Windows is saying my copy isn't genuine...

Recently, I booted my machine into Vista, and it is saying my copy of Windows Vista is not genuine. This is the original OS from Toshiba, and I have not tweaked it or done anything to make it so it would do this. Can anyone tell me why Windows is telling me that this copy of Windows Vista is not genuine? I have not pirated it or done a thing to it!

 

Check to ensure that your Software Licensing service is running.

I've had my Asus randomly decide to turn it off once and had the same problem, and it's an essential service for OS authentication.

 

if the above doesn't work, call M$ tell them that it's the Toshiba OEM OS and that it's legit and they need to resolve the issue. If all else fails install Ubuntu

 

if you dont get anywhere pm me for help

 

I'm sorry, but how do I do this?

 

Have you used that key in any other machine?

Just call up if all else fails. The process should take 5mins or so

 

Nope. I do have Windows 7 on my second drive, but I used a different key.

I just turned it on this morning, and when I logged in it came up with a black screen with a window like the other one in the picture I posted.

 

Have you installed/removed anything in the last few days? Installed any Windows updates? This has happened before - you can google for vista not genuine and find quite a few threads.

 

I see. Have you changed any hardware components lately?

 

Did you key-in your Windows License Key(valid)?
If it can't be use, try enter "nothing" on the box and press continue. Try in on a few methods available there.

As for the Services.msc, go to Start(vista orb), type-in Services.msc.
Then, a Windows will pop-up. Find something like Windows License Key there.

 

No, I haven't done a thing to it since I got it (unless you consider Windows 7 on my second HDD).

I fixed it though. There's an OEM sticker on the back of the case, (you know, the one with a product key on it) and I used the product key off that, and it accepted it. And I thought that was the key it already used. But now it's working fine.

 

I did install some updates the last time I booted into Vista, just to keep it up to date.

 

the key on the back just so you know will need constant activating. once you install / uninstall things like gpu drivers etc windows has a point system once you reach that limit it will need activation again. they key your system comes installed with is NOT the same as on your sticker as many lead you to believe. that factory key is a oem slp key and never need to be activated again unless you reinstall. the key on your sticker is just like a normal oem bought key..

just so you know in case it asks you again

 

Really? Because that would be really annoying...

 

Drivers? No, I don't think so. The point system you mention has to do with different PHYSICAL hardware. If you change the hard drive, or graphics card or motherboard, each is assigned a point value. Once enough points accumulate it might ask to re-authenticate. The likelihood of this happening on a laptop is somewhere between slim and none. The point system is not in play when updating drivers.

Gary

 

Bottom line is that you might, sometime in the future, need to 're-activate'. Stupid, yes. Annoying, yes. Troublesome for pirates, not really.

Anyway, if it gives you trouble keep activating it. If it doesn't work one time, calling into Microsoft will fix that.

 

Stupid, annoying... because Microsoft is making an attempt at protecting their intellectual property? Sure it won't thwart the professional pirates. No one ever expected it to do that. But it was designed to prevent the sort of casual piracy among friends that occurs all to often with software. And for that purpose it does a good job WITHOUT annoying the vast majority of the users. For most you register it once and never see or hear from it again. What's so "stupid and annoying" about that?

Gary

 

not true at all. many people all over have complained they updated their gpu driver or the chipset drivers etc and it triggered it. yes MAJOR drivers do have play in this.. not just hardware. small drivers like a mouse or stuff do not affect this. i repair and build pc's every day and i have seen this before first hand and also spoke with ms directly about it

 

Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Yep you are right, but it is not SUPPOSED to happen that way. Apparently there have been some drivers that cause this because the driver updates were incorrectly written. Here is an article I just found from Ed Bott.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=271

I knew that this trigger was only supposed to happen on hardware changes. This is the first I'd heard of these erroneous drivers causing a problem.

Gary

 

yep it happens more often they they would like to admit