Windows XP genuine prob

[Dr_metz_livs]

A friend sold me their old pc a little while ago which has Windows XP professional already loaded onto it. However, windows has just thrown up a message saying that "it is not a genuine version" and has disabled updates etc making computing life a little difficult. I bought XP professional (a full version on student licence) but on the back of the disk it says that I can only use it as an upgrade if I have an existing licenced product. Would it be possible to reformat my computer, load it up with a licenced version of Win 98 and then upgrade to XP? Help!

[vehelpfulguy]

I do not think you need to install Win98.

When I have done a new install of Windows upgrade software in the past it I only had to insert the old Windows CD.

During the install it said there was no previous version of Windows on the disk, so I had to insert the CD of the older version of Windows so it could verify I had it, then the install carried on.

[camioneur]

My friend has the same message coming up on his and that IS a genuine version so I presumed it was a scam and not from Microsft at all,was I wrong?

[kepla]

It could well be a little piece of 'malware' that you have got by accident that is just giving you the message for devilment. Alternatively, it could be that something physical about your PC has changed and Windows needs to be 'registered' again. But, more importantly, you say you bought the PC off your friend - so that copy of Windows is licensed to your friend, not you. If you read the Windows license carefully you will see that it is NOT transferrable. I doubt that it has somehow recognised that you are not your friend and thrown this message intentionally but, if you want to stay legal, then the copy of Windows which came with your machine is NOT yours. You could keep on using that copy of Windows, but you would technically be unlicensed and in breach of the law. You could go out and pay a fortune for another Windows license - that is, after all, how Microsoft became so very rich. The alternative is to forget about Windows and use something decent. Send off for a free copy of Ubuntu Linux, which is terribly easy to install, and enjoy real value-for-money.

[joko]

i have been getting this message too.

someone else was on here the other day saying the same thing

it must be a scam if so may people are getting it

mustn't it?

[bexta]

I also get in now and again and I have an original version. I have very good virus protection so I don't think mine is a scam. Do you get it when you start up and log in or when you download updates or both?

[Kerplunk]

It is not a scam it is caused by the latest updates from microsoft...the genuine validation tool.

[joko]

i get it on start up and occasionally it just pops up during use

[jenstar]

What a great advertisement for Linux.

[Kerplunk]

What is wrong with them wanting people to pay for their software?

[Dr_metz_livs]

Oh dear Kerplunk! What happens 9 times out of 10 is that you bought a perfectly legal and above board version of windows with your PC then lost the disk and borrowed a friend's disk in order to re-format your machine or whatever and then because the software is technically not yours even though you have paid for a full version of windows, yuo fail the validation and have to fork out another �92 + for the code validation key. Are you seriously tellng me that you've never copied a disk to save time/money?