This version of Windows is not genuine ...

[GL3N]

Good evening guys.

A friend of mine recently dropped in her laptop to myself, and it has a message stating ;

Insert the Windows Installation DVD or CD into your computer to begin the reinstallation process.

In the bottom right hand side of the black screen it says ;

Windows Vista (TM)
Build 6000
This version of Windows is not genuine.

I dont believe she has any Windows Vista install CD's to my knowledge...

From what I can gather, she told me she got a virus on her laptop a while ago and took it too a computer shop ( I'm assuming independant ) to get it '' fixed ''.

I believe they must have reinstalled / rebooted the hard drive installing Windows Vista.

Everytime I turn the machine on this message comes up, and I cannot go any further. I click cancel and the user logs off.

The Ctrl + Alt + Del facility is disabled and I cant go any further to look into it. I havent tried booting in Safe Mode. Will this make a difference ?

I went into another store and they said that they can sort out this problem. It will cost £90, and they will install a free year subscription with an Anti Virus.

From what I can see, the store she went to may have installed a '' dodgy copy '' of Vista ? Any ideas ?

Regards,

Glen Whall

 

[Patonb]

What type of laptop?

Also most laptops have their MS keys on the bottom, and a recovery partition.

Also you should beable to use a like copy of vista and the original ms key.

 

[GL3N]

Its Toshiba.

Not sure of the model though.

It just keeps asking for a CD with a cancel button on the menu. Its either - Insert CD or Cancel and log out.

I wouldnt know where to get a like copy of Vista tbh. It has a serial on the bottom of the laptop, but I'm not sure if it works ?

A shop quoted me £90 to sort the problem.

 

[bruce2]

Hi Glen welcome to the board,

Have you try to restore the laptop to its original condition as it came when new? You'll be able to do that in most laptops unless the HDD has been replaced and still you can use the product key comes with the computer. On the other hand, the store must have wiped out the whole disk and put in a wrong key during reinstallation. Or you can call Microsoft for a verification. Good luck and post back.

Bruce

 

[Lorien]

Does the system have a Recovery Partition and do you know how to access it? Do you have Recovery Disks for the computer from the manufacturer? What is the manufacturer, make and model of the computer - I need this to do further research on solving the problem? The model number should be on a label on the bottom of the laptop (assuming it isn't clearly shown somewhere else on it and different from the Product Key label). The serial number is different from the Product Key - the product key is a 25-digit alphanumeric code of 5 sets of 5 digits separated by dashes. If it has a serial number, it should certainly have a make and model listed somewhere - perhaps inside the battery case. Have you tried contacting the person who did the original repairs and requesting an explanation of what is happening and how they will fix it (for free) since their reinstallation is what is causing the message?

I have no idea if safe mode will work or not, but it certainly can't hurt to try (but I doubt it will help).

Your best bet (short of the original repair person correcting his mistake) is to contact the computer manufacturer and get a set of recovery disks (for a nominal fee - probably much less than $90 - it looks like $25 if it were in the US - not sure about overseas) and/or find out if you have and can use a Recovery Partition (assuming the repair people didn't mess that up as well). They should be able to identify the make and model from the serial number. Then use one of these methods to return the system to factory original conditions (and those should include a valid copy of Vista which should match the product key located on a label on the back, sides, bottom, or in the battery case if a laptop). You will lose everything on the computer, but at least you will get your computer back. You will probably need this key to reactivate the original Vista. When you post back, please be sure to do so (from what Toshiba provides you). Try http://laptopforums.toshiba.com/t5/System-Recovery-and-Recovery/Recovery-media/m-p/9148#U9148 and the following forum seems to have a lot of information about this and you can post if they don't address your concerns with what's already listed http://laptopforums.toshiba.com/t5/System-Recovery-and-Recovery/bd-p/brd_recovery or perhaps http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/support/jsp/navShell.jsp?cf=su_contact (which is for the US and Latin America - I couldn't find a contact number for UK or Europe).

If this all seems like too much effort, then just spend the $90 for the shop to get you fixed up (and make sure you request a copy of a disk so if this happens again you won't be in the same boat). Whether or not you even want them to install the AV program they are offering depends on what it is - there are plenty of free ones out there that are better than most (or perhaps any) that cost money (so I wouldn't consider that much of an incentive). The decision is yours. I'd at least try to fix it on my own before spending the money, but that's your choice to make.

Good luck!

 

[cwl7454]

Why not start by going to the "computer shop ( I'm assuming independant )" and try to find out what they did to repair it, that way you will have a better idea in which direction to head. Did she have Vista installed initally and if so what flavor? Sounds like they installed a different version or an OEM and that is why she/you are getting the "This version of Windows is not genuine", and not allowing to proceed.

 

[niemiro]

There are a very few viruses that actually do this. Maybe Vista was actually never re-installed, just some clueless sales assitant handed it back with the virus only halfed removed, but still took the money. I doubt it, but maybe.

 

[Lorien]

Compliments of Steven - Support Engineer:

After booting into Windows, when it shows the error message, a browser window should open up. If it doesn’t, let it sit for a few minutes (maybe even an hour) and check again.

Once the browser opens, do the following:

Type the following command in the browser’s address bar: %windir%\system32\
Scroll down till you find the f!le cmd.exe

Right-click the file and select Run as Administrator

(ASIDE: If the above doesn't work - any part of it - create a recovery disk (since you noted she doesn't have a Vista disk) and use the command prompt option on that disk to run the following command to see if it gets the system to limited functionality. If it gives you an access error message or a similar error message, type C:\ and enter and then type cd C:\Windows\System32 and enter and try the command again. You can make a bootable Recovery Disk using http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/ along with burning software like: http://www.snapfiles.com/get/active-isoburner.html and, of course, a blank CD (obviously made on a different computer - maybe the one you're using to post here or pretty much any other that has a CD drive able to burn CDs).

In the Command Prompt window type the following command and press enter: slmgr -rearm

(Note: the slmgr -rearm command can only be used 3 times)

After performing those steps, restart Windows and you should have access to the machine. Note that this is only temporary and will return to its previous state in 30 days if not taken care of.

After you have access again, run the diagnostics tool at the link below then click copy and paste the results to Windows Vista Validation Issues (Windows Vista) Forum. They specialize in exactly this sort of problem (in fact, that's pretty much all they do) and will identify the cause and instruct you on what to do to resolve it (we don't really have anyone here able to read that report and diagnose the problem). NOTE: You will have to register with the forum to post there - but it's quick and easy and, of course, free. Incidentally, that's where I obtained most of the procedural information in this post - I essentially posted the issue there and posted the reply here (crediting the person who replied). I've also asked them what to do if the browser window doesn't appear and I'm awaiting a response on that (just in case).

Windows Genuine Diagnostics Tool: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012


I hope this helps.


Good luck!

 

[cwl7454]

@Lorien

From what I'm getting from the OP is that he is getting past the boot point but then not getting any further to display a browser or enter any commands.

"It just keeps asking for a CD with a cancel button on the menu. Its either - Insert CD or Cancel and log out."

While you can try, there is no guantee that inserting a valid copy of Vista is going to correct the problem. JMO, I say that a reformat and clean install will be necasssary or as you suggested earlier go to the shop that said that they could fix the problem and be sure to know what they did when you pick it up.

 

[Lorien]

Yes, I realize it's a long shot, but perhaps it's a matter of waiting a bit longer for the screen to appear rather than reacting immediately or too quickly to the message - at least I'm hoping that's the case. And if that doesn't work, perhaps using the Recovery Disk will do the trick (though I'm less certain about that but it is possible and worth a shot if the browser window doesn't appear on its own). If this works either way, then we can identify the validation issue and perhaps have something to work with. It's worth booting and letting it sit a half an hour or so just to see if a screen does actually appear (and creating and trying the Recovery Disk if that doesn't work). While it won't resolve the problem on its own, it will probably identify the problem and that's a step in the right direction.

Of course, it may come down to a re-installation with a valid copy in the long run no matter what the reason is for it not being genuine (and talking to the original repair shop can't hurt), but knowing the cause may provide other options that aren't currently available (and if this works, allow limited access for 30 days or maybe even 90 days since it can be used 3 times which is better than exists at the moment). It may turn out to be something that can be repaired by simply doing a manual activation with the valid Product Key on the machine (if limited access can be re-acquired) - and that would save some money on yet another repair shop. Anyway, I posted the question on that site and that's the response they provided so I figured it was worth a shot.

 

[cwl7454]

I concur wholeheartadly with you. Interesting to see the response.

 

[cwl7454]

been how many days now and no response back to this thread, wondering about the direction of the underlying current.

 

[Lorien]

I'm hoping the problem is resolved and the Thread Started is so overjoyed at that, that he has simply overlooked posting back here to tell us. The fact that he hasn't posted back could very well mean he no longer has the problem. Sometimes we never learn how these things turn out in the end.

 

[senojdr2]

Good evening guys.

A friend of mine recently dropped in her laptop to myself, and it has a message stating ;

Insert the Windows Installation DVD or CD into your computer to begin the reinstallation process.

In the bottom right hand side of the black screen it says ;

Windows Vista (TM)
Build 6000
This version of Windows is not genuine.

I dont believe she has any Windows Vista install CD's to my knowledge...

From what I can gather, she told me she got a virus on her laptop a while ago and took it too a computer shop ( I'm assuming independant ) to get it '' fixed ''.

I believe they must have reinstalled / rebooted the hard drive installing Windows Vista.

Everytime I turn the machine on this message comes up, and I cannot go any further. I click cancel and the user logs off.

The Ctrl + Alt + Del facility is disabled and I cant go any further to look into it. I havent tried booting in Safe Mode. Will this make a difference ?

I went into another store and they said that they can sort out this problem. It will cost £90, and they will install a free year subscription with an Anti Virus.

From what I can see, the store she went to may have installed a '' dodgy copy '' of Vista ? Any ideas ?

Regards,

Glen Whall

vista needs to be activated by microsoft.1 800 936 5700

 

[senojdr2]

Windows need to be activated.Open computer c: drive select system properties at botton find genuine ms logo box.Click and activation of left side of page.click activate,this should solve trouble.This problem MAY reappear AGAIN!

 

[ilikefree]

I would run ABR a program to find and store your activation code, Store it on a USB stick. Then Reinstall and remove the Toshiba rubbish.Any retail copy of Vista can be used. When it asks which version you want to install, pick the version you had with the activation key.

I did my Toshiba just over a week ago. The updates take a while to go through but you end up with a fast clean computer.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/117366-clean-install-full-version-vista.html

Tutorial thanks to Brink

ABR (Activation Backup and Restore) | directedge.us