Genuine XP Pro

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  Good Morning Lawnknome,
  
  

      Thank you for posting your Microsoft Genuine Advantage Diagnostic Tool information. You mentioned running XP Professional on both your Laptop and Desktop. Did you read the The End User Licensing Agreement (EULA) prior installing on both devices? Unless you purchased a Volume Licensing Key XP can only be installed on one device @ a time. 
  
      The XP Professional Product Key installed on this computer was not assigned by Microsoft. The Product Key is counterfeit and was most likely generated by a Product Key generator. The Product Key found on your computer has been detected on multiple computers. Product keys are only allowed to be used on one computer unless otherwise specified in the End User Licensing Agreement (EULA).   You will find numerous sites where this Product Key has been posted.  Use your favorite search engine and paste in the Product Key.     

      There are situations which can cause Windows XP to become non-genuine. Let me give one example.  Customers have taken in their systems for service along with all the software received when purchasing their system. The customer picks up the system and viola’ no problems whatsoever until they need to download an update. Suddenly their system is non-genuine. The customer's computer was not installed with their software but either a blocked Volume Licensing Key (VLK) or a Keygen’d Product Key. Also the software could work for several weeks, months, or even a year or more then suddenly become blocked. 

      This is why you may be seeing the "Software Counterfeiting" messages on your computer. You will need to uninstall XP Professional before any further complications occur from being non-genuine.

      Under NO circumstances should someone try to download/distribute ISO images for software from a P2P file sharing site or use a second-hand burned copies of software. Research has shown that about half of the software copies available on P2P download sites are infected with root kits, spyware, Trojans, and other potentially harmful malware. One file in particular was very alarming.  This file was an administrator account giving the attacker full control over both your system and data.  I would be very concerned about your system integrity because Windows is non-genuine.

      As a customer there are several options available for you to get to a “Genuine” status. For details on the ways to get “Genuine”, see the web page that outlined your validation failure details. It will provide all of the possible steps which you can take. Here is the link:

  http://www.microsoft.com/genuine

      If this comes as a total surprise to you, please visit the retailer where you purchased the computer or operating system and let them know the operating system is a counterfeit copy.  Request they immediately reimburse you and/or provide a Genuine Copy.

  Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) is here to help protect YOU, our valued customer. It is important for more people like you, who have become victims, to report piracy at the following link:

  http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/reporting/default.aspx

      Microsoft legal will follow up on all leads provided.  Submitting piracy reports will assist in stopping unscrupulous business practices.  You may be eligible for free software if you have high quality counterfeit discs. 

      Again, we are sorry to hear about your situation. Please be sure to backup or otherwise off-load any data from the hard disk because a clean installation/re-imaging will destroy all personal user data on the hard drive.

  Thank you for visiting the Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) program forum.
  
  
  
  Stephen

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  Stephen Holm

  • Marked as answer by Stephen Holm Monday, January 19, 2009 7:24 PM

  Monday, January 19, 2009 7:22 PM
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  Lawnknome,
  
  

  Right now, your computer has a Volume Licensing edition of XP Pro installed (Line 10), and that installation was done with a now-blocked Volume Licensing Key (VLK) (Line 2).  VLKs are blocked by Microsoft at the request of the original keyholder for such reasons as the key was lost, stolen, compromised, misused, or expired.  Also, MS may have blocked the key if it notices a pattern of misuse, ie, more installations of XP using that key than authorized.

  As a rule, VL editions of XP should not be sold to individual consumers.  Businesses, schools and gov'ts normally use VL editions for flexibility in installing many computers.  Also, Volume Licenses for XP are Upgrade only licenses and cannot be used as the original license for the computer.
  

  If you search the forum for the part of the Product Key shown by the utility, JB6X6-XQF6J-2GCB2, you'll see that three other posters have experienced the same problem with that same Blocked VLK.
  
  This is why you were seeing the "software counterfeiting" messages on your computer, because the current installation of XP is an unauthorized installation.
  

  More bad news is that your installation of Office 2003 is showing as Nongenuine, also a Volume Licensing installation done with a Blocked VLK!

  Please look on the computer or in the materials that came with your computer or your purchase of Windows to see if you have a Certificate of Authenticity (CoA).  The CoA may be affixed to the computer case, or if purchased will be affixed to the retail packaging.  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 edition or 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 that may be printed on the CoA.

  Not sure what to look for?  Click here:  http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/en/coa.mspx

  ---

  For great advice on all topics XP, visit http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp

  • Edited by Dan at IT Associates Monday, January 19, 2009 7:30 PM spelling

  Monday, January 19, 2009 7:24 PM
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  I am a bit confused at this result.  The disk I have is a copy bought from my school brand new.  I have used it on my laptop from dell which I am in the process of trying to change the CD key as I noticed I used the wrong one.  It has a key on the bottom of the laptop.  But this desktop is abotu 4 years old and has never had a problem until today.  Please, I have no way of contacting Dell as my warrenty is up or my school to verify the disk.  But up until now I have ran Windows update/WMP on this desktop for about 4 years and to just now find a problem seems unlikely to me.

  Monday, January 19, 2009 7:45 PM
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  Also until I get this issue resolved, will my desktop continue to function as normal, obviously without windows update and the like.

  Monday, January 19, 2009 7:46 PM
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  Lawnknome,
  
  You will continue to receive the WGA tatoo as you are probably receiving currently. The best option for resolution is contacting the manufacturer ASAP and request how you can aquire a Recovery Media disc.  Next I am sure you received the option for purchasing a WGA Kit when your system indicated you had a non-genuine version of XP installed. This is a great option as well because you can purchase a retail version of Windows Professional for 1/2 of the original retail price. 
  
  
  Hopefully this has provided you with more information
  
  
  Take care
  
  stephen

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  Stephen Holm

  Monday, January 19, 2009 10:09 PM
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  Another small tidbit, my PC is custom built thus there is no manufacturer.  Myself and a friend built it a few years ago and used my bought windows to install on it.  So I guess I am asking if I am up the so called creek.
  
  -Lawnknome
  

  Monday, January 19, 2009 10:42 PM
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  Lawnknome,
  
  Well my question is where did you purchase the current XP Operating System which is installed? You mentioned purchasing this software from your highschool? Depending on the EULA you would not be licensed for continued usage upon graduation anyway. We are not the experts by NO MEANS here on the forums so I would encourage  you to read the EULA.  In this case it would not make much difference because you have a Keygen'd copy of the XP. 
  
  You have a couple alternatives:
  
  -  Purchase the WGA Kit which was offered when your system popped non-genuine
      -- Cost is $149.95
  -  Purchase a retail version of Vista. You may purchase directly from Microsoft Marketplace @ http://www.windowsmarketplace.com/ .Currently XP is no longer for sale thus purchasing the WGA Kit is a great advantage if you want XP vs. Vista. 
  
  -  Purchase an OEM System Builder of Vista. Also some local stores may still offer XP should they still have them in their stock.
  
  -  Next is submit a piracy report via http://www.microsoft.com/piracy . You may qualify for a complimentry software if your version is a high copy non-genuine version of XP.  The piracy site will provide you with all submission details. 
  
  
  These are your current alternatives. 
  
  
  Stephen

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  Stephen Holm

  • Marked as answer by Stephen Holm Monday, January 19, 2009 11:55 PM
  • Unmarked as answer by Stephen Holm Monday, January 19, 2009 11:56 PM
  • Edited by Stephen Holm Monday, January 19, 2009 11:58 PM made additions
  • Marked as answer by Stephen Holm Monday, January 19, 2009 11:58 PM

  Monday, January 19, 2009 11:55 PM
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  Lawnknome,
  
  If there is a genuine Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity for Windows affixed to the bottom of your Dell laptop, that proves that your dell laptop came from Dell with a licensed copy of Windows installed.  Under all but the most extreme circumstances, your Dell laptop will always be licensed to run that exact version and edition of Windows.  Dell is very supportive of customers who call or contact their customer service department requesting a replacement copy of the Dell Operating System Reinstallation CD, and usually they provide it for less than $15 shipped.
  
  My advice to you would be to get the Dell OS Reinstallation CD and use it to do a clean installation of the licensed Windows back onto your Dell laptop.
  
  Regarding the desktop...
  
  Higher education institutions such as colleges and universities often, but not always, provide access to Microsoft software to students and faculty under special licensing agreements.  However, I am unaware of such an arrangement at the High School level.  I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just saying that such an arrangement would be very unusual.
  
  Assuming the installation of XP you posted about was done with the CD and Product Key you say was provided by your HS, the fact remains that the Product Key is now blocked, which means that the agreement with Microsoft that in the past allowed the use of that key is no longer in effect and Microsoft has blocked, or cancelled, that Key.  What this means to you is that your right to use that Key has been revoked.
  
  Furthermore, the use of the key even when it was still a good Key was still subject to and End User Licensing Agreement.  The normal EULA for Volume Licenses for Windows Operating Systems specifies that the license is an UPGRADE-ONLY license.  That means that your computer could only legitimately run the license for Windows provided by the school if there was already a base license for Windows installed on the computer BEFORE you installed the school license.  You said that the computer was a custom built computer and not a name-brand computer, so the only way you could use the school-provided license for XP Pro was if you installed a genuine qualifying Microsoft Windows OS on the custom built computer before you installed the school provided license for XP Pro.
  
  Boil it all down----even if the school license for XP Pro was still a good key, according to the standard EULA you still would not be able to use it on your custom built computer as the original or base license since the school license is an upgrade-only license.
  
  So what to do on the desktop?
  
  First, you can't use the school license for the reasons stated above.
  
  Second, you can't use the Dell OEM license because that can ONLY be used on the exact Dell laptop you have and cannot be copied to or moved to any other computer.
  
  You can of course use a free OS like Linux---I hear that Ubuntu has gotten pretty good.
  
  If you want to use Windows XP, you will have to buy a license.  You can buy a systembuilder/OEM or full retail license---as Stephen posted, it may take a little search but they are still out there.
  
  You may want to use Windows Vista if the computer is powerful enough---for decent Vista Aero-Glass performance you'll want at least 256MB dedicated RAM on your discreet video card, and more is always better.  The prices for Vista are almost the same as for the corresponding edition of XP.
  
  If you are tight on cash, but the computer has some horsepower and you don't mind the hassle of having to erase everything later on, download the Beta of Windows 7, it doesn't expire until August of 2009 IIRC.

  ---

  For great advice on all topics XP, visit http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp

  • Edited by Dan at IT Associates Tuesday, January 20, 2009 4:04 PM spelling

  Tuesday, January 20, 2009 4:01 PM
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  Thank you again Dan :-). 
  
  
  Stephen

  Tuesday, January 20, 2009 5:21 PM