Microsoft Genuine Validation

[Reckoning]

About a year ago i bought an XP cd with a legit cd key from a friend and i installed windows fine and i was able to get service pack 2 downloaded and all the new programs like the newest windows media player (which you couldn't do without your cd key being genuine) now out of no where my computer updates and windows is giving me a big pop up when windows first boots to an annoying icon in the system tray saying my software may be counterfeit.

What would make this perfectly fine cd key go from working to suddenly counterfeit and how can i fix this?

 

[strategic]

The CD may be legit, but can you guarantee that CD key wasn't used anywhere else?
Why would your friend have the CD and suddenly not have use for it anymore?
This is why MS creatred the validation tool...

 

[Bobbye]

About a year ago i bought an XP cd with a legit cd key from a friend and

I have to ask the same question- why did friend have Windows OS CD lying around with no use for it? Maybe he didn't use that OS anymore, but he would have had to use the key originally.

I have the Windows XP CD that came with desktop 7 years ago. IT was OME with the key on the sleeve to validate it. Cd has been sitting in desk all this time, but I couldn't/wouldn't sell it to anyone because basically that would make the OS pirated.

 

[Reckoning]

i understand what you guys are saying and i knew that when i bought the cd but ive used this key for quite some time now and it passed the test before, i just dont get why all of a sudden theyre marking it as unvalid

 

[strategic]

It's only been a year, and there has been more than [1] genuine advantage check by Microsoft since then. You're not alone, I've seen this many times. (they're constantly adding new filters).
Rule of thumb... don't ever buy a software CD from anybody, unless it's sealed in a package and the product key isn't visible, it's used.

It actually bothers me to read this because I, personally would never do something like this to a friend...

 

[DelJo63]

MS has changed the tool.

Originally it just validated the key itself

Now it matches the key to the content installed (eg is Media Center == XP/Pro ?)

and likely they have a database (by now) of which user has FIRST installed which key.

 

[strategic]

Originally it just validated the key itself
Now it matches the key to the content installed

Good point jo, I never really knew the specifics of it, just knew it's been updated.

 

[Reckoning]

I'm assuming you can't just do a system restore a few days back and trick windows into never knowing?

 

[strategic]

Sure, you can do a system restore, but you'll never be able to keep your PC up to date and will leave your system with its doors wide open to attacks. It's your choice whether or not to have a secure system.

 

[DelJo63]

Good point jo, I never really knew the specifics of it, just knew it's been updated.

I just ran into this last week; the key was for Media Center and the system was XP/Pro.

Takeaway: Be careful when a friend comes to you with a CD and says something like
"I can fix that with this CD"