data-->
    Validation Status: Blocked VLK
    Detailed Status: N/A
    Windows Product Key: *****-*****-PY6BX-K24PJ-TWT6M
    Windows Product Key Hash: gBNdtaXuo+0yYWQ2vJRYtwUVPx0=
    Windows Product ID: 55274-643-7213323-23476
    Windows Product ID Type: 1
    Windows License Type: Volume
    Windows OS version: 5.1.2600.2.00010100.2.0.pro
    ID: fa0613fc-3fbe-46de-86c4-db570384c795
    Is Admin: Yes
    AutoDial: No
    Registry: 0x0
    WGA Version: Registered, 1.5.723.1
    Signed By: Microsoft
    Product Name: N/A
    Architecture: N/A
    Build lab: N/A
    TTS Error: N/A
    Validation Diagnostic:
    Resolution Status: N/A

    Notifications Data-->
    Cached Result: N/A
    File Exists: No
    Version: N/A
    WgaTray.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
    WgaLogon.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002

    OGA Data-->
    Office Status: 114 Blocked VLK 2
    OGA Version: Failed to retrieve file version. - 0x80070002
    Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
    Office Diagnostics: FCEE394C-3175-80070002

    Browser Data-->
    Proxy settings: N/A
    User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Win32)
    Default Browser: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
    Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
    Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Prompt
    Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Allowed
    Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Disabled
    Allow scripting of Internet Explorer Webbrowser control: Disabled
    Active scripting: Allowed
    Script ActiveX controls marked as safe for scripting: Allowed

    File Scan Data-->
    File Mismatch: c:\windows\system32\winlogon.exe
    File Mismatch: c:\windows\system32\licdll.dll
    File Mismatch: c:\windows\system32\dpcdll.dll
    File Mismatch: c:\windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe
    File Mismatch: c:\windows\system32\ntdll.dll
    File Mismatch: c:\windows\system32\kernel32.dll
    File Mismatch: c:\windows\system32\crypt32.dll
    File Mismatch: c:\windows\system32\advapi32.dll
    File Mismatch: c:\windows\system32\setupapi.dll
    File Mismatch: c:\windows\system32\pidgen.dll
    File Mismatch: c:\windows\system32\oembios.bin
    File Mismatch: c:\windows\system32\oembios.dat
    File Mismatch: c:\windows\system32\oembios.sig
    File Mismatch: c:\windows\system32\syssetup.dll

    Other data-->
    Office Details: <GenuineResults><MachineData><UGUID>fa0613fc-3fbe-46de-86c4-db570384c795</UGUID><Version>1.5.0723.1</Version><OS>5.1.2600.2.00010100.2.0.pro</OS><PKey>*****-*****-*****-*****-TWT6M</PKey><PID>55274-643-7213323-23476</PID><PIDType>1</PIDType><SID>S-1-5-21-1801674531-1214440339-839522115</SID><SYSTEM><Manufacturer>ASUSTeK Computer INC.</Manufacturer><Model>Cyberpower Computer</Model></SYSTEM><BIOS><Manufacturer>Phoenix Technologies, LTD</Manufacturer><Version>ASUS A7N8X-X ACPI BIOS Rev 1006</Version><SMBIOSVersion major="2" minor="2"/><Date>20030819000000.000000+000</Date></BIOS><HWID>A9DA3E5F0184A06F</HWID><UserLCID>0409</UserLCID><SystemLCID>0409</SystemLCID><TimeZone>Eastern Standard Time(GMT-05:00)</TimeZone><iJoin>0</iJoin><SBID><stat>3</stat><msppid></msppid><name></name><model></model></SBID><OEM/></MachineData>   <Software><Office><Result>114</Result><Products><Product GUID="{90110409-6000-11D3-8CFE-0150048383C9}"><LegitResult>114</LegitResult><Name>Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003</Name><Ver>11</Ver><Val>59D1605114E3500</Val><Hash>vfZmaSmFPIYrLWTcZSZErUQg+Fo=</Hash><Pid>73931-640-0000106-57310</Pid><PidType>14</PidType></Product></Products></Office></Software></GenuineResults> 

     

    Sunday, February 4, 2007 2:07 PM
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    A "Blocked VLK" is a Volume License Key that is valid, but was licensed solely to a corporation or larger enterprise/business. Blocked VLK's are Product Keys that Microsoft has received consent from the original owner to block usage of. A VL Product Key is non-transferrable to individuals. In order to resolve your non-genuine licensing issue, please visit: www.microsoft.com/genuine and click on "Validate Windows". When validation fails, click on the Get Genuine button which will provide information on how to acquire a WGA Kit.

    Also, your copy of Microsoft Office Professional 2003  is non-genuine. You'll need to uninstall it, then visit a nearby store that sells computer software and purchase a genuine version of Microsoft Office.

    Monday, February 5, 2007 3:56 AM
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    Okay, well I think we already covered all that if you followed the whole topic. My questions are, if I get the wga kit, can I put it on more than one computer, and two, because I don't use office does it really matter if I get a genuine copy, or more to the point, I am not going to pay for something I don't need, what other options do I have?

     

    thank you.

    Monday, February 5, 2007 2:39 PM
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    You would need to purchase a new WGA Kit for each computer running a non-genuine version of Windows XP. Since you also have a non-genuine version of Microsoft Office installed, then you should uninstall it as you do not have a legitimate license to use the product.
    Monday, February 5, 2007 3:05 PM
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    Lancejustice,

    I wanted to see the report because there was a small chance that if the computer came from a major manufacturer it could still be licensed to run Windows.  But you did say that it originally came with Me installed, and if there is a COA on the computer case for Me then you are still licensed to run it.

    If you had Me installed or had an Me CD, you could have used it to upgrade to XP Home at the lowest price.  But as you say all that stuff was lost so it's water over the dam.  If you were able to borrow an Me (or W98) CD from a buddy, you can still take advantage of the XP Home Upgrade.

    If none of that is possible, then IMO your best option is the WGA Kit.  You can only order the WGA Kit for the edition of XP that is installed and being identified as nongenuine, which in your case is XP Pro.

    Judging by the Product Key used to install (it gets 30 search hits on thsi forum so it was a widely pirated key) and the number of hacked and cracked files that are in your report, IMO you best option is to order the kit, then wait till the CD arrives (about 2 weeks), then backup and offload your data and do a clean installation using the genuine CD you got in the mail.  The advantage of that method is that you know FOR SURE that the new clean installation is 100% genuine and free of any possibility of trojans, rootkits, viruses and such that are commonly found in pirated installation of XP.

    The WGA Kit is a retail full license for XP Pro, and that means you can MOVE the installation from one computer to another.  It does NOT mean you can activate and use that license on more than one computer at a time.  MS Operating System licenses are always once license, one computer, period.  Some are locked to the original hardware (such as an OEM license) and some can be moved from one computer to another (retail license like the WGA kit is).  Moved means it was there and is now here, it does not mean being in two places at once.

    The fact that your computer has a pirated installation of Office as well indicated that the nongenuine software was most likely installed when the computer was in the local repair shop.  This is a very common way for unknowing consumers to have bogus software installed---they take the computer to a shop[ for a repair and the shop uses pirated copies of XP and Office to do the repairs.

     

    Monday, February 5, 2007 3:19 PM
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    Okay. Given your information, my guess is like you said, when I had the computer repaired at a local shop here, they must have been the ones who so kindly dumped pirated software onto my computer. Unfortunately as I said, the shop closed and left no forwarding info that I have been able to find. Unlikely they would be able to help or rectify my sitution anyway.

    So, if I borrow an ME disk from a friend, I could use that to get an xp upgrade? Would I have to install ME onto the computer to then upgrade it or I just need the disc and info that goes with it? That being the case, isn't that much like stealing software? I would prefer the least expensive option as I stated, I don't really need pro that I know of and I don't use any of the office software.  All I really want is for my zune to work, which won't happen until I can fix this os issue. I want to thank you for all your advice and information. You have been most helpful.

    Lastly, regardless of how I fix this issue, when updating or loading windows, will I lose all of my program and media files? 

     

    thanks.

    Tuesday, February 6, 2007 2:49 AM
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    Lancejustice,

    Since there is no way to change from XP Pro to XP Home without a clean installation (which requires reformatting the system partition of the hard disk drive), if you decide on XP Home, you will indeed have to back up and offload your data, do the clean installation of XP Home, install your programs, then restore your data.

    Yes, a borrowed W98 or Me full (not upgrade) product CD will work.  You previosuly had a genuine installation of Me on the computer, so you are not doing anything dishonest.

    XP's setup program for Upgrade licenses is programmed to look for either (1) a qualify operating system already installed on the computer or (2) the CD for a qualifying operating system.  When you start the computer from the XP Home Upgrade CD, it will not find a qualifying OS installed so it will ask you to insert "qualifying media" which means the CD for W98 or Me.  It looks at the W98 or Me CD, then tells you to put the XP CD back in and away you go with the XP installation.

    [In order to not confuse XP Home Upgrade Setup, if you decide to go this route, after you backup and offload your data it would be a good idea to use a boot CD or floppy and run fdisk to delete at a minimum the partition that has the nongeuine installation of XP Pro.  The presence of XP Pro may confuse XP Home Upgrade Setup, so better to get rid of it.  Once XP Pro has been nuked and the disk is basically empty, insert the XP Home Upgrade CD, restart, boot from that CD, and begin Setup.  If your data and media files are on a partition separate fro the Operating System it will not be necessary to delete that partition.]

    If you end up installing like this, be sure to retain a copy of the W98 or Me CD, because if you ever need to cleanly install XP again, you'll need the W98 or Me CD to supply to XP Setup.

    Tuesday, February 6, 2007 4:01 AM