'Windows not genuine' message even though it is genuine

AbhishekS · 30 Jun 2011

Hello, I am using an Acer Aspire 5738G, which originally came with Windows Vista Home Premium. Later I got the free Windows 7 Home Premium update disc and never encountered any problem.

But since the last 1 month or so, I've been getting this 'Windows not genuine' message on a random basis. Microsoft Security Essentials says that it will disable itself within 30 days if the issue is not resolved. When I click on 'Resolve issue', an IE window is opened and takes me to Microsoft's website. When I do all the steps explained, everything goes back to normal and my Windows is again considered as genuine.

I am a bit worried, although I can always solve the problem, it still irritates me when I see the 'Windows not genuine' message. What could be the cause of the problem and what is the solution?

Thanks in advance.

Maguscreed · 30 Jun 2011

Try this
Genuine Microsoft Software

...and if you are using any cleaning util's / software you should probably look at them because that would be my first guess as to where they went.

AbhishekS · 30 Jun 2011

I've already tried that. And I use CCleaner, does that help?

Coke Robot · 01 Jul 2011

You might be able to try to phone Microsoft and see if you can resolve the licensing issue. If you bought it and have a product key, that might be the best route to go...

Bill2 · 01 Jul 2011

Hello Abhishek,

Couple of things you can try. Sometimes random deactivation can occur because of a registry permissions issue, so try the method in this article.

Genuine Windows 7 Became Pirated? Make It Original and Activated Again - Tweaking with Vishal

Another thing you can try if that does not work is to go to the installed updates section, then locate and delete kb971033 (WAT). Now go and validate on the MS site again and see if the problem recurs.

If you're non-genuine right now, run the mgadiag tool and upload the report here, I'll take a look.

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012

AbhishekS · 01 Jul 2011

Whenever I go and validate, it gets validated. But then, after a week or so I get the 'not genuine' message again.

whs · 01 Jul 2011

The other day I had the same problem on one system. I called them and they fixed it in no time.

Markmental · 01 Jul 2011

If ms doesn't help you could do a system restore to a date before the problem happened

fseal · 01 Jul 2011

Abhishek Sharma said:

Whenever I go and validate, it gets validated. But then, after a week or so I get the 'not genuine' message again.

See if you can correlate that with the use of something.

For example if you run CC Cleaner once a week, then the next time you turn your computer on it becomes not genuine...

AbhishekS · 02 Jul 2011

@Whs: Whom did you call? MS Windows Customer Care?

@fseal: That seems like a good idea. I'll try it. :)