MY NEW DELL HAS ILLEGAL OS

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I JUST BOUGHT A DELL (FROM DELL)- 3-4 MONTHS AGO. I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS:
COULDN'T GET MY FAVORITES TO COME UP, GETTING ERROR MESSAGE THAT MY WINDOWS
MAY NOT BE GENUINE. MY COMPUTER GUY SAYS THAT MY HKEY IS NOT VALID. ANYONE
ELSE HAVING THIS TROUBLE?
 
SNOPRO said:
I JUST BOUGHT A DELL (FROM DELL)- 3-4 MONTHS AGO. I STARTED HAVING
PROBLEMS: COULDN'T GET MY FAVORITES TO COME UP, GETTING ERROR MESSAGE
THAT MY WINDOWS
MAY NOT BE GENUINE. MY COMPUTER GUY SAYS THAT MY HKEY IS NOT VALID.
ANYONE ELSE HAVING THIS TROUBLE?
Click to expand...

Please don't type in all capital letters. On Usenet (where you are
posting) it is considered shouting, rude, and makes your post hard to
read. This will limit your answers.

There is no way that a machine bought directly from Dell has an illegal
copy of XP on it. It is possible that your "computer guy" doesn't
understand that the Product Key that shows up in system inventory
programs like Belarc Advisor and Aida32 is the one used by Dell when
imaging the many computers it makes. The correct Product Key for *you*
is the one on the sticker on the case.

I would question the competency of a "computer guy" who didn't know
this. It is far more likely that you have malware and/or bad hardware
than having an illegal operating system from a major mftr. like Dell.
Unfortunately, we don't have enough information about your system to
give you focused help.

Get another "computer guy".

Malke
 
I JUST BOUGHT A DELL (FROM DELL)- 3-4 MONTHS AGO. I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS:
COULDN'T GET MY FAVORITES TO COME UP, GETTING ERROR MESSAGE THAT MY WINDOWS
MAY NOT BE GENUINE. MY COMPUTER GUY SAYS THAT MY HKEY IS NOT VALID. ANYONE
ELSE HAVING THIS TROUBLE?
Click to expand...

Based on your description of problems, it seems the following is
possible:

1) Your machine has been compromised by some form of malware
2) Your machine may or may not have been cleaned of the malware
3) The malware corrupted the WGA detected files and that's what is
causing your system to be seen as pirated

I would suggest that you have your computer guy do a "repair/reinstall"
with the real Dell XP CD that shipped with your computer, while in a
secure environment (meaning having the firewall enabled or from behind
some NAT router at least), and then do all the updates and installing a
quality Antivirus program.

If you do this, it's a good bet that you will find that your
notification goes away.
 
Sorry about the caps - don't normally do these!

As far as the competency of my computer guy - don't go there! After
spending two hours on the phone with Dell - they were not able to fix the
problem... Dell originally directed me to go to Microsofts website to
download a "patch"... This patch was developed to fix the "problem". I have
been told that a "company" deliberately installed illegal os's on MANY
machines, when caught by Microsoft, they settled, & Microsoft developed the
patch. Unfortunately the patch does not always fix the problem. My computer
had to be re-formatted this morning. My computer has run SpyBot, Ad-Aware,
& PC-Cillin from day one. I appreciate your responses, though none will be
needed from this point on. Thank you!
 
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