I have a problem with windows
 

Well, the problem that I have is that it appears that my copy of windows is not genuine (think somebody has changed the windows on this laptop since i bought it 2 yrs ago :mad:) I have the genuine key thingie on a windows sticker on the bottom of my laptop (am guessing that this is what was on it when i bought it) Is there an easy way to put this key in so i stop getting this message and windows asking me to authenticate the version that I have?

I have backed up what i can think of onto a memory stick but dont really want to loose everything - programmes, microsoft office etc.

Any help would be appreciated, and please keep it simple :D

tia

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

just google " latest wga fix" and follow the instructions

your xp will no be able to go back to how u like it

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

click where it says WGA 1.9.9.1 Fix (960.9 KiB, 40,607 hits)

download and extract the file then runn as it says to in the instructions ( right clickselect extract)

Latest Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) 1.9.9.1 Fix Download | Be Techdated with Technize

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

Get IT Done: Change the product key on Windows XP

obviously needs you to be a little brave in editing teh registry or get one of teh local helpfuls with time to pop round to do it for you.

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

Will i loose what I already have on my laptop? - Programmes, drivers etc

Sorry, am a bit simple when it comes to these kinds of things

And

Will i be able to use the key on the bottom of my laptop eventhough its been registered before (but was too my laptop) ?

Told you i'm pants lol

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

its more than likely the key on the laptop is for home and whats on now is professional so changing the key wont help much

on the key sticker it shoud say wether its for home or professional

if it says home and you have profesional installed dont bother messing with the registry it wont work

regardless if you use the wga fix you will get updates and its a lot easier to do yourself if your in a hurry

either way you wont loose drivers or data but if you screw teh registry up thats when you will start getting problems

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

It says its windows XP media centre edition 2005 = Means absolutely nothing to me :o

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

Just hand the laptop over to the twins and I bet they have it sussed in no time. hahaha

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

When they touch it theres keys popping off everywhere lol

It aint good

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

Hi Emzy

I'm having the same problem and windows XP was pre-installed onto my laptop when I bought it from Comet over 2 years ago.

I have tried to 'fix this problem' through the link that keeps popping up on my screen but the only option is to buy another version of windows for over £90.

It's driving me NUTS!
:idunno:

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

Does the sticker say that or the computer say that ? If the sticker and computer don't match the only (legal) option is to uninstall the one you are using and installing the one you have paid for

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

My sticker says windows XP media centre edition 2005 yet my computer says windows XP professional version 2002 service pack 2.

How can this happen?

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

yep, someones 'upgraded' you.

I'm pretty sure that to fix it 'correctly' you need to re-install windows using the correct recovery partition/disk. not particularly fun but TBH in most cases you will see a perf benefit as you will only re-install teh stuff you currently use rather than teh crap that you have accumulated over teh years. this will seem to make windows much quicker.



Such is teh joys of different levels of Windows with different features.

You see with Linux you get teh full fat, fully featured version irrespctive of what you install or what you install it on. :D

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

Who would have upgraded me and why would they 'upgrade' me to an older version?

Sometimes.... I really hate computers.

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

if you bought it second hand its more than likely they put on a pirate copy which would have been totaly fine before they started with the wga authentication

just do as i said above and your set to go

ask emzy it takes 2 mins

some people get a warning and it turns their desktop to picture to plain black , once you have used teh wga fix you can put it back to how you like it

also teh majority of shops that pop up repairing computers use pirate copies especially those down blackburn road etc so if you bought one there then %90 chance your gonna need teh wga fix if they havnt put it on already

theres a guy on here suffering because he bought a laptop which went faulty and also had a pirate copy of vista on

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

so even people with legit licenses end up with 'hacked' pirated copies as its 'easier'.......

Only with Windows could this be true.

well, good luck with it all..

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

the only problem with the wga fix is that microsoft get wise to them and alter their detection but soon enough a new one is released that you can apply, this can be every few months or so , the one i posted earlier seems to be an older one, i got mistaken with eth relase numbers so dosnt work but do a bit of googleing and you will be able to find one that does

if you are %100 sure you have a legit key email microsoft and ask them to sort it out but for any one running somthing that they may feel isnt exactly legit try teh latest wga fix as its the onl real option apart from buying a new key for £90 - they dont even send youa disk lol


if your not sure click here to test your key for xp pro

http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/dow.../Validate.aspx

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

so you aren't even offering a long term fix... :D


what a mess

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

If you have a legitimate copy of Windows and you are using the correct license key (or the one assigned to your PC if it was pre-installed), then there's no issue at all with Windows.

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

but the problem is that people who 'help' when u have issue install dodgy copies etc as is clear frm this an other threads.

The simple fact is there are so many 'versions' of windows that people don't often know what they have

e.g

XP
Home
Media Centre
Professional
Vista basic
Vista home premium
....
...


I give up

Whereas Linux... install one version and you have access to it all...........

e.g. on one install I statred with a basic Command line install of teh most basic system I could imagine. add a GUI - no probs, add decent GUI apps no probs, make it capable of everything including full WebServer and even J2EE appserver( proper geek level) again no issues...

that was on one full release version. then 3 months later there was a full releasae version available, full upgrade took less than 1 hour, no intervention.. reboot job done.

No license issues, nothing, no checks, no spyware, no Av, no malware, gosh, I'm even getting bored typing about the issues you lot go through.

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

All sorted now thanks Accyman.

Even runing quicker than it used to so am a happy bunny again :D

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

ah buit as Chav says, its not a permanent fix... So hope you remember what you need to do and hope people fix it again...

:D

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

no probs like i said the fix i posted earlier was out of date i posted the wrong one by mistake , once i found the one you needed it was easy peezy and you should be ok for sometime its just a lottery when microsoft update their validation process if ever , you cant blame them for protecting their product but the way i see it is some folk get screwed over by shops through no fault of their own and if my posts have helped anyone then good :)

i used to have a list of keys i took off scrapped computers which were valid and installed the correct operating systems accordingly but for some reason some stopped passing validation a few months ago so i just applied the wga fix and IF it runs out people contact me and i give them the new one

£90 is ridiculous for just a key for an operating system thats been phased out so screw MS for tehir greed lol

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

mods can delete this if they want but as far as im aware the wga fixes arnt illigal

http://h1.ripway.com/accyman/xpvalidate/WGA_1991.zip

grab it while you can its on a freehost site so no idea how much a day it allows to download

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

some valid keys do fail validation just like some 360's get banned from xbox live for no reason at all yet modded ones still play on xbox live fine

microsoft arnt very good at spotting fake from real lol

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

but clearly dodgy is as dodgy does...


just cause you buy a PC with dodgy OS is it MS fault or yours for not asking... ?


its not like people aren't aware that PCs offer pirated software.. teh fact is people choose to take teh cheaper option... ( BTW this is not a slur on those people, I too agree that the cost is silly..... if it was 20 quid for XP would people use pirated software? no I don't think they would.....)

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

If it was £20 then i would buy it :D but it isnt and cant afford money like that :(

But i have had legit windows on this laptop from when i bought it new from PC world so whats gone on since then i have no idea

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

glad your not coming down too hard on people using dodgy copies of xp

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

OK, serious Q

I as a software developer make money as my living by writing software. How do yo feel telling my daughter that I can't take her out this weekend because people would rather pirate software than pay for it?

There are free options ( I wil happily install linux if you drop your PC off at my house or you can do it yourself..) so to say you have no option is no longer valid....


just like people on here wouldn't dream of ripping of Kipax's pictures of Stanley, why should I let software be so openly pirated? Its my job and how I make money? something thatI have spent many years learning how to do..... yet you feel its OK to use it "cause I can't afford money like that"......

I'm not having a go at you per se, simply people think its a victimless crime but it aint!

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

not coming down hard but i would rather take teh option of pointing out its not a victimless crime....

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

I paid for windows when i bought my laptop, why should i pay again when its decided it no longer likes my version??

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

I bought it brand new from Comet, it hasn't been anywhere else. That's why I can't understand why it would appear NOT to be a genuine copy. Confused???? Yes I am.

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

Yes there is!

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

there was abug in service pack two or an update shortly afyerwardsthat prevented updates installing

if you havnt got service pack 3 install that and see if it helps

you can download it from microsoft.com downloads section if you cant use windows update

if that fails use teh last wgafix i posted a couple of replies ago( not the forst one i cant remove that one )

http://h1.ripway.com/accyman/xpvalidate/WGA_1991.zip

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

So why not offer your services in the first place, rather than going on about how good linux is.

If you can get your head around windows you can sure use linux, it's just most people only access a pc or laptop on windows, and cause they get used to a so called complicated system they are too scared to change.

I wish more people like you would offer their time to get people to change to something more stable, but why try and ram it down their throats, most people aren't interested. Make the offer, don't preach.

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

Heh so a Windows 'fix' breaks the OS for people in such a way they can't get updates.....

You can't make it up.

Re Odders

You will find if you look back over my > 6K posts that I do offer help to pretty much anyone who asks for it and have been advocating Linux on here for years. As an example less than a month ago I spent over 30 hours of my time fixing a properly broken PC for a friends mum to ensure she didn't lose any data etc.

Ram it down peoples throats, nope, you will find its almost my signature quote on here and people take it as such. :D

Emzy, you have a legit copy but many people don't. the fact is that you have currently got installed( without your knowledge) a pirated copy of a version that cost a lot more than the version you have paid for. 'Hacking' the WGA to make it work still leaves you in a dodgy position. One of the very reasons I got into Linux was that I didn't want to be using pirated software but at the time couldn't afford a legit version of Windows so I looked for an alternative. At the time that was Mandrake 6 ( 1999 ) I've been Linux since.

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

That's twoddle Ian, there are more versions of Linux than all the versions of windows that Microsoft have ever released.

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

Just for fun, I'll add some reasons to use the good old apple osx operating system.
No serial numbers. No product keys. No copy protection.
It just works. So apple don't even annoy their legitimate customers, which it seems most people are in this thread.
Oh, and if you know linux, you'll have no problem with it as the kernel is near as dam it the same :) Win win win!

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

lol i would love to give an opinion on apple mac but seen as the price of a power supply is 10x that of a pc mine will be sitting dormant until further notice

based on teh 10 mins of use you can get out of it i can confirm the OS looks pretty lol

lol jsut for laughs

http://finickypenguin.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/.jpg

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

Err, which 'version are you talking about. Linux doesn't do versions the same way as windows so its not easy to compare them.

e.g. which is the mpost important 'version' number, teh kernal version, teh Xorg version, gnome/KDE/IceWM version, etc. ??????

whilst we have distros labelled with numbers even these don't stay the same throughout a distro label e.g. in Ubuntu 8.04 I went through 3 kernal upgrades.

Gentoo linux doesn't even label itslef as its a continually updaing system so teh version I installed 5 years ago would still be only updated when and where packages are updated.

So to say it has more versions than Windows is inmcorrect, it offers more choice, that is all....
#
I'd agree with Roy, MAC OSX is lovely its just a shame that for teh same spec it costs 3X as much as a PC running Linux. not everyone can afford ( or wants to afford) that much of a premium.

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

Sorry should I have used a different word, maybe flavours or distros. If you want to start using Linux the first hurdle is which distro should I use. When you start googling for an answer you find that even Linux bods can't agree which is the best one to try out.

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

So have I. How do you clean them without streaks?
:)

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

Vinegar and Brown Paper
Retlaw.
:theband:

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

I thought that was for when you fall down and break your crown.:D

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

lol but isnt this about microsoft who have TOO MUCH money

its a little like music. I purchased a few tracks from a unsigned artist on itunes because i liked the music. Its the same for software products, If i like your product and going to use it often i would be willing to pay you for that more than i would to pay £300 for the operating system it runs on(going off that i dont use linux hehe, which i dont)

If XP or Vista was £50 everybody would have an official copy

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

EH!!! if you have the key it shouldnt have gave you that problem.

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

No they would not

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

just too easy too download or are you another linux dude

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

I don't use Linux on PC's often. I just think that at £50 lots of people would still use dodgy copies. It would have to be a lot cheaper than that to get most of those with dodgy copies to buy a genuine one

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

yeah i think you're right but if it was 50£ i would buy a copy rather than use the dodgy option.... i will never pay £200+

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

Ebuyer sell XP Home for £64 Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition-SP3/SP2- Licence and media - 1 PC - OEM - CD - English - Ebuyer

and XP pro from £100 Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP3- Licence and media - 1 PC - OEM - CD - English - Ebuyer

or how about £24 if they really do have any stock Microsoft Windows XP Professional - E85-04111

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

teh problem is that people have over teh years always copied music. then when games were on cassette they copied them and its a behavioural thing ever since. Its also never had teh stigma of "Theft". If your neighbour went down for robbing some old dears how he would be cast out by teh community, if he's known for copying software /music he's everyones buddy because he can get them that latest album for next to nowt......

I also don't think people realise how long it takes to write stuff or how long it took for people to become skilled in what they do. I've spent > 10 years learning my trade which is a constantly moving target unlike a lot of skills. People will pay a builder to build them a wall to protect their house because they can't just copy one from their neighbour but with software they can so they do.

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

Why can't they copy next doors wall, are walls copyrighted? :rolleyes::D

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

I think they can copy it but they mustn't use his bricks!:D

Re: I have a problem with windows
 

no need to copy next doors wall your already using half of it :D

unless its their front or rear wall :)


however my neigbours got upvc windows installed and a few months later i copied them

am i in trouble with microsoft ?