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This copy of Windows is not Genuine

Question
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When my computer crashed in 2004, a Dell technician came to my house and basically gave me a clean slate. I got a new hard drive and a new copy of Windows XP Professional. All of a sudden yesterday a box pops up on the bottom of my screen that says, “This copy of Windows is not genuine.” So I go to the Microsoft website to validate my copy of Windows, and it says, “The product key found on this computer was issued to an organization that is no longer using the key.” It wants me to look for my COA, Certificate of Authenticity, and find the 25-character Product Key. The problem is I can’t find where the Dell Technician put the COA.
I have contacted Dell and they said, “We don’t have product keys for the system. Contact Microsoft at 1-800-Microsoft,” which rings and rings and never picks up, by the way.
I’m not a software pirate, and I doubt Dell is either. What do I do?
Diagnostic Report (1.7.0039.0):
-----------------------------------------
WGA Data-->
Validation Status: Geographically blocked PID
Detailed Status: N/A
Cached / Grace status: N/A, N/A
Windows Product Key: *****-*****-92Y7F-M7KDW-TPCRY
Windows Product Key Hash: BWGplrgOgIPwwgn2MczRmTKlNVA=
Windows Product ID: 55274-640-0134841-23768
Windows Product ID Type: 1
CSVLK Server: N/A
CSVLK PID: N/A
Windows License Type: Volume
Windows OS version: 5.1.2600.2.00010100.2.0.pro
ID: {A6AD29D3-8E34-4CFF-9049-36A4797B8018}(3)
Is Admin: Yes
Commit / Reboot / BRT: N/A, N/A, N/A
WGA Version: Registered, 1.7.59.0
Signed By: Microsoft
Product Name: N/A
Architecture: N/A
Build lab: N/A
TTS Error: N/A
Validation Diagnostic: 025D1FF3-171-1
Resolution Status: N/A
Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: 13
File Exists: Yes
Version: 1.5.540.0
WgaTray.exe Signed By: Microsoft
WgaLogon.dll Signed By: Microsoft
OGA Data-->
Office Status: 109 N/A
OGA Version: Registered, 1.6.21.0
Signed By: Microsoft
Office Diagnostics:
Browser Data-->
Proxy settings: N/A
User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Win32)
Default Browser: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.exe
Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Disabled
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-->
Other data-->
Office Details: <GenuineResults><MachineData><UGUID>{A6AD29D3-8E34-4CFF-9049-36A4797B8018}</UGUID><Version>1.7.0039.0</Version><OS>5.1.2600.2.00010100.2.0.pro</OS><Architecture>x32</Architecture><PKey>*****-*****-*****-*****-TPCRY</PKey><PID>55274-640-0134841-23768</PID><PIDType>1</PIDType><SID>S-1-5-21-1606980848-842925246-854245398</SID><SYSTEM><Manufacturer>Dell Computer Corporation</Manufacturer><Model>Latitude C600 </Model></SYSTEM><BIOS><Manufacturer>Dell Computer Corporation</Manufacturer><Version>A14</Version><SMBIOSVersion major="2" minor="3"/><Date>20010828000000.000000+000</Date></BIOS><HWID>D3093F07018400C6</HWID><UserLCID>0409</UserLCID><SystemLCID>0409</SystemLCID><TimeZone>Central Standard Time(GMT-06:00)</TimeZone><iJoin>0</iJoin><SBID><stat>3</stat><msppid></msppid><name></name><model></model></SBID><OEM/></MachineData><Software><Office><Result>109</Result><Products/></Office></Software></GenuineResults>
Monday, October 8, 2007 6:11 PM
Answers
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Hello JaxJax,
Thank you for providing us with your Diagnostic Results. Currently I see that you have a geographically blocked product key (PID). Curious did you purchase this computer brand new or second hand? After reading the results I see you have a volume licensing key (VLK) of Windows XP Professional currently installed. This key is valid but has been blocked to a specified geographical region per the request of the legal VLK holder. As a rule, VLK editions of either an Operating System and/or Office should not be sold to individual consumers. Businesses, schools and governments normally use VLK editions for flexibility in installing many computers. Also, Volume Licenses for Windows XP and MS Office are Upgrade licenses ONLY and cannot be used as the original or base license for a new computer.
Please contact Dell Technicial support @ 800- 624-9896 and request the recovery media for the model you have. Also Dell technical support may provide with assistance for restoring your hard drive or provide you with the URL link for directions. Please confer with them as this depends on their tech support. Recovery CD’s are specific to your computer manufacturer and model. Please contact your manufacturer for assistance. They should be able to assist with your request and/or questions. Since the telephone number and web sites are not maintained by Microsoft we cannot make any warranty as to their validity.
I have included their contact information here for your convenience:
http://search.dell.com/index.aspx?s=gen&c=us&l=en&ec=k&ira=False&cat=sup&advsrch=False http://www.supportforyourpc.com/tools/get_article.asp?aid=1293
Thank you.
Stephen Holm, MS
Monday, October 8, 2007 10:50 PM -
It appears someone installed a non-genuine copy of Windows XP Professional on your computer. Contact Dell support and order a Dell Windows XP Reinstallation CD and perform a "clean install". Otherwise, visit
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/ and click on Validate Windows. When validation fails, follow the prompts to order a WGA Kit.
Dell Support: http://support.dell.com/
Clean Install Windows XP
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.htmlMonday, October 8, 2007 10:54 PMModerator -
JaxJax,
You are more than welcome. Right now the best option is ordering the WGA kit. Unfortuately you do not know the details about what exactly was installed on your system. Next I would complete a fresh install after you either purchase the WGA Kit or buy from genuine software from a retailer.
Should you make the decision to purchase the WGA Kit contact Dell Customer Technical Support for help on installing Windows XP. Also I would like to provide you with some information for installing a fresh install. Please follow this link:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/default.mspx . Here you will find information you will need to accomplish the job. Still should you run into any problems try and contact Dell :-). Thank you JaxJax and hope this additional information will be able to get you upgraded and on the road.
Stephen Holm, MS
Tuesday, October 9, 2007 10:10 PM
All replies
-
Hello JaxJax,
Thank you for providing us with your Diagnostic Results. Currently I see that you have a geographically blocked product key (PID). Curious did you purchase this computer brand new or second hand? After reading the results I see you have a volume licensing key (VLK) of Windows XP Professional currently installed. This key is valid but has been blocked to a specified geographical region per the request of the legal VLK holder. As a rule, VLK editions of either an Operating System and/or Office should not be sold to individual consumers. Businesses, schools and governments normally use VLK editions for flexibility in installing many computers. Also, Volume Licenses for Windows XP and MS Office are Upgrade licenses ONLY and cannot be used as the original or base license for a new computer.
Please contact Dell Technicial support @ 800- 624-9896 and request the recovery media for the model you have. Also Dell technical support may provide with assistance for restoring your hard drive or provide you with the URL link for directions. Please confer with them as this depends on their tech support. Recovery CD’s are specific to your computer manufacturer and model. Please contact your manufacturer for assistance. They should be able to assist with your request and/or questions. Since the telephone number and web sites are not maintained by Microsoft we cannot make any warranty as to their validity.
I have included their contact information here for your convenience:
http://search.dell.com/index.aspx?s=gen&c=us&l=en&ec=k&ira=False&cat=sup&advsrch=False http://www.supportforyourpc.com/tools/get_article.asp?aid=1293
Thank you.
Stephen Holm, MS
Monday, October 8, 2007 10:50 PM -
It appears someone installed a non-genuine copy of Windows XP Professional on your computer. Contact Dell support and order a Dell Windows XP Reinstallation CD and perform a "clean install". Otherwise, visit
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/ and click on Validate Windows. When validation fails, follow the prompts to order a WGA Kit.
Dell Support: http://support.dell.com/
Clean Install Windows XP
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.htmlMonday, October 8, 2007 10:54 PMModerator -
Thank you both for your helpful replies. I've just spent the last hour on the phone with Dell. It turns out that the technician who came to my house to fix my computer in 2004 installed Windows XP Pro "as a courtesty" even though Windows 98 was originally on there. That's why I'm having validation problems. The lady with whom I spoke said, in a nutshell, that I have two options: one, re-install what originally came with the computer (Windows 98); or two, buy a newer version of Windows.
I'm certainly no expert on these things, but I don't particularly want to go back to Windows 98. It seems a very daunting task to buy and install a newer version of Windows. Are there simpler options for me? When I failed to validate, I was given the option of buying a legal copy of Windows XP Pro. If I choose that option, do I get a valid product key immediately with no hassle of uninstalling/reinstalling software? Pay the money, and poof, things are instantly better? Or is that not how it works?
JaxJax
Tuesday, October 9, 2007 5:05 AM -
JaxJax,
You are more than welcome. Right now the best option is ordering the WGA kit. Unfortuately you do not know the details about what exactly was installed on your system. Next I would complete a fresh install after you either purchase the WGA Kit or buy from genuine software from a retailer.
Should you make the decision to purchase the WGA Kit contact Dell Customer Technical Support for help on installing Windows XP. Also I would like to provide you with some information for installing a fresh install. Please follow this link:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/default.mspx . Here you will find information you will need to accomplish the job. Still should you run into any problems try and contact Dell :-). Thank you JaxJax and hope this additional information will be able to get you upgraded and on the road.
Stephen Holm, MS
Tuesday, October 9, 2007 10:10 PM