"Your copy of Windows 7 is invalid" Why?

[BarbieGee]

I have an ASUS Smart Notebook UL30A purchased January 2010. This month, May 2012 I began receiving a notice after boot that my copy of Windows 7 (Home Premium) was invalid. This seemed impossible to me and I thought this notice was a part of some virus I may have received. I scanned but no virus was found. Then I did some research thinking if there was some undetected malware around some others would have it. I found only other PC users receiving a similar notice at various times over the past 2 years. This notice then seemed ligit so I proceeded to click on the notice and proceeded to enter the Product Key as asked. This did solve the problem but my question remains, WHY? Why after 2 and a half years did I get this notification? I have kept up with all updates and no notice with that sort of contact with MicroSoft... so, any ideas as to why this sort of notice suddenly appeared.?

[ruirib]

No code is perfect and I guess Microsoft's way of determining whether a copy of Windows is legitimate also fails, some times. It happened with me, as well. As long as it is solved, I wouldn't worry too much about it, but I do think the blame is with MS software itself, not with some virus or similar.

[BarbieGee]

So it might be a code "Glitch"? Some 1's and 0's got dropped ya think? I suppose it is possible but I must say it was a bit of a wierd feeling, thinking 'do I have a pirate computer?'
Happily the notice that appeared did give me a way to enter the Key and verify.

Thanks for the response ruirib

[Just Plain Fred]

so, any ideas as to why this sort of notice suddenly appeared.?

"BG",
Hello... I have a multi boot PC and this happens (at times) whenever i make a Image or sometimes when i recover an Image running Acronis or Macrium Reflect, from my Windows 7 Partition. When rebooting i will get the message that "This copy is not genuine" Blah, Blah, blah. I just "X" it and then it will boot without problems Doesn't happen every time...Also at times i will see that message on the "DeskTop" after recovering a Image. I just chalk it up to some MS weirdness ... Regards Fred

[ruirib]

So it might be a code "Glitch"? Some 1's and 0's got dropped ya think? I suppose it is possible but I must say it was a bit of a wierd feeling, thinking 'do I have a pirate computer?'
Happily the notice that appeared did give me a way to enter the Key and verify.

Thanks for the response ruirib

It's definitely a code glitch or a corruption of the data kept about the Windows version info, that affects many users. It has happened without any malware intervention.

Some times it seems some license numbers are added to the pirated version numbers list, but if that were the case, you wouldn't be able to solve the problem as you did.

[BarbieGee]

Fred, my little ASUS is just a plain ole notebood without too much fancy things about it. Don't do a lot of imaging and such so this notice threw me off a bit. I thought about ignoring it but that made me fear for some shut-down at a later date. Also, it may have blocked me from receiving MS updates, some of which I actually do need. After a few days of closing this message and seeing a little notice in the lower right-hand corner of my desktip screen telling me my computer was somehow invalid (!) I made the decision to take the plunge and FIX IT!!

Fortunately I am pack rat and save things like the original box in which the computer came, all the papers, plastics and of course Recovery Disks. And of course the computer itself has the Product Key on the bottom. I even wrote down that Key on the Recover Disk sleve. Hopefully this wont happen again but if what you say about your experiences are true then I may expect another nasty notice.

Thanks for your imput into this 'happening'.

[CLiNT]

It's great that you were able to fix this on your own, and it's even better that you have all of your original documentation, including recovery disk.

I'd hate to be the only pooper in this party, but it is also possible that the problem you encountered is merely a symptom of a overal corruption in the software
environment. Keep an eye on thngs, and by all means create backups of everything you consider important.

[ruirib]

It's great that you were able to fix this on your own, and it's even better that you have all of your original documentation, including recovery disk.

I'd hate to be the only pooper in this party, but it is also possible that the problem you encountered is merely a symptom of a overal corruption in the software
environment. Keep an eye on thngs, and by all means create backups of everything you consider important.

I guess someone has to do it, Clint .

I had the same error message in an old laptop after a period on non usage with a valid Windows key and nothing (bad) has happened ever since. My son now uses the laptop and he has used it without any issues (this was quite a few months ago).

[CLiNT]

Just a heads up to the OP that a backup strategy should be made in the event that something does come of this.

[bbearren]

Just a heads up to the OP that a backup strategy should be made in the event that something does come of this.

Amen. The thing about this technology we so easily take for granted is that failure is not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. Nothing takes the place of a well thought-out and regularly used backup regimen.

I saw long ago in someone's signature line on some help forum somewhere, "Any file that you don't have at least two copies of is a file you don't really want to keep."

And there's Ted's signature line we all see right here on a regular basis:

BACKUP...BACKUP...BACKUP

[Medico]

Amen to that! (Did I just hear an echo)

[lesle]

...snip
Fortunately I am pack rat and save things like the original box in which the computer came, all the papers, plastics and of course Recovery Disks. And of course the computer itself has the Product Key on the bottom. I even wrote down that Key on the Recover Disk sleeve. Hopefully this won't happen again but if what you say about your experiences are true then I may expect another nasty notice.
...snip

You might also want to write the MS Product Key on the Disc(s). Same thing on non-MS software that has a License code or whatever. I use a Sharpie extra fine point permanent marker. It works fine, I've been doing it for around ten years and have never had a problem.

I also write my name and permanent phone number on software discs. The few times I've sold (transferred license) older software, I've just blacked out that information with a fine point Sharpie.