Windows is not genuine

[Shockwave]

Hi,

This is probably a long shot but maybe someone here has had this problem and overcome it.

I bought my PC from Novatech with windows 7 professional - Admittedly the computer is getting a bit long in the tooth and I plan to replace it later this year, but anyway..

The case was damaged last year and it destroyed the power button, at the same time I think that my motherboard was fried so I ended up getting my PC re-cased with a new motherboard.

Over the last few months I've been getting popup windows saying that my copy of windows is not genuine and offering me the opportunity to resolve online which then leads me to a page offering me the opportunity to buy a copy of windows.

At first I thought that this was a virus but after researching the matter it is actually a Microsoft anti-piracy initiative.  I contacted online support and provided them with my product key and explained that I'd made previous changes to my hardware.. They checked my licence key and confirmed to me that I was running a bona fide copy of windows 7, they then activated the key remotely and I thought that was the end of the matter.

Unfortunately it was not and I am still getting the popups so I went back to tech support who want to charge me $99 for an hours session with a microsoft technician!  I declined the offer.

The program causing the popups is stored in this location;
C:\Windows\System32\Wat

I am not allowed to remove the folder, it says I require permission from TrustedInstaller to make changes to the folder.

Does anyone know how to stop this please?  I'm damned if I'm paying again for software I already own, especially to a bunch of money grabbing scumbastards like Microsoft and I'm not going to pay $99 for some inept M$ tech to remote into my PC either when it is they who installed this "feature" in the first place.

Cheers!

[combatking0]

If you have access to another computer, it may be possible to disconnect your hard disc from the faulty computer and plug it into the motherboard on the other machine.

Then try navigating to the folder on the hard drive (you may need to change the permissions on the file you want to delete) and delete the offending file.

Bear in mind that this is a risky procedure, and you may want to back-up your important files first, in case Windows fails to boot when you put the hard drive back into the computer you want to use it with.

[padman]

Not tested this myself, because I don't have these issues, but maybe you should give the solution described here a try first.

Good luck! 

[Shockwave]

Thanks, I'll try the second solution first

[combatking0]

Can't believe I forgot about that trick - we used it at work for a computer which was built for XP, but our W7 license was valid for all computers on the premises. Due to a bios "feature", W7 would never authenticate on that model, so we used the command line option described above instead.

[Shockwave]

Well I tried rearming the activation as suggested above, so far so good.

[Dr.Death]

Fair play mate how's things going??

[Shockwave]

Unfortunately Microsoft still think I stole Windows, the prompt started reappearing today.

[rusty71]

Hi, try this: go to prompt i amministrator mode and type "slmgr /rlic" if it does not work try "slmgr.vbs /rearm". I hope I have understood and to be helpful. sorry my English. hello

[padman]

Unfortunately Microsoft still think I stole Windows, the prompt started reappearing today.

What a bummer! 

[combatking0]

Save the code as a .vbs file and put it into c:\programdata\microsoft\windows\start menu\programs\startup\

The rearm will occur each time you log on.

[Shockwave]

Yep, it would get rid of the prompt for a while but there is a limit of 4 rearms allowed & adding more means editing the registry, not only that but it's just masking the problem and not fixing it..

[combatking0]

We could add a .bat file which resets the registry key to 0, but you're right, it would only mask the issue.

[va!n]

@Shockwave, do you still have the problem? If so, please PM me. I think, i have a working solution for your Win 7 / Win 8 genuine problem.

[Shockwave]

Pm sent 😊

[Canopy]

usually this is triggered by a hardware change, but once validated it shouldn't reoccur

[Shockwave]

Yes Canopy, I believe that's why Im getting the popup.

The problem I have is that it has been validated, many times not only by me but by a Microsoft technician and I'm still getting the popup. 

[Kirl]

I remember I had this problem a long time ago, but I don't remember how I got rid of it, I think I most likely installed an illegal version from a friend...   

The day Half-Life2 came out I got it at the store at an insane price and after wading through a ridiculously long and painful instalation process due to keys, codes, dongles and whatnot I couldn't play my LEGAL copy because I had no internet connection! An illegal copy from a classmate installed and played flawelessly, completely unlike the legal version. I never felt better about pirating software before!

It's ironic how we are driven to piracy by the very measures trying to prevent it.