Help-Windows not genuine apparently!

[manic111]

My computer just blue-screened with "pen list corrupt" after crashing out of word. I then booted it back up, and it entered Windows (Vista Home Premium 32 Bit OEM) to tell me that it was not a genuine copy before restarting again. I am now back in Windows, but in the bottom right corner of my desktop it says "Windows Vista (TM) Build 6000 This Copy of Windows is not Genuine".

It is a genuine copy of Windows, I bought the OEM version when I built my PC in August, and it has worked fine since. What has happened? Please help.

I have just tried System Restore, and it says that there are no restore points. There definately used to be some.

 

[manic111]

I can get into Windows Defender which is apparently locked if your copy is actually pirated.

Additionally, I just checked on the Microsoft website and it was validated fine. However, I cannot get a Windows Sidebar up, which is another thing that is locked out normally if it is a pirated copy.

 

[manic111]

Have run a virus scan etc and its all clean.

 

[manic111]

Ive done a bit of Googlage and have found that this is apparently a flaw with Vista-wow I love Microsoft!. Anyway, mmost of the forum posts imply that I need to ring them and activate it again over the phone. I will give it a go tomorrow.

There is a system update (KB931573) which apparently helps resovle the problem , but when I download it it says "the update does not apply to your system". Any ideas?

 

[manic111]

Well this is really odd. I have just had all sorts of problems rebooting my PC-BSOD with "memory management" and "IRQL not less or equal". I had the same problems last time a stick of RAM went, so I yanked out 3 of my sticks and lo and behold it booted fine, no little message in the corner. What a strange way for a RAM problem to manifest itself. Looks like I will be making another RMA to Crucial (my lucky number 3-really should invest in different RAM!)