Solved Windows now says that my copy is counterfeit.

[subwayjm]

Well I hope it is not my drive, I use a SSD for my main drive. Did not think they failed like HDD? Either way thanks to everyone for the advice, it seems that I had a trojan or something nasty in here.

My system began to get more and more unstable as I did tests and restarts. To the point that the last restart all my USB and Optical drives drivers were ruined and windows could not reinstall any drivers.

As of now I have just reloaded windows and finished with all the updates. I keep multiple drives and have all my data and files backed up. I will how ever be cautious of which files I transfer to the main drive.

Again thanks everyone for your time. I have attempted at revalidating my copy and yes it is authentic. So those mismatch files were the cause which more then likely came from a trojan/virus.

 

[NoelDP]

I don't suppose you discovered the actual malware? - I'm fighting exactly the same problem in another forum!

 

[subwayjm]

Sorry I did not. Like I said I run a Avast and SpyBot S&D and it got past both of them. The only thinkg that now makes some sense is that about a week or two, windows updates have been failing to install.

I had planned on doing a system restore to a earlier point but never got around to it. Then it started popping up that my windows was counterfeit.


I rarely turn my PC off unless a update requires it. In the last week I have done alot of restarts due to trying to fix this issue and looking back it seems it got worse with each restart. Not sure if this helps any but maybe it might point to something in the startup files.

In the other forum, is the issue with windows now saying it is counterfeit?

 

[NoelDP]

Yep - with the same file mismatch.

It's very rare to see this particular mismatch (others are quite 'common' as these things go)

 

[dromesburg]

I have the same issue, I bought my W7 Ultimate in Dec 2009 from Yahoo Store Elecsurf. I installed Win7 Ultimate January 2010 and have been using it ever since, never had any validation issues. On July 4th 2012, 13 days ago; after validating WIn 7, my OS is now NOT GENUINE. After calling about the license key and lets just say calling Microsoft multiple times, a department FINALLY told me my license key was part of MSDN Developers subscription and they do expire. What I was told I bought was a licensed copy of Microsoft WIndows 7 Ultimate. I was also told by the person today at Microsoft, 13 days after I filed my counterfeit complaint basically if I want to buy a legitimate copy I would need to pay $199.00 more, on top of the $149.98 I already paid. Since it was a download, I am out of luck and Microsoft will not send me a free replacement or anything. My loss and there is nothing Microsoft will do. I escalated this to someone at Microsoft, so I'll see if I actually get a call back or not. Why should we be left out of luck when it is Microsofts product, Microsoft is where this person initially got the software because I've been running Windows 7 Ultimate since January 2010 and it stopped working July 2012. So why should I be stuck?

 

[NoelDP]

MSDN Licenses do NOT expire - but the DO get Blocked when abused.
You purchased your Key from a fraudster, who sold a single Key (purchased ast a discount as part of an MSDN subscription, and legally usable ONLY by the subscriber) to anywhere from 10 to 1000 people.
As soon as MS realised what was happening they blocked the Key.
Unfortunately it can take anywhere up to 18 months or so before MS do become aware of such fraud.
Would you buy a Rolex from a flea-market? - that's effectively what you did, and you took your chances (and got a reasonable amount of use out of it).
When you realise that the Rolex is a fake- do you expect Rolex to provide you with a new Oyster? - that's what you're expecting from MS.
As it is, if you fill out the proper forms, and send the fake to MS, and they test it and the quality of ake is good enough, you WILL get a new Rolex (well, a new copy of Windows, anyhow).

Don't complain to MS because you got stiffed by a fraudster - complain to the police, and the fraudster, and start filling in the counterfeit reports.

How to Tell - Home
(change the localisation as appropriate)

Here's my standard speil on MSDN frauds...

The Key in use is an MSDN Key. Unless you are an MSDN subscriber, you are not entitled to use the Key – and whoever sold it to you was not entitled to do so. Your Windows Key is from a not-for-resale MSDN account. You need to claim an immediate refund from the vendor - do NOT accept the offer of a new key.(all they are trying to do is to get past the 45-day claims window. or avoid you sending the evidence of their crimes to the authorities)
Please read the following stickies.... .................................
Blocked Product Keys
and
Advice on Safe Software Shopping (revised 4/10/2011)
The pirates have got VERY good at this over the past few years, as the price of equipment for manufacturing the packages drops, and as factories open in less well-policed countries.
see also this post....
The New York Times - Chasing Pirates: Inside Microsoft

Also - have a look at this video....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzqNNiOM0c

 

[dromesburg]

hi NoelDP,

Wow, thank you so much. I had no idea, however everything you state certainly makes sense. I will take a look at the video and read the articles after work today. I appreciate what you are stating and can certainly understand. I still don't feel that paying $149.98 was like buying a fake rolex though. I would like Microsoft, being the enormous company they are, should have controls in place to whether a license key is officially license to 1 computer, 10 computers or 10,000 computers, similar to the number of users.

Again, please know I appreciate everything you mention and I don't want to completely shift the blame to somewhere else, however there needs to be a shared responsbility here, not 100% my fault for buying a cheap copy of Microsoft Windows, which I did not. Also buying software from a Yahoo Store, I thought was a legitimate way to go. However contacting Yahoo, really gets you nowhere at all. I am not nieve, however I still feel Microsoft should or could have taken better steps shortly AFTER I installed the software to know someone was abusing the number of licenses. If you sell a Developers package, Microsoft should better control the number of lics that can be installed. I didn't intend on renting Microsoft Windows 7 for 2 years. I certainly wouldn't spent $150.00 renting a WIndows operating system regardless. I can go back to using my Windows XP version I've used for many years.

I will do as you stated and please know I am not being a smart-a$$ in my response, however I don't feel between Microsoft and Yahoo and even paying with PayPal, how can this all be my fault! I legally paid for something, which I understood to be a valid WIndows 7 license key. Not rent one. Thanks again NoelDP, I do appreciate the details and your comments. I appreciate your time and will do as you mention.

 

[NoelDP]

Legally the dispute is between you and the Vendor - most of whom do a runner immediately after flooding the market with teh remains of their subscription.
MS are not obliged to do anything, but in the interests of good will are prepared to exchange a genuine copy for the vendor's details, and the software involved.
(It's more than you'd get frm Rolex!)

MS know when every installation of Windows is activated - and with which Key.
Developers however, are a strange breed and may reinstall on a weekly basis or even more frequently, and will often have a large number of machines running concurrently.
The MSDN system was developed to give them the tools to do the job at reasonable cost.
It's been around for a good number of years (15 that I'm certain of), but the fraudsters have only latched onto it since around 2009 - prior to that, it was mostly stolen or generated Volume License Keys.
Mostly, I blame three sets of people - the fraudsters (obviously); the flea-market sites such as eBay, Amazon MarketPlace, and CraigsList (and Yahoo Stores); and the punter who allows himslef to be gulled, usually by prices that are too good to be true.

For what it's worth, I personally have hasd to deal with more than 10 similar cases (here and elsewhere) involving ElecSurf in the past year or so, so you are not alone.
I understand tha MS has now managed to shut them down, and has probably also discovered their sources and clients - so you may find a quick (and positive) response to your report!

 

[dromesburg]

Thanks again NoelDP... I did speak with someone at Microsoft. They were surprising very helpful and took care of my issue. I've spent years supporting a lot of Microsoft products mainly Server operating systems. I was pleasantly surprised and very satisfied in how they handled this. Take care and thank you once again for the details and insight. I think someone needs to slam elecsurf, hopefully Microsoft already has this in the works. cheers

 

[NoelDP]

Last I heard, they'd been shut down forcibly already (must have been around 4-5 months ago?) lemme see..... ElecSurf Computers - yep. the 'under construction' tag means that the business is running solely to respond to dissatisfied customers.