Computer "geek" help needed.

[Jp.]

I was inspired to ask this question by the "post your desktop" thread.


have a look carefully at the bottom right hand corner. In the icon line up is a strange grey "star" shape.    

Every time i turn my computer on i get a message box that says something like "This is not a Genuine copy of windows, the key found appears to be counterfeit"

Now I bought this computer second hand and it may well be counterfeit....

I dont care This message stops my computer from booting up untill I manually click "resolve later" every time. IT ANNOY'S THE HELL OUT OF ME :!:

If anyone can PM me with a resolution this would be good. (wouldnt want to openly perpetuate/condone piracy)

   :lol:

[_tom_]

I dont really know much about how computers work but I guess if worst comes to worst you'd have to get a new copy of XP?

[Ol]

This new 'feature' was installed in one of your Windows Updates.  Crafty lot this M$.

I'm sure if you use Google to your advantage then you will be able to find a work around aka crack. :roll:

rgds
Ol.

[FELINEGUITARS]

Microsofgt are losing market share
For years they effectively gave away their product
Whilst they seem cash rich things are not all as rosy as it seems
Hence they are clamping down on illegal copies

Bit like record companies who dont know how to put out good music anymore - they are turning to litigation over music copying that they ignored before

[Afghan Dave]

Ok..

So you were looking through your folder of Penthouse Porn with ACDSee and decided to take a screen grab?

I know your game.

You've been shafted by Microsofts Service Packs or have auto-update turned on.

What you could do is make totally sure you have a copy of XP (any up to Service Pack 2) at hand before rolling back to a state prior your last update.

If you have XP you would be best to reformat your drive or the C partition of the hard drive if you have multiples.

Then re-install.

There are tons of walkthroughs for this on the net - read these first and print them off!

Take your time and audit ALL your software & drivers before starting anything.

If and when you get this resolved - TURN OFF AUTO UPDATES / BLOCK WITH YOUR FIREWALL!

Good luck

[38thBeatle]

I have the same issue and am currently looking into a work around- my geek son lives in USA ( I am in UK)  but I have him working on it too.

[chrisola]

cough bit torrent in google search cough pirate bay cough xp crack cough

[Davey]

cough bit torrent in google search cough pirate bay cough xp crack cough

man, you catchin a cold? :roll:

[chrisola]

well, blatantly directing to 'warez' is a ban in some places  :shock:

[schmendict]

You have a tiny monitor, haha.
I'd try and get a copy of XP, legally, of course.
 :roll:

[CaffeineJunkie]

you could try going to Add / Remove Programs, turn on the show updates option and delete the last couple of update, then turn auto updates to "ask me before installing", then when it asks to install the updates, you can just select the ones which you want to install.


Oh yeah, and do a backup first, i hear that helps

and set a system restore point

[willo]

This new 'feature' was installed in one of your Windows Updates.  Crafty lot this M$.

I'm sure if you use Google to your advantage then you will be able to find a work around aka crack. :roll:

rgds
Ol.

Ha ha! I dodged this; I don't have auto-update on, and declined this feature. My copy should be fine; I mean, I got it all from Dell but I resent the principle of people checking inside my computer without my consent.

[deg0ey]

Yeah the copy of XP I'm using is an illegal copy, but you get away with it as long as you don't get SP2 (i think the higher ones are ok, it's just 2 to steer clear of [but don't hold me to that])...Doesn't cause any problems with stuff running or whatever, it's just like a "We Know What You Did" feature :P

[CaffeineJunkie]

as long as you don't get SP2 (i think the higher ones are ok, it's just 2 to steer clear of

what are you on about?? first, anything higher than 2 will contain 2 in the first place, second, there have been no more service pack released since 2 for Windows XP

and yeh i know, i deleted the "don't hold me to that" part, but still, common sense says that anything above 2 will contain the features of 2, otherwise you'd have to install everything instead of just the latest install

[deg0ey]

Lol I know nothing about it, I let my dad deal with the Windows side of things - but i thought we were up to SP4 lol

Anyways, yeah alls i know is that you must never get SP2 if you have an illegal copy (as i've been told on many many occasions) otherwise the world will explode and you die...well, you get a mildly annoying message, but still

EDIT: and yes, common sense tells me that you're probably right about further updates and stuff - but i have very little to spare and wasn't gonna waste it on this thread :P