Genuine Windows 7...?

David333

I bought a secondhand laptop a couple of years ago from online. A few months ago, it's started telling me that it's not genuine. It's a Windows 7 Ultimate machine, and I've been trying to find a product key. There are lots on ebay and amazon for different Windows 7 builds, but few for the Ultimate edition. I assume that I have to have the correct product key for the correct product (and I assume that most of the online product keys aren't genuine either).

I had a look at Microsoft's website but I can't see product keys for older versions of Windows. There is this Windows 8.1 but I assume that I can't install that from a non-genuine Windows 7 base: http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msuk/en_GB/pdp/Windows-8.1-Pro-N-Student/productID.288532800

Any ideas as to what I should do? Thanks!

NiftyDigits

Full model number of laptop....?

Ultimate should have given you a clue....

enfield_freddy

that's weird , if it was unregistered it should have mentioned this yrs ago , wonder if it has been "patched" in the past , and your AV has killed the "patch"


do a fire search in file explorer , to see if the "patch" is still on your machine , I would suggest the words "rwat" "removewat" and "toolbox" are used , if you find them , pop back


you are a little late to return this to the supplier , and you did buy it in good faith

David333

I think it's a Lenovo Thinkpad X61, but I'll double-check when I get home. Thanks!

David333

enfield_freddy wrote: »

that's weird , if it was unregistered it should have mentioned this yrs ago , wonder if it has been "patched" in the past , and your AV has killed the "patch"


do a fire search in file explorer , to see if the "patch" is still on your machine , I would suggest the words "rwat" "removewat" and "toolbox" are used , if you find them , pop back


you are a little late to return this to the supplier , and you did buy it in good faith

Thanks for the reply. I shall look when I get home. It did seem strange that, having had it for quite some time, only then did it claim to be non-genuine; I assumed that from day one it would have been checking. I did a little googling and supposedly there was a fairly recent update that made genuine machines appear non-genuine, but my system didn't seem to have the files it was suggesting.

molerat

Mine, still on the volume licence, occasionally comes up with the non genuine message on the screen. Right clicking on computer then properties brings up the genuine badge under activation and the message goes away. Not done it for a while though.

NiftyDigits

David333 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. I shall look when I get home. It did seem strange that, having had it for quite some time, only then did it claim to be non-genuine; I assumed that from day one it would have been checking. I did a little googling and supposedly there was a fairly recent update that made genuine machines appear non-genuine, but my system didn't seem to have the files it was suggesting.

A machine originally supplied in 2007 with XP and now sporting Windows 7 Ultimate, shouts HACK. There certainly isn't a Windows 7 Ultimate COA anywhere on the machine.
Come back with the full number number: ie ThinkPad X61 7675-*** and I'll see what can be done.
The good thing about these machines is that they are well supported. So firmware updates can bring the machine relatively up to date. So we can update the machine at the same time as fixing any issue with the licencing.

David333

NiftyDigits wrote: »

A machine originally supplied in 2007 with XP and now sporting Windows 7 Ultimate, shouts HACK. There certainly isn't a Windows 7 Ultimate COA anywhere on the machine.
Come back with the full number number: ie ThinkPad X61 7675-*** and I'll see what can be done.
The good thing about these machines is that they are well supported. So firmware updates can bring the machine relatively up to date. So we can update the machine at the same time as fixing any issue with the licencing.

I appreciate the comments and thank you for the help. I have had several fourteen hour shifts at work over the weekend, hence the late response.

It's actually a Lenovo T61, 8898-6DG; Windows 7 Ultimate, service pack 1; 64 bit operating system, 3GB RAM, Intel Core 2 Duo.

David333

enfield_freddy wrote: »

that's weird , if it was unregistered it should have mentioned this yrs ago , wonder if it has been "patched" in the past , and your AV has killed the "patch"


do a fire search in file explorer , to see if the "patch" is still on your machine , I would suggest the words "rwat" "removewat" and "toolbox" are used , if you find them , pop back


you are a little late to return this to the supplier , and you did buy it in good faith

Searched C drive in file explorer. No sign of any of these. Thanks anyway!

Double_V

Just wait til 29 July, you will get free Windows 10

k599rag

Open Control Panel and Open "System". Scroll down to the bottom and it will tell you if its activated.

If u want to see what your Product Key is you can use this software:

Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder - https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

Install it and it will give you your key.

Use this website to find out if Microsoft think its a valid copy.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows/genuine