Answered by:
Genuine XP Pro failing validation

Question
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I have a genuine original version of Windows XP Pro OEM. The CD and stickers check out as per the details on the Microsoft site, and it was purchased from a major national UK retailer with a solid reputation over many years about 4 years ago. It has run on the same machine since purchase, although there have been a few hardware changes due to failures and upgrades (graphics card, NIC, etc.) and I have reinstalled several times (I was about to again, but dare not now). The problem only started with and update to the WGA software 2 days ago.
I used the online support to query this and they suggested raising an incident against WGA, which I did and this was closed with reference to follow the steps on the validation page (they all assume I have a counterfit copy) or phone. I phoned and was told to take the issue up with my supplier (who suggest talking to Microsoft), purchase a genuine copy (which I already have) or send my original CD, license sticker and receipt to Microsoft to be checked (sorry, I'm not happy to send this to you as it is my only proof of ownership - although I am willing to bring it to you to be checked in front of me, apologies for my lack of faith in the corporate process).
According to the information I have been able to find my key has been reported lost or stolen by my supplier. I find this unlikely to have happened around 4 years after they sold it, but have not been able to confirm this either way yet, and may well not be able to.
I do have another incident open, but after being told by the Microsoft representative that every XP Pro CD is unique to the license key it is supplied with and that I should ensure I installed from the matching CD I somewhat lost confidence. I was then given a reference number and asked to call back in the morning to continue the conversation because it was now 6pm and they were closing! Strangely enough I am more than a little frustrated!!
Unfortunately I can't try this link because it doesn't load (a 500 error):
http://www.microsoft.com/Genuine/diag/RunDiags.aspx?displayLang=en
The MGA diagnostics are:
Diagnostic Report (1.9.0006.1):
-----------------------------------------
WGA Data-->
Validation Status: Blocked PID
Validation Code: 11
Online Validation Code: N/A
Cached Validation Code: N/A
Windows Product Key: *****-*****-JM4C7-B4D6R-WH3GD
Windows Product Key Hash: zt/2hjHmR2X+eXLPkKF8f2LHcR8=
Windows Product ID: 76487-OEM-2252901-25905
Windows Product ID Type: 3
Windows License Type: OEM System Builder
Windows OS version: 5.1.2600.2.00010100.3.0.pro
ID: {CD7086E6-80ED-4FBD-9752-5C3B16A6733D}(3)
Is Admin: Yes
TestCab: 0x0
WGA Version: Registered, 1.9.40.0
Signed By: Microsoft
Product Name: N/A
Architecture: N/A
Build lab: N/A
TTS Error: N/A
Validation Diagnostic: 025D1FF3-230-1
Resolution Status: N/A
WgaER Data-->
ThreatID(s): N/A
Version: N/A
WGA Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: 11
File Exists: Yes
Version: 1.9.40.0
WgaTray.exe Signed By: Microsoft
WgaLogon.dll Signed By: Microsoft
OGA Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WGATray.exe Signed By: Microsoft
OGAAddin.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGA Data-->
Office Status: 109 N/A
OGA Version: N/A, 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Office Diagnostics: 025D1FF3-230-1
Browser Data-->
Proxy settings: N/A
User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Win32)
Default Browser: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.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>{CD7086E6-80ED-4FBD-9752-5C3B16A6733D}</UGUID><Version>1.9.0006.1</Version><OS>5.1.2600.2.00010100.3.0.pro</OS><Architecture>x32</Architecture><PKey>*****-*****-*****-*****-WH3GD</PKey><PID>76487-OEM-2252901-25905</PID><PIDType>3</PIDType><SID>S-1-5-21-1644491937-299502267-725345543</SID><SYSTEM><Manufacturer>MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD</Manufacturer><Model>MS-6330</Model></SYSTEM><BIOS><Manufacturer>Award Software International, Inc.</Manufacturer><Version>6.00 PG</Version><SMBIOSVersion major="2" minor="2"/><Date>20021007000000.000000+000</Date></BIOS><HWID>173731FF01842069</HWID><UserLCID>0809</UserLCID><SystemLCID>0409</SystemLCID><TimeZone>GMT Standard Time(GMT+00:00)</TimeZone><iJoin>0</iJoin><SBID><stat>3</stat><msppid></msppid><name></name><model></model></SBID><OEM/><GANotification><File Name="WgaTray.exe" Version="1.9.40.0"/><File Name="WgaLogon.dll" Version="1.9.40.0"/></GANotification></MachineData><Software><Office><Result>109</Result><Products/><Applications/></Office></Software></GenuineResults>
Licensing Data-->
N/A
HWID Data-->
N/A
OEM Activation 1.0 Data-->
BIOS string matches: yes
Marker string from BIOS: 11E42:Action S.A
Marker string from OEMBIOS.DAT: N/A, hr = 0x80004005
OEM Activation 2.0 Data-->
N/AWednesday, April 15, 2009 12:12 AM
Answers
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Hello Paul,
Thank you for posting with us in the WGA Forums today. Unfortunately what you have been previously told is correct. Currently Windows XP Professional was installed with a now blocked product key. There are a couple options you have @ the moment. First did you receive the Windows XP Professional software disc @ the time you purchased the computer? Does your computer have a Certificate of Authenticity "COA" sticker located on the computer anywhere? Next please visit http://www.howtotell.com and compare both your COA sticker and actual Windows XP Professional disc against what you see here. Please look @ the known good copies then look @ the counterfiet examples there and report back to us what you see. Is the store still in business where you made the purchase? If so please provide me with the actual business name and a website. Next visit the store and request them to either give your monies back or to physically provide you with a genuine Windows disc. I would encourage you to file a piracy report. Visit http://www.microsoft.com/piracy and locate filing piracy reports located in the upper left hand corner. The last option is to purchase a Windows XP disc from the option which you were given under the "Get Genuine" window. \
Hopefully this will give you more information to help you with a solution.
Thank you and take care Paul,
Stephen
Attention All Forum Users: Please Do Not post your issue in someone else's Thread...Create your own which will help minimize confusion. If any post fixes your issue, please click the "Post was Helpful" button for that post. This will help us showcase the threads that best help our customers. Thank you, Stephen Holm- Marked as answer by Stephen Holm Wednesday, April 15, 2009 5:30 PM
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 5:30 PM
All replies
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Hello Paul,
Thank you for posting with us in the WGA Forums today. Unfortunately what you have been previously told is correct. Currently Windows XP Professional was installed with a now blocked product key. There are a couple options you have @ the moment. First did you receive the Windows XP Professional software disc @ the time you purchased the computer? Does your computer have a Certificate of Authenticity "COA" sticker located on the computer anywhere? Next please visit http://www.howtotell.com and compare both your COA sticker and actual Windows XP Professional disc against what you see here. Please look @ the known good copies then look @ the counterfiet examples there and report back to us what you see. Is the store still in business where you made the purchase? If so please provide me with the actual business name and a website. Next visit the store and request them to either give your monies back or to physically provide you with a genuine Windows disc. I would encourage you to file a piracy report. Visit http://www.microsoft.com/piracy and locate filing piracy reports located in the upper left hand corner. The last option is to purchase a Windows XP disc from the option which you were given under the "Get Genuine" window. \
Hopefully this will give you more information to help you with a solution.
Thank you and take care Paul,
Stephen
Attention All Forum Users: Please Do Not post your issue in someone else's Thread...Create your own which will help minimize confusion. If any post fixes your issue, please click the "Post was Helpful" button for that post. This will help us showcase the threads that best help our customers. Thank you, Stephen Holm- Marked as answer by Stephen Holm Wednesday, April 15, 2009 5:30 PM
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 5:30 PM -
Firstly, thanks for the reply. Unfortunately I can't say as it is particularly helpful, and the implications within it do not sit well with me. I'm not entirely sure how carefully you've read the original post.
THIS IS NOT A COUNTERFEIT COPY - sorry to shout, but it isn't. I have, as detailed in my original post in the first sentence, checked against the howtotell.com site (sorry I didn't specify the actual URL and just stated "The CD and stickers check out as per the details on the Microsoft site"). Yes I have both a genuine CD and a COA sticker. I purchased it along with hardware to build a machine as per the OEM license requirements, since I am an OEM system builder (all be it small scale). I am also part of the Microsoft Partner Program, although I've not been able to renew due to problems with the website that I've not chased up on for a while. As for checking out the counterfeit examples on the website, I'm afraid I cannot since you have hidden them behind a requirement for Silverlight and I can't install that as my processor is not supported (when I have repaired my other XP install which is blue screening on boot I may be able to try take a look).
Yes the retailer in question is still in business, they have been for the past 22 years, and I have dealt with them for the past 18 years. They have won awards from the UK computer press and professional retail sector. I won't publish their name here since I don't want them associated with the implications of your reply (i.e. they have supplied counterfeit software). I have spoken to them and they are willing to raise a returns request and handle the return of the media to Microsoft for validation, but they will not replace the license since they have supplied a genuine Microsoft product and they are not responsible for my problem. They have also stated that since the software is provided to them in sealed boxes, and they pass it on to customers in the same manner (as per Microsoft licensing terms) they have no way of knowing what licenses they have sold, so could not report specific licenses as lost or stolen!
I see no need to file a piracy report since this is not a case of software piracy, but a case of an error in the Microsoft software or database. My supplier has been professional, courteous and helpful, particularly since I have had this software for some years. Almost every dealing I have had with Microsoft has been on the basis that I have counterfeit software and should buy a legal copy and report my supplier, not in keeping with the wording of the warning that you *may* have been the victim of counterfeit software, and with no consideration that perhaps I *may* be the victim of an error on the part of Microsoft!
Thankfully after 3 days of trying to find a helpful element of Microsoft support, and around 2 hours on the phone (including one that was cut short because the support desk was closing, "please call back tomorrow to finish this"!), I have actually managed to resolve the problem. It does, however, seem somewhat less than professional that the resolution is not to fix the database used by the Genuine Advantage software, but to generate a new key and use a tool to update it. I now have a key that doesn't match the COA sticker, and apparantly my proof is a combination of an email from Microsoft support with the key and the ticket reference number. I will keep a copy of the email with the documentation and write the new key alongside the COA sticker, but it now does look counterfeit, even though Microsoft have clearly accepted that it is not!!
Sorry if the tone of this reply is somewhat terse, but the repeated blind assumption that my problem has to be caused by counterfeit software with no hint of acceptance that I have checked that it is not is extremely agravating, and I currently have far more important non-business and non-computer related issues to deal with and could have done without the time spent sorting this out (although it may have given me an avenue to vent other frustrations!).Wednesday, April 15, 2009 11:40 PM -
Thankyou for you well thought out post here paul, The maner in which you have resolved your situation is comendable in my opinion, i would like to thank you for taking the time to explain how you have resolved your situation with microsoft in so much detail. It has become obvious to me reading through the posts and answers on this forum, that microsoft does not give a monkeys chuff about its customers.
Thursday, April 16, 2009 1:03 AM -
Good Evening Paul
Thank you for taking time and providing me with all the details. Please visit http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?c1=509&gprid=9860 and open a Service Request. Please provide me with your original full product key which was originally used when you provided us with the MGA Diagnostic results. The last 15 digits were JM4C7-B4D6R-WH3GD. Once you have submitted the Service Request you will be given a SR#. Please post the SR# here so that I may be able to get the full product key. I would like to investigate your original/full product key further.
Paul again thank you for the details.
Stephen
Attention All Forum Users: Please Do Not post your issue in someone else's Thread...Create your own which will help minimize confusion. If any post fixes your issue, please click the "Post was Helpful" button for that post. This will help us showcase the threads that best help our customers. Thank you, Stephen HolmThursday, April 16, 2009 4:45 AM -
Smurfyist,
You made a comment about customer service. It appears that you have been miss-informed and we do care about all of our valued customers.
Stephen
Attention All Forum Users: Please Do Not post your issue in someone else's Thread...Create your own which will help minimize confusion. If any post fixes your issue, please click the "Post was Helpful" button for that post. This will help us showcase the threads that best help our customers. Thank you, Stephen HolmThursday, April 16, 2009 6:45 PM -
Removed posting because of abusive language.
- Proposed as answer by racecar_123 Friday, April 17, 2009 6:28 AM
- Edited by Stephen Holm Friday, April 17, 2009 4:19 PM Abusive language
Friday, April 17, 2009 6:27 AM -
Smurfyist,
I stand by what i have said. microsoft has ATTACKED my computer AND countless thousands of others. Is that the action of a caring company?
You made a comment about customer service. It appears that you have been miss-informed and we do care about all of our valued customers.
Stephen
Attention All Forum Users: Please Do Not post your issue in someone else's Thread...Create your own which will help minimize confusion. If any post fixes your issue, please click the "Post was Helpful" button for that post. This will help us showcase the threads that best help our customers. Thank you, Stephen HolmFriday, April 17, 2009 10:22 PM -
Smurfyist,
Please do not clutter up active customer support threads with comments.
Instead, post comments and feedback in this subforum: http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/genuinefeedback/threads
For great advice on all topics XP, visit http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxpSaturday, April 18, 2009 2:38 PM