Windows XP won't activate - not genuine

[Appletax]

Windows is telling me the OS is not genuine and I cannot get it to
pass the genuine test MS has. I reset the browser so there'd hopefully be no
problems with activex and I tried modifying a registry key and typing a command
into the run box to reactivate Windows.
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/productkeysactivation/ht/changexpkey.htm

I can't activate online because it tells me it cannot reach the activation servers and I got error 32777.
So I called MS to activate and gave them numbers from 9 boxes and they gave me numbers
back and Windows activated, but it still keeps warning me that it's not genuine.

.

The Internet works fine.
No one has worked on the computer before so it's not a pirated version.

 

[16k_zx81]

Just for the hell of it I would run SFC on the OS to see if any of the activation components are borked or have been messed with.

 

[TechguyUK]

Have you been to the MS Update site and rerun the WGA validation tool?

I've had an issue this last week with a genuine, activated Windows 7 machine suddenly reporting non-genuine twice over the course of 5 days. Each time I have re-run the validation tool and it goes geniune without a problem.

 

[ajc196]

Is the time/date/year set correctly? That will kick any validation attempt if incorrect.

It could also be one of the rare false positives from WGAV. Just remove it, and as long as Windows stays activated and legit, you should be good.

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Uninstallers/RemoveWGA.shtml

 

[Appletax]

Have you been to the MS Update site and rerun the WGA validation tool?

I've had an issue this last week with a genuine, activated Windows 7 machine suddenly reporting non-genuine twice over the course of 5 days. Each time I have re-run the validation tool and it goes geniune without a problem.

---- The problem is that I am unable to run the validation tool. The computer is unable to connect with the MS activation servers.

Is the time/date/year set correctly? That will kick any validation attempt if incorrect.

It could also be one of the rare false positives from WGAV. Just remove it, and as long as Windows stays activated and legit, you should be good.

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Uninstallers/RemoveWGA.shtml

---- I ran this and it worked.

QUESTION::: If the license is activated, but won't completely activate and be considered genuine because it can't connect with the activation servers and I run this tool will it still be able to receive UPDATES ?



> I was having other problems with it too such as needing to install drivers every time I inserted a USB flash drive or ext. drive and it said the drivers may be unsigned. SO I went and did a nuke and pave because then I know everything will befine. I want to return the computer to my customer in the best working condition possible.
I don't want them to continue to experience further problems.

The machine is a Dell Dimension 4450 from 2003 or 4 ish so the OS is pretty old. Figured it'd be best to wipe/backup/tuneup for best possible performance.

> I activated it with the product key on the COA and everything works fine

 

[wtigger]

To the OP: Why didn't you use the Dell Factory Restore utility/partition? All Dells have had them, unless the HDD has been replaced But then again, time to invest in some Dell CD's for all the OS's they have shipped. Never needs validation...

 

[Appletax]

To the OP: Why didn't you use the Dell Factory Restore utility/partition? All Dells have had them, unless the HDD has been replaced But then again, time to invest in some Dell CD's for all the OS's they have shipped. Never needs validation...

There was no recovery partition and they did not have their recovery DVDs