You can enter a valid product code manually and it will activate and show as genuine. The other scenario is they modified it to use the Dell OEM-SLP. That would be illegal. This utility should tell you what is going on. Showkey - Windows 10 Forums If it shows OEM marker in the firmware, they illegally modified it to cheat activation. Or if you see a grub boot loader installed, that's another tip off that something isn't on the up and up.
How long have you had this PC? I think I'd take it back and ask for my money back. If they refuse tell them your going to contact Microsoft about the install media used.
I actually ended up with considerably less Dell-bloat than my wife's Dell laptop, which came with the usual bells and whistles. (Since I reinstalled Windows on her computer, however that is all, thankfully, gone). The only things I seem to have picked up on my install are the very cool Dell start screens. Much better than that goofy Windows 7 viny thing.
That's some of the stuff I'm talking about. They'll add screen savers, Logo's here and there. Some OEM's go way overboard cramming your system with stuff, some hardly touch it. My OEM bloat is long gone. There are just few little items I put back myself. The system page is where you usually see it. Manufacturer, Model, the Logo won't be the Microsoft logo, etc. It always makes me chuckle when I'm on say and Acer and it has an HP Logo on the System page. You know somebody used the wrong disk.
I apologize for the slow response time. I have been digesting the
information you provided. To make it a little clearer, my responses
are generated from my HP Notebook. The computer with the problem
is a Desktop Custom Build of which I provided the hardware components.
The system was built in July 2013, the following month I was hospitalized
and didn't interact with the system, for a period of time it just wasn't being
used. Somewhere in 2014 it was running, and one day through a BSOD.
This continued every time the PC was booted, it might run a while and boom
a BSOD. Then it sat a very long time, before I attempted again. I thought
maybe it got corrupted somehow, so I replaced the hard drive with a new one.
I used the Dell disk which was used when it was first built and installed. So, the
drive was Clean. When the updates started installing they wouldn't complete, and
went into a Loop of Failures to configure updates. 2 programs were installed before
the updates [Internet Explorer & Windows Essentials]. A BSOD showed up again
when I attempted to open IE-11. Presently, the system is still down from the last
BSOD, and my questioning the Dell Disk as a possible contribution to the problems.
I personally wouldn't trust the Dell Disk. Also, if you were not asked to enter a product key during the Install, it is almost certainly an illegal install with cheated activation. Is there a COA sticker on that PC? By law there should have been.
A BSOD is usually a driver issue. If the Dell disk is the only one you have, make an install thumb drive and delete the $OEM$ folder in the Sources folder. Then try one more install to see if the issues go away.
USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create
Hi Alpha,
Dell discs are a pain, especially if not used on a Dell motherboard, BSOD are a side effect.
Please can you tell me what your installation media quotes, (NOT THE CODE), the description please, see what i can do to get you a non Dell one.
Roy
All I can show you is what its listed as on MSDN, and that depends on what version the DVD is for. Any version can be made into a universal install disk though.
Windows 7 Universal Installation Disc - Create
If you know anybody with a Retail disk, make an ISO of that. Then modify it to be a universal disk. Or post the exact version you need and I'll post what Microsoft lists it as on MSDN. There are some here than know tricks to get the ISO without having to enter a product code. I thought I saved it but can't find that info at the moment.
OK, I have new information. I Uninstalled the DELL DISK, don't want to see it again!
Installed New Windows 7 Pro 64 with a New Disk: 4/17/16
Windows was not Activated, I chose not to @ the time it asked for the Key.
After Windows completed, and on First Desktop, I next Installed:
ASUS MB Drivers
Graphics Card Driver
Wireless Adapter Driver
Rebooted then:
Downloaded Microsoft Security Essentials via IE-8
Updated Definitions & Performed First Scan [OK].
Got a BSOD When attempting to Setup First BACKUP.
System Rebooted Automatically back to Desktop.
[This is prior to Any Windows Updates].
Next I checked for Windows Updates @ 8:30 PM 4/17/16
Windows Stopped checking @ 11:58 PM 4/17/16
Found 211 Updates Ready for Download \ I Selected the First
33 Important Updates.
Download Started then threw a BSOD @13% Complete.
REBOOTED & another BSOD
I SHUT IT DOWN AFTER THAT ONE.
................................................
DEVICE MANAGER CHECK:
No BANGS [!] were shown, but these messages were shown when going
through the SYSTEM DEVICES:
Direct Memory Access Controller
ATI-I/O Communication Processor
High Precision Event Timer
Numeric Data Processor
Programmable Interrupt Controller
System Speaker
System Timer
........................................................
Everything else: showed "Working Properly"
This is BEFORE ANY Windows Updates.
Best I could do with the BSOD IMAGE.
Don't install any drivers manually, yourself. Unless you have to for Internet access. Let Windows do it. Only install drivers manually if you have hardware that needs one after doing all the Windows updates. A BSOD is almost always a driver issue. My guess is it's the motherboard drivers. If it happens again, with the stock Windows drivers, you most likely have a hardware issue of some kind.
Quote