Windows 7 update fails and Windows not genuine message is appearing

NoelDP said:

Found it - eventually!
Note that I changed the hive import name to 'testing' rather than COMPONENTS so you'll need to do a find/replace if you want to use it directly!


{edit} FWIW, it's in my x64 hive, and there are 3 references to it in the Catalogs key {/edit}

Click to expand...

Thanks Noel! I'll include this in the next fix

NoelDP said:

"WARNING, WILL ROBINSON!!"

The COMPONENTS file downloads as components.txt!
Surely it will need renaming before use??

Click to expand...

Thanks for pointing this out, I usually zip up the hive but on this occasion, I seem to have forgot. Fixed now!

Tom

Tom,

I am proceeding with the first fix. I changed components to .bak, downloaded and unzipped your components to my desktop, rebooted then went to regedit>file as shown in method 2. My problem is that Load Hive is grayed out so I can't select it. Please advise as I don't want to do anything in regedit that I might screw up.

Hello Louk,

Sorry, I'll edit that page now as it should be clearer.

Click once on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE to select it, then try loading the hive by following those instructions.

Tom

Thanks. That seemed to work. Do I need to reboot before moving to the second registry fix?

No worries, thanks for asking.

Nope

Tom,

Completed the tasks. The tom982.txt file fails to upload. Tried it several times. I noticed that the file had 0 for a file size.

Thanks again for so much help.

Louis in Indiana

Hi Louis,

You're most welcome for the help!

Due to the level of corruption in your log, it is likely that there is a hardware problem which caused this, so after we have fixed this mess, I would like to run a few hardware diagnostic tests, just to make sure. If it is a hardware problem and we ignore it, the chances are it will come back again.

Thank you for letting me know about the 0 file size. It was a mistake on my end, I was looking in the wrong location, sorry. I have updated the batch file and would like you to run this one instead please, then upload the tom982.txt that will hopefully appear on your Desktop!

Just to confirm, did you follow my instructions about louk1_SURT_Fix.reg in this post?

http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-...-genuine-message-appearing-2.html#post2237447

All of the errors that that registry script should have fixed are still showing up in your latest log and I can't work out why, I've checked the script over and over again and I can't see any problems with it. If you didn't run it, then please don't for the time being, when I get the results back from this registry query, I should be able to wrap this up in one monster script

I would also like you to upload your COMPONENTS hive again please. There is one corrupted value that I have missed in your log.

Tom

Tom,

The regquery worked this time and the tom982 file is attached. Sorry but I'm not sure what you want me to do "upload COMPONENTS hive". I would welcome the hardware diagnostics.

As I said in the original post, problems started when, because of overheating, a RAM card and a video card failed. Because the initial symptoms appeared to be related to Windows 7 operating system, I followed some Win 7 forum leads and tried using the Windows 7 OS original disc to do repairs. None were successful. Eventually, through trial and error, I discovered the the RAM problem with MEMTEST86 and the video card failure by substitution. The system has been working normally other than the problem with Windows Updates failures and more recently, the 'not genuine copy" popup. I tried to activate again several times and each time the activation was approved.

Louis

Tom,

Yes. I followed your instructions louk1_SURT_Fix.reg

Hello Louis,

Okay, that's great, thanks for the info. We'll get onto the hardware diagnostics as soon as you're up and running with your updates - it should only be one more post now, assuming all goes well with this fix.

At just shy of 200 lines, that's the longest registry script that I've ever written!

Due to the amount that my script will be fixing, I would like you to backup your registry prior to running the fix, just in case things don't go as planned - I've double checked my script, twice, and can't see any issues, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

http://niemiro.co.uk/Blog/windows-u.../surt-log-basic-tutorial/backup-the-registry/

Download the attached file, louk1_SURT_Fix_v2.reg and save it to your Desktop. Double-click on the file to run it. You will be asked to confirm whether you wish to merge this file to the registry, click Yes. Then reboot, run the SURT, and upload the CheckSUR.persist.log please!

Don't worry about the COMPONENTS hive for now, we'll come to that later and I'll explain it step by step

Tom

Tom,

1600 hours in US and I have to run some errands. I will try this later this evening. Thanks again for all of effort. I really appreciate it. I marvel at young folks like you that have learned the inner workings of modern devices.

Louis

Hi Louis,

No worries, I'm in no rush so try the fix whenever suits you best! It's 23:30 here so I should be up for another hour or so before I have to hit the sack. If not, then I'll pop in in the morning before I start my revision.

I appreciate the kind words.

Tom

Tom,

I backed up the registry.

When I went to the next step (louk1_SURT_Fix_v2.reg and save it to your Desktop. Double-click on the file to run it. You will be asked to confirm whether you wish to merge this file to the registry, click Yes.)

After clicking yes, I received a message "cannot import desktop\Louk1_SURT_Fix_V2.reg:Not all data was successfully written to the registry. Some keys are open by the system or other processes."

I have stopped at that point. I have not rebooted. I will leave the computer on until I hear from you.

Louis

Hi Louis,

I must have just missed you last night. This problem just isn't playing nicely!

Thanks to usama for the suggestion Could you try doing a clean boot please:

How to perform a clean boot to troubleshoot a problem in Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8

As soon as you have successfully booted with everything disabled, ie a clean boot, go back into msconfig and re-enable everything that you disabled, this will make sure everything is back to normal when you reboot. Then following the rest of the instructions in the link below please.

http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-...-genuine-message-appearing-3.html#post2239381

Tom

Hi Tom,

Sorry for the delays. This time of year, I have some family obligations to attend to and that pulls me away from my computer. So. over the next several days, I will be away from time to time. Thanks for the patience.

I just completed an image backup as a precaution. Next I will complete the "clean boot", probably this evening.

Thanks again,

Louis

Hi Louis,

Thanks for letting me know. It's not a problem though, the only time that I'm not free is Monday morning (when I return to uni) so I'm completely flexible

Also, thank you for telling me that you've made an image. It's nice to have a plan b, should things not go to plan.

Tom

Hello Louis,

Due to things that I have been told, I am starting to doubt whether it will work from a clean boot either as the thing that is preventing this script from running will still be running from a clean boot environment, making it very likely that we'll hit the same problem there.

Instead, I would like to perform this fix from the recovery environment which will guarantee that nothing will interfere with us. You will need your Windows 7 disc to hand (let me know if you don't have one!) to do this. Firstly, download the attachment and save it to the root folder of your hard drive (e.g. C:\louk1_SURT_Fix_v2.reg). Then follow this tutorial please:

How to use the Windows 7 System Recovery Environment Command Prompt

Stop reading when you get to this image

At this point, I would like you to run the following command please

regedit.exe

This will bring up the familiar regedit window. In the navigation pane on the left, select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE by clicking on it once. Then click File > Load Hive... and select the file here:

C:\Windows\System32\config\SOFTWARE

When it asks you to name the hive, name it SOFTWARE <-- This is crucial, it is imperative that you name this correctly.

You should now see a new branch appear under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE named SOFTWARE. If you don't see this, stop and ask me.

Now click File > Import, then select the file that we saved earlier, C:\louk1_SURT_Fix_v2.reg and click Open. When this has finished, you will be shown a message saying:

"The keys and values contained in C:\louk1_SURT_Fix_v2.reg have been successfully added to the registry."

Then select the SOFTWARE branch under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE by clicking on it once and click File > Unload Hive... and accept any warnings that you're shown. The SOFTWARE branch should now disappear.

Now reboot your computer, booting back into Windows this time.

When Windows boots, run the SURT again please and upload the CheckSUR.persist.log. If all goes to plan, that should reduce the number of errors by about 90!

Tom

Tom,

Every thing went as shown. The new log is attached.

Thanks again,

Louis

Tom,

I think you have returned to classes. I am ready to proceed when you have time.

Thanks.

Louis

Hi Louis,

Sorry for the delay. For the second time, my fix didn't change anything on your computer when it should have cleared all but one of your errors, so I wanted to get a second opinion on where to go from here.

Could you download and run the attached .reg file for me please?

Warning: This fix is specific to louk1's computer, if you are anyone else reading this, do NOT use this fix!

Tom