Not an authentic copy of Windows message just started showing up

[Goldwingman]

I have an ASUS laptop with Windows 7 installed. It was purchased from Office Max in October 2010. Never had any problems until two weeks ago when a rogue message showed up in the lower right-corner of the screen telling me my copy of Windows was not authentic. I have the COA attached to the bottom of my computer with the product key, etc.

Might there be a new virus out that is causing this to happen? With that said, my ability to download any MS updates is now gone when up until this time I had downloaded every important and critical update recommended by MS.

 

[NoelDP]

To properly analyse and solve problems with Activation and Validation, we need to see a full copy of the report produced by the MGADiag tool (download and save to desktop - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012 )
Once saved, run the tool.
Click on the Continue button, which will produce the report.
To copy the report to your response, click on the Copy button in the tool (ignore any error messages at this point), and then paste (using either r-click/Paste, or Ctrl+V ) into your response.
- **in your own thread**, please
Please also state the Version and Edition of Windows quoted on your COA sticker (if you have one) on the case of your machine, but do NOT quote the Key on the sticker!
How to Tell - Home

 

[boyans]

Call MS support.

There are also "offline" solutions for updating Windows 7.
The needed packages, fixes etc. are downloaded and installed over third party software.
But this method is not 100% reliable.

 

[Goldwingman]

Here are the results of the diagnostic tool. The product key is much different than the one shown on the COA located on the back of my computer. I talked with ASUS and they verified my model and serial number as being purchased from them. What happens next?

Diagnostic Report (1.9.0027.0):
-----------------------------------------
Windows Validation Data-->
Validation Code: 0x8004FE21
Cached Online Validation Code: N/A, hr = 0x80070424
Windows Product Key: *****-*****-2QWT6-HCQXJ-9YQTR
Windows Product Key Hash: PVjSC5x6njvqunmbCY3lOD7rYDo=
Windows Product ID: 00359-OEM-8992687-00007
Windows Product ID Type: 2
Windows License Type: OEM SLP
Windows OS version: 6.1.7601.2.00010300.1.0.003
ID: {A779ED36-86BF-45D3-8C65-F7BFB51644EF}(3)
Is Admin: Yes
TestCab: 0x0
LegitcheckControl ActiveX: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Product Name: Windows 7 Home Premium
Architecture: 0x00000009
Build lab: 7601.win7sp1_gdr.110622-1506
TTS Error: 
Validation Diagnostic: 
Resolution Status: N/A
Vista WgaER Data-->
ThreatID(s): N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Windows XP Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
File Exists: No
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaTray.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaLogon.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGA Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAExec.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAAddin.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGA Data-->
Office Status: 109 N/A
OGA Version: N/A, 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Office Diagnostics: 025D1FF3-364-80041010_025D1FF3-229-80041010_025D1FF3-230-1_025D1FF3-517-80040154_025D1FF3-237-80040154_025D1FF3-238-2_025D1FF3-244-80070002_025D1FF3-258-3
Browser Data-->
Proxy settings: N/A
User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Win32)
Default Browser: C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Disabled
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Allowed
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Disabled
Allow scripting of Internet Explorer Webbrowser control: Disabled
Active scripting: Allowed
Script ActiveX controls marked as safe for scripting: Allowed
File Scan Data-->
Other data-->
Office Details: <GenuineResults><MachineData><UGUID>{A779ED36-86BF-45D3-8C65-F7BFB51644EF}</UGUID><Version>1.9.0027.0</Version><OS>6.1.7601.2.00010300.1.0.003</OS><Architecture>x64</Architecture><PKey>*****-*****-*****-*****-9YQTR</PKey><PID>00359-OEM-8992687-00007</PID><PIDType>2</PIDType><SID>S-1-5-21-3154700364-2114762437-2202049015</SID><SYSTEM><Manufacturer>ASUSTeK Computer Inc. </Manufacturer><Model>K50IJ </Model></SYSTEM><BIOS><Manufacturer>American Megatrends Inc.</Manufacturer><Version>218 </Version><SMBIOSVersion major="2" minor="5"/><Date>20100409000000.000000+000</Date></BIOS><HWID>CB303E07018400F8</HWID><UserLCID>0409</UserLCID><SystemLCID>0409</SystemLCID><TimeZone>Eastern Standard Time(GMT-05:00)</TimeZone><iJoin>0</iJoin><SBID><stat>3</stat><msppid></msppid><name></name><model></model></SBID><OEM><OEMID>_ASUS_</OEMID><OEMTableID>Notebook</OEMTableID></OEM><GANotification/></MachineData><Software><Office><Result>109</Result><Products/><Applications/></Office></Software></GenuineResults> 
Spsys.log Content: 0x80070002
Licensing Data-->
On a computer running Microsoft Windows non-core edition, run 'slui.exe 0x2a 0x80070424' to display the error text.
Error: 0x80070424 
Windows Activation Technologies-->
HrOffline: 0x8004FE21
HrOnline: N/A
HealthStatus: 0x0001000000000000
Event Time Stamp: 1:9:2012 22:51
ActiveX: Registered, Version: 7.1.7600.16395
Admin Service: Registered, Version: 7.1.7600.16395
HealthStatus Bitmask Output:
Tampered Service: sppsvc
 
HWID Data-->
HWID Hash Current: LAAAAAEAAQABAAIAAAABAAAAAQABAAEA6GGmQ/Z70jPY14aJlAmeg7DYRso=
OEM Activation 1.0 Data-->
N/A
OEM Activation 2.0 Data-->
BIOS valid for OA 2.0: yes
Windows marker version: 0x20001
OEMID and OEMTableID Consistent: yes
BIOS Information: 
ACPI Table Name OEMID Value OEMTableID Value
APIC 040910 APIC1622
FACP 040910 FACP1622
DBGP 040910 DBGP1622
HPET 040910 OEMHPET 
BOOT 040910 BOOT1622
MCFG 040910 OEMMCFG 
SLIC _ASUS_ Notebook
ECDT 040910 OEMECDT 
OEMB 040910 OEMB1622
GSCI 040910 GMCHSCI 
SSDT PmRef CpuPm

From my COA I find the words Windows 7 Home Prem OA at the top of my COA label. There are other number sets on this document in addition to the product key, if needed.

 

[wanchoo]

Please open System in the Control Panel.

There at the bottom of the left panel you shall see Performance Information and Tools. Click on that.

Now on the right panel under Windows activation do you see the genuine Microsoft Logo at the very bottom on the right. If not than your copy of Windows may not be genuine. You should then report this matter to Microsoft with the name of the vendor who sold you the installation software.

Good luck.

I have an ASUS laptop with Windows 7 installed. It was purchased from Office Max in October 2010. Never had any problems until two weeks ago when a rogue message showed up in the lower right-corner of the screen telling me my copy of Windows was not authentic. I have the COA attached to the bottom of my computer with the product key, etc.

Might there be a new virus out that is causing this to happen? With that said, my ability to download any MS updates is now gone when up until this time I had downloaded every important and critical update recommended by MS.

 

[NoelDP]

You have been using a Registry Cleaner - DON'T!
WiseFixer is almost certainly the cause of your problem - it has removed the Software Protection Service from the registry - which causes all sorts of problems, and depenidng on which particular version of WF you used, it may also have done other nasty things to your system.
First attempt to restore changes made by WiseFixer using any options in the program itself - then UNINSTALL IT.


If that doesn't fix the problem, try using System Restore to get back to a time when the system was working properly.

If THAT doesn't fix it, post a new MGADiag report, and woe'll work on it - it should be fairly simple.

 

[NoelDP]

Please open System in the Control Panel.

There at the bottom of the left panel you shall see Performance Information and Tools. Click on that.

Now on the right panel under Windows activation do you see the genuine Microsoft Logo at the very bottom on the right. If not than your copy of Windows may not be genuine. You should then report this matter to Microsoft with the name of the vendor who sold you the installation software.

That will do absolutely nothing - the Software protection Service has been 'deleted' by a 'Registry Cleaner', and no amount of messing with anything will work until the service is 'reinstalled'.

 

[G1LLY]

Try either of these two methods below to try and correct your system (the last of which was recommended by NoelDP):

Method A:

System Scan. The scan will look for bad Windows files and will attempt to repair them, if possible.

1) Click the Start Button
2) Type: cmd.exe
3) Right-click the cmd.exe file and select 'Run as Administrator'
4) In the CMD window, type: sfc /scannow
5) Wait until Step 4) finishes then reboot and see if that resolves the issue.


Method B:

Repairing Windows using System Restore:

1) Click the Start button
2) In the Start Search field, type: System Restore and hit “Enter”
3) Select "Choose Different Restore Point", Put a check in the box that says "Show restore points older than 5 days", select the restore point that corresponds to the date Before you first noticed the issue.
4) Click the "Next" button.
5) Reboot and see if that resolves the issue.

 

[wanchoo]

May be you are right.

However every registry cleaner that I have used gives an option to back up the deleting that it does. Wise Registry Cleaner that I have never used, would have done the same. It should be quite simple to restore the the Registry back to its original shape.

Please open System in the Control Panel.

There at the bottom of the left panel you shall see Performance Information and Tools. Click on that.

Now on the right panel under Windows activation do you see the genuine Microsoft Logo at the very bottom on the right. If not than your copy of Windows may not be genuine. You should then report this matter to Microsoft with the name of the vendor who sold you the installation software.

That will do absolutely nothing - the Software protection Service has been 'deleted' by a 'Registry Cleaner', and no amount of messing with anything will work until the service is 'reinstalled'.

 

[NoelDP]

Try either of these two methods below to try and correct your system (the last of which was recommended by NoelDP):

Method A:

System Scan. The scan will look for bad Windows files and will attempt to repair them, if possible.

I don't think SFC can work in this instace - there is nothing wrong with any file as such. A complete registry Key has been deleted. (HKLM/System/Services/sppsvc if you're interested)
The trick is to trestore the key (and hopefully any other affected Keys) in the least damaging way - which is why I started with the (hopefully built-in) WF Restore capability, then SR, then a manual repair.
Unfortunately one particular version of WF (at least) also removes the VSS service - thereby crippling System restore as well.

 

[NoelDP]

May be you are right.

However every registry cleaner that I have used gives an option to back up the deleting that it does. Wise Registry Cleaner that I have never used, would have done the same. It should be quite simple to restore the the Registry back to its original shape.

I agree - the trick is to do it in the least damaging way, which is why I put the suggestions I made in the order I did.

The optimum solution is to use any internal restore functionality that the 'Cleaner' has - unfortunately, I haven't been able to test WiseFixer properly to find out what its capabilities are, so I can only hope that they do include some capability of that kind - especially when different versions of the program are involved.
There's also the possibility that the user has deleted the archive for some reason - either deliberately or accidentally.

Second-best is System Restore - which may also have been disabled by the 'Cleaner'.

Manual fixing is a poor third - because it can only address the obvious problem of the missing service, and not any other faults that the 'Cleaner' may have introduced.