So WGA says im not legal

MeatLoaf · 13 Jun 2006 at 21:41

Basically im running XP Pro that i got last year off the bay. Got a CD and a licence sticker and a little booklet.

Just enable auto updates and its installed them all, but now when i start up it says that my copy may not be legal

Im sure it is, but is there anything i can do, apart from shelling out £61 for another copy?

And if i do get another copy it will have to be Home Edition as its £30 cheaper

Will i have to reformat?

Berserker · 13 Jun 2006 at 21:50

If it looks professionally done, call Microsoft and they'll offer a free replacement (assuming they're still doing that). They'll want the disk and to know where you got it from etc.

And no, doing this will not require a reformat.

Burnsy2023 · 13 Jun 2006 at 21:56

Have a look at this for info:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17582816&highlight=licensing

Burnsy

MeatLoaf · 13 Jun 2006 at 21:56

Cheers, do they have a UK number?

Phil99 · 13 Jun 2006 at 22:01

Does the license sticker you got have a computer manufacturer name on?

MeatLoaf · 13 Jun 2006 at 22:13

Phil99 said:
Does the license sticker you got have a computer manufacturer name on?

Not that i can see

ballistic · 13 Jun 2006 at 22:43

why exactly do you care if it says its illegal? you are getting the same product.

Berserker · 13 Jun 2006 at 22:44

ballistic said:
why exactly do you care if it says its illegal? you are getting the same product.

Until you try to use Windows Update, upgrade to Vista (when it's out), etc.

Better to be legal, especially if it's free to do so.

rickyt · 13 Jun 2006 at 22:48

have you thought about the fact , that the disk you bought may have been copied before it was sold , or even multiple copies are going arround and someone has already activated it or even registered it ? . Your licence key must already be registered with *icosoft , dont you think ?

Richdog · 13 Jun 2006 at 22:52

At work we're getting customers who got their Windows pre-installed from Dell saying they are getting "your copy is not genuine" messages...

tom_e · 13 Jun 2006 at 23:22

it may well be that your just unlucky and a key gen has given out your serial number although the chances are quite small

MeatLoaf · 13 Jun 2006 at 23:34

I dont get it. Ity let me install SP2, whereas my mate who has a *ahem* copy wouldnt let him put SP2 on.

MS let me reactivate after my recent mobo change, now this. And it wont let me install WMP11

Berserker · 13 Jun 2006 at 23:42

mobo change may not have helped if it was originally an OEM copy (although if it was, you shouldn't have been able to get it from eBay in the first place).

HangTime · 13 Jun 2006 at 23:49

MeatLoaf said:
I dont get it. Ity let me install SP2, whereas my mate who has a *ahem* copy wouldnt let him put SP2 on.

MS let me reactivate after my recent mobo change, now this. And it wont let me install WMP11

The goalposts have moved. The service packs used simple blacklisting of a few known corporate keys which were widely used by many dodgy copies (i.e. your mate probably didn't have the nous to change his). Whereas WGA is much more tricky to circumvent because afaik it requires you to have a key which has not been activated by anyone else.

Basically SP2 came out before WGA.

Tesla · 13 Jun 2006 at 23:55

Phil99 said:
Does the license sticker you got have a computer manufacturer name on?

Why do you ask this? I have wondered if some manufacturers have different versions?

Berserker · 14 Jun 2006 at 02:00

OK. That's enough. Keep it on topic, or this thread gets binned.

ballistic · 14 Jun 2006 at 02:33

Berserker said:
Until you try to use Windows Update, upgrade to Vista (when it's out), etc.

Better to be legal, especially if it's free to do so.

Windows update works even if it thinks it's illegal, not through the website though, not sure about Vista - but a clean install should be done anyway. Since it's free then yes I guess you might as well get a legal serial code.