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geekl33tgamer
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Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:26 pm

Ergh, glad I kept my Vista DVD...

After receiving my copy of Windows 7 from PC World on launch day, I have (up until now) been very impressed with it. Fast, hassle free, and everything worked right out the box. However, taking no chances with my licence key activation attempts, I was going to let the OS run thru 14 of it's 30 days "trial" period before activating it (Check my PC's ok with it, and no need to re-format etc). I had put the key in at the end of the installer, but told it not to auto-activate when I am online.

But today, I thought what the heck, it's running all my games and progs perfectly, just activate it. Uh oh....

"You may be a victim of softare counterfieting" is what come up after 20 secconds or so when I tried the online activation. The wallpaper swiftly disappeared, Aero was disabled, and just above my clock is "Windows 7, Build 7600. This copy of Windows is not genuine".

Straight on the phone to Microsoft, and a technical agent got me to install something from the MS support site and connect to her with a unique session ID. First time I called on technical support, and had the agent remote access my machine. Good idea in theory, but she could not get the software to activate after a few tries. She checked a few other bits of the PC, and then asked quite a few questions about what the DVD's look like, the licence number on card inside, how many DVD's in the box, some details off the COA, details of the place purchased, and my name and address etc. Trying to catch me out or something?

She confirmed my licence key was genuine, but has been placed on some sort of black-list - Hence it wont activate. She said she would need to investigate further why it is on there, and will call me back within 24 hours. Great, so to summarise:

- She never got my licence key to work
- Never gave me a new one (If they can)
- Suspects I have been up to no good

Anyone else had this, and are they likley to call back? I've got a £150 box of Windows 7 Ultimate that is not doing a great deal at the moment. Guilty until proven innocent it appears, because PC world sell a lot of fake software dont they? :roll:
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kvndoom
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:39 pm

Image

Sorry, that was the best I could think of at the moment.

Jokes aside, hope you get it corrected. Everyone's a pirate! :P
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Krogoth
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:40 pm

I heard several stories of WPA headaches among legit users.
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bdwilcox
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:54 pm

Hmm, Ubuntu never failed to activate.
 
CampinCarl
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Mon Oct 26, 2009 9:22 pm

I wonder if it's possible that license itself somehow leaked, so that they blacklisted it because pirates had been using it?
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Flying Fox
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Mon Oct 26, 2009 9:50 pm

Looks like you are not alone with those initial teething problems.
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:40 pm

bdwilcox wrote:
Hmm, Ubuntu never failed to activate.

I did have a lot of trouble getting the 9.10 beta to install though. (This seems to have been corrected in the RC, so I'll still be evaluating whether to move my primary desktop to 9.10 as soon as the official release is out.)
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geekl33tgamer
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 2:16 pm

Update: They called me back!

Then I lolled at her explanation... She said my licence key has been activated (before they blocked it) on many computers, in different countries (Really?). It's not quite clear cut tho - I still have not got a working licence key. Going back to that guilty until proven innocent scenerio mentioned earlier, I am required (at my own expense) to send the item back to them + a copy of the sales receipt so it can be inspected. She said this was to "verify the authenticity of the software". Basically, she thinks I am lying then? I had a go at her for a bit on the phone after being accused of software piracy, and agreed to send it to them.

Before doing so, I have taken a picture of the product box. Those genuine fakes that PC World sell consumers these days are amazing. It looks just like an original :roll:

Image
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khands
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 2:20 pm

Fun times, hopefully Redmond wises up.
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Spyder22446688
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 2:42 pm

"Welcome to your PC, simplified."
x--x--x--x
 
grantmeaname
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 2:44 pm

bdwilcox wrote:
Hmm, Ubuntu never failed to activate.


Quote of the day.
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MrJP
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:10 pm

Take it back to PC World for a replacement, explaining the problems you've had with Microsoft. Under UK law the vendor is responsible for providing a functional product, which they have failed to do. Even though this was strictly out of their control, they're still obliged to correct the problem and then deal with Microsoft as their supplier. This should be quicker and cheaper than having to return discs to MS yourself.
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Dav27
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:21 pm

MrJP wrote:
Take it back to PC World for a replacement, explaining the problems you've had with Microsoft. Under UK law the vendor is responsible for providing a functional product, which they have failed to do. Even though this was strictly out of their control, they're still obliged to correct the problem and then deal with Microsoft as their supplier. This should be quicker and cheaper than having to return discs to MS yourself.


Good idea, First though, take a sceenshot of the "Invalid keycode message", print it and take that with you when you take it back.Only speak to the manager though and not the minions that'll only go by the company's non-return software policy crap.
 
Dav27
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:25 pm

Spyder22446688 wrote:
"Welcome to your PC, simplified."

Yep. Not working......Doesn't get any simpler than that!!!
 
kvndoom
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:01 pm

Everyone who is going to wait for the bugs to get fixed before buying new software appreciates the pain and suffering of you early adopters out there. :lol:
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Jigar
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:03 pm

kvndoom wrote:
Everyone who is going to wait for the bugs to get fixed before buying new software appreciates the pain and suffering of you early adopters out there. :lol:


LOL :lol:
Image
 
moriz
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:09 pm

hehe, my laptop just asked me to validate windows 7 on startup, which i had done months ago. it cleared immediately as soon as i pressed "validate now". quirky windows is quirky.
 
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 6:02 pm

The RTM version and MSDN keys had some trouble validating on a few installs via the web, although a call to the microsoft phone service validated correctly. Funny enough. There was ALOT of numbers to get back after having put in ALOT of numbers. Having a slow phone that day was annoying. Although that was early september, so i really cant blame them.
 
ChronoReverse
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 6:42 pm

Was your copy of Windows completely sealed when you received it?
 
danny e.
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 7:29 pm

Just got my copy .... "the product key is not valid"
we're off to a good start! :evil:

If Bill Gates was here I'd just punch him in the face.
and then kick him in the crotch.

and i'm not even trying to activate yet... just typing in the freaking key :roll:
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:12 pm

danny e. wrote:
Just got my copy .... "the product key is not valid"
we're off to a good start! :evil:

If Bill Gates was here I'd just punch him in the face.
and then kick him in the crotch.

and i'm not even trying to activate yet... just typing in the freaking key :roll:

Supposedly the font used to print the product key can make "B" and "8" look nearly identical. Any chance this is your issue?

Failing that... maybe it's time for you to give Ubuntu a try! :wink:
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Flying Fox
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:38 pm

danny e. wrote:
If Bill Gates was here I'd just punch him in the face.
and then kick him in the crotch.

Shouldn't that be Ballmer?
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ChronoReverse
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:42 pm

danny e. wrote:
Just got my copy .... "the product key is not valid"

*snip* wrong thread
 
UberGerbil
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Wed Oct 28, 2009 2:38 am

just brew it! wrote:
Supposedly the font used to print the product key can make "B" and "8" look nearly identical. Any chance this is your issue?
No, it turned out to be user error. Or, as he put it,
danny e. wrote:
I guess the lesson here is "dont install angry"
I think this means Bill Gates gets to go over to his house and kick him in the crotch. Which probably isn't necessary, since he can afford to pay for people to do that for him. Ballmer can afford that too, but I think he'd enjoy the whole kicking part too much to delegate it.
 
geekl33tgamer
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Wed Oct 28, 2009 5:07 am

ChronoReverse wrote:
Was your copy of Windows completely sealed when you received it?

Yes it was - Shrink wrap was covering the whole box, so no one had opened it. Also, the COA label on the top breaks into 2 pieces when the box is opened, and that was also in one piece. I don't think the store can be accused of doing anything "dodgy". :)

As for the store itself, I went there as soon as they opened at 9AM this morning. I should mention first of all that PC world have a policy that says software can not be exchanged once opened, unless faulty. Expecting to have to stand my ground a bit with the guy at customer services, I was pretty direct with him at first. :-? As I had removed W7 from the PC yesterday (Before seeing another users commments about taking a screenshot of the problem), I had nothing to show him.

He went to get the manager on duty, and I had to re-explain the whole scenario. He said they would need to test the software on one of thier machines, and replicate the issue witht he licence key. Politely pointing out that I dont want to wait 30 minutes for you to install it, I then remembered I was sent an email from Microsoft while I was on the support call. It had the case number, the agents name and what the problem is. I only live 3 minutes from the store in the car, so rushed back to print the email.

Showed it to the same manager, and after a bit more complaining from me, he agreed an exchange. :D Only one issue, when he went to get another, he was out of stock. He said he only had full versions of W7 Pro, or an upgrade edition of W7 Ultimate. As W7 Ultimate (full) was being sold for the same price as the Pro box on launch day from this same store, I wanted the same verison I had originally purchased (lol, he looked pretty peed off at this point). He then said I could go to another store that has some and collect it (Nearest store is almost 40 miles away), or I could wait for more stock to arrive.

As I am in no hurry to go back to W7 for the time being, I took the last option. He gave me a refund of sorts - I have a Pc world "Gift Card" pre-loaded witht he cash equivalent of £160 (£10 more than I paid, as it's gone up since the launch day price of £150). When new stock arrives at the store, I just go back and use that to buy another one.

Not bad I guess, but at least i don't have to post it back to Microsoft. I also got to enjoy a fresh install of Vista all over again, with extra enjoyment pain thrown in as my Vista DVD is one of the first ones, and does not have SP1 or 2 on it. Fun times... :(
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Dav27
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Wed Oct 28, 2009 12:37 pm

rcs2k4 wrote:
He went to get the manager on duty, and I had to re-explain the whole scenario. :(


I did advise you to go straight to the manager. You see i never trust PCWorld staff ever since i asked the manager at my local branch, some time back, if they sold thermal compound to which he replied "What's that?"

At least you got some sort of resolution on the issue.
 
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Wed Oct 28, 2009 6:29 pm

Glad they sorted it out for you. If you have a nearby Currys or Dixons it might be worth trying there as well for a replacement copy. Since they are all part of the same group as PC World, they should take the PC World gift card as payment.
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Re: Windows 7: Apparently, my copy is not genuine?

Wed Oct 28, 2009 7:13 pm

Glad it worked (sorta) out.
My advice in these situations is to just logic the living daylights out of both Managers.
Place the onus on them, in a way they will capitulate.
MS should have hooked you up with another copy in the end, and thanked you for exposing the VL that was being abused.
:wink:
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