Windows 7 Not Genuine

franby64

Sorry if this has come up before.

For the last few months my daughter's laptop has been telling us that the installed copy of windows 7 is not genuine but 'build 7600'. This happened after it was repaired in January but she didn't tell me as she wasn't worried (!) - her main gripe is that she can't set a background (it's always black). Now we get pop ups and offers to get genuine product keys constantly (for a price!).

I do have the original back-up discs that I made when we first had the laptop and wondered whether re-installing these would help.

She can use it for what she wants but I'm just wondering if there's anything we can do. It's out of warranty since January (it got mended just before the warranty expired) so I don't suppose C*rrys would be much use either.

I would be very grateful for any advice on this, especially if I can avoid having to buy a new copy of Windows!

stilltheone

Make and model of laptop?

franby64

Thank you stilltheone.

It is a Packard Bell EasyNote TJ Series.
Model No: MS2273

aerostar

Yes you could use your backup discs, but that will restore your laptop to as out of the box, and wipe all data, photos, docs, programs etc, if you go this route back up your data first !

I would suggest that you take it back to C*rrys and show them as they may have re-installed the wrong version or it is a false positive as not genuine due to a upcock on a MS update. They supplied it, they should sort it out.

BUT backup your data first before taking it back !!!!

stilltheone

franby64 wrote: »

Thank you stilltheone.

It is a Packard Bell EasyNote TJ Series.
Model No: MS2273

Yes, perhaps you should just run a Factory Restore will the discs supplied.
We can check to see if they changed the Motherboard if you like. That could be the reason for the failure.

Im_just_careful

A bit of a Google suggests that this is a reasonably common problem (not C*rrys specific !)

If I had that problem I would click on the following link, follow the instructions and see if the process fixes it.

http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/validate/DownloadValidationSupport.aspx?displaylang=en

Let us know how you get on.

franby64

Thanks for all your help.

I just followed the link in Im just careful's post and was filling in a piracy report for Microsoft (on the off chance!) which was fine until it asked me for my product key!
It said this might be on the laptop or in the packaging or in a confirmation email if I down loaded windows7 on line.
I have none of these so I can't report to Microsoft.
Then it occurred to me that perhaps Curry's couldn't find the product key either to reactivate after the repair (which may well have been the motherboard, the laptop was doing nothing) and so gave us a build 7600 instead of buyng a new product key. Some stickers fell off the laptop ages ago. The product key I found in the laptop itself is no good.

I could be way off the mark!
But maybe the original discs are the answer.
Anyway I will have to check with DD that she wants me to experiment with her laptop as at the moment she at least has something!

stilltheone

franby64 wrote: »

Thanks for all your help.

I just followed the link in Im just careful's post and was filling in a piracy report for Microsoft (on the off chance!) which was fine until it asked me for my product key!
It said this might be on the laptop or in the packaging or in a confirmation email if I down loaded windows7 on line.
I have none of these so I can't report to Microsoft.
Then it occurred to me that perhaps Curry's couldn't find the product key either to reactivate after the repair (which may well have been the motherboard, the laptop was doing nothing) and so gave us a build 7600 instead of buyng a new product key. Some stickers fell off the laptop ages ago. The product key I found in the laptop itself is no good.

I could be way off the mark!
But maybe the original discs are the answer.
Anyway I will have to check with DD that she wants me to experiment with her laptop as at the moment she at least has something!

I'm going to send you some software via PM. It is used to check the you have the correct Motherboard for your machine.

MikeWhitehead

The build 7600 only refers to the kernel build number, and doesn't correlate to any not fully-functional version of Windows 7. Software along the lines of http://www.winkeyfinder.com/ will allow you to view your current product key.

Right-click Computer, Properties. Look at the bottom of the page and see if there's an activation link/button, or what the activation status is.

scheming_gypsy

If you go to the activation or buy a genuine copy information, there should be a UK phone number for Microsoft. If you phone them for an activation key and explain that you took your machine to Currys to be repaired but they've used their copy of Windows 7 etc etc, they should give you a valid activation code.

One the bottom of your machine you'll have your license key, which means that you're entitled to a fully working copy of Windows 7.

Hammyman

And if its not on the bottom, take the battery out as manufacturers have started putting them under the battery due to customers complaining about the product key wearing off the labels.