Ugggg, I just found out (from my computer!) that my Operating System (XP Pro) isn't genuine

I got a great deal on a used computer from a Swap Meet a few months ago. Will Microsoft accept a letter or something, along with a little toy cash register receipt and give me a license key, or will I have to buy a new copy?

Dang, I should have known better, from now on, I'm building my own systems (I've been studying!)

Unfortunately this is quite common with legit software too, so I'm not sure how they assume some are not genuine.

There's many ways around this, but explaining that here violates quite a lot so I can only suggest you google or do direct it to MS and see what they can do.

Cheers,

MC

I've heard rumors about people contacting microsoft in similar situations and M$ hooked them up with a new, genuine, cd key to use. How legit these stories are I'm unsure. As MC mentioned there are ways around the genuine check if you don't want to legalize your system, but discussing details of those does indeed break rules here (and what kind of mod would break their own rules). If you want to get legal you'll probably either need to get ahold of a genuine cd key if you have the cash or try to contact microsoft and see how they handle such situations.

If you system won't update and all that stuff, then just wait till Vista comes out then contact Microsoft and they will probably send you a new CD with aa new key for XP. I have 4 computers but one of them crashed and the CD was broken so I contacted Windows and told them about my situation and told them I was running a small network and just needed Win 98 for one of my machines and they sent me an new Win 98 CD for $35.00 and it took about three days.

This post has been edited by Houdini: Jun 6 2006, 05:19 PM

Ahh, okay. Well it at least sounds like Microsoft will work with me, and maybe give me a break for being stupid! I'll let ya' know what they say...

//Captain.Jerry/

Best of luck to you! MS is usually very nice when it comes to "accidently" using a non-genuine version and you didn't know. I'd imagine they'd send you a new license which would be valid. I don't think they would need to send you a CD though. You can easily change the license for the machine.

[N]F

Thanks for the luck. I found a place to write to them. So we'll see what happens. Yeah, I think I remember reading on a Kim Komando Tip of the Day, about changing your Product Key without having to do a reinstall... I'll have to hunt that eMail down somewhere in my Gmail...

//Captain.Jerry/

This post has been edited by Captain Jerry: Jun 7 2006, 02:49 PM

Mmm I wouldn't be too sure about that, normally they tell you to go and buy a new cd no if's and's or but's about it. I suppose there might be an occasion where you come across someone who actually cares to help you out.

But I guess that's the same with many different businesses, you get ones that are rude and won't do bugger all for you and then you sometimes get ones that do their best at helping you out.

Let's just hope you get a hold of someone who can be bothered to help you out lol.

I got this problem too, about a week ago windows update installed a genuine check thing and it stuffed it all up, I bought windows but the strange thing is that the genuine notification disappeared after a reboot, I could still use windows update and the genuine downloads, looks like some strange bug in the genuine software checker.
Also do you think firewalls (Both OS and internet firewalls) could be blocking or garbleing the signal so that the checker thinks you have an illegal copy?
I think that might be the case but i'm not too sure.
That was the first time i've ever seen the genuine windows notification

-HellFire

I didn't even download it, most of the updates are useless in my eyes and i'd rather not have their piece of software with a rather contradictory user license agreement (if it's the right application that I'm thinking of atleast).

But yeah not much else you can do besides hoping for someone nice and usefull to answer the phone or just fork out.