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Question

This copy of windows 7 is not genuine

Aug 13, 2016 8:27AM PDT

My boyfriends laptop hdd just went kaput. Installed on it was Windows 10 (originally windows 8 but he did the free upgrade). Luckily I had a working hdd lying around from an old HP Pavilion dv7 that overheated on me a few years back. I put it in, it worked fine. I did a factory reset to clear up all the junk that was installed on it and now it's telling me "This copy of Windows is not genuine, Build 7600". Maybe it's because it was supposed to be for a HP laptop and this is a Toshiba, but that has nothing to do with the authenticity of the OS. I was thinking of just downloading Windows 8 and using the product key that came with the laptop, but of course all the writing on the sticker on the bottom has rubbed off (Why do they put the key there?!!!). Is there anything I can do to sort this problem out? I'm not buying anything as I shouldn't have to, I have two copies of genuine newly bought Windows sat on the HDDs. It's just that one HDD is broken and one is for a different laptop, that shouldn't matter, right?

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
OP never returned to thread
Nov 29, 2016 7:01PM PST

and it's months old now.

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Answer
Moving a hard drive from one laptop to another
Aug 13, 2016 8:49AM PDT

isn't going to work unless the two are the same model and created with the same image from the vendor. That's how OEM products work and you can't do much about it. What I could recommend is that, if this is an HP, you contact them to see if you can purchase a set of recovery disks. They won't be free but won't cost as much as buying a retail version of Windows. If it came with Windows 8, get that disk set and buy a new HD for the laptop.

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Moving a hard drive
Nov 18, 2016 4:04AM PST

When you try to boot a hdd from another computer that has a OS installed, you will normally see the computer have all kinds of fits and not boot up
Then is when you attempt the repair install. Normally works.

Now if you have matching components in both computers, something I have done, then you can swap hdds and expect the computer to boot up with no problems.
But if you still, say a Dell boot hdd in a HP and expect it to boot to that Dell hdd. You will probably end up doing a clean install from the OS cd/dvd.

Thanks & Regards

Unrelated ad link removed by moderator.

Post was last edited on November 18, 2016 4:21 AM PST

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Answer
I have GOOD NEWS.
Aug 13, 2016 9:07AM PDT

My brother had an office laptop that the HDD died. It ran W10!!!

Here's the deal and we've now done this quite a few times.

Get your new HDD then go make the USB to reinstall W10 with the:
"Windows Media Creation Kit".

No key was needed. If it asked, skip or answer you'll do it later. When it gets an internet connection it should validate and activate.

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Answer
Window is not genuine
Aug 22, 2016 12:00AM PDT

The main reason behind this error is you are not using the genuine Operating System unless you have an official copy from the Microsoft Windows.

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Not necessarily
Aug 25, 2016 4:11PM PDT

I have also had completely legitimate copies of Windows 7 that were verified and activated by Microsoft that suddenly, after months of use, begin telling me that they are not legitimate. Even though I went through Microsoft's complete verification and reactivation process and was told, once again, that the Windows installation was then certified as genuine, after some more time, the same notice that it was not legitimate begins popping up once more. I don't even try to make these installations legitimate any more. Other than the annoying illegitimacy notices, everything seems to work okay.

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More good news.
Aug 25, 2016 4:16PM PDT

Microsoft so far has been giving free support on activation issues. If it is all legit, just make the call to get it sorted.

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and more
Nov 29, 2016 5:18PM PST

You can call the number and follow the wizard or you can even activate on your smart phone. I do it all the time.

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copy may be legal but install may not be
Aug 27, 2016 1:13AM PDT

couple of examples

1. a lot of users go cheap and purchase oem/system builders oem when they want to upgrade. In most cases it will install, activate, and declared as genuine but months or even in some cases years later be declare non-genuine.

The oem/system builders oem disk is legal, to use it as an upgrade is violation of microsofts eula.

2. some users will upgrade their computers motherboard when the original goes bad or just to upgrade and will still use the original oem/system builders operating system. This will also activate, and be genuine but...Any time you upgrade the motherboard, per microsofts oem eula, you must purchase a new os so it could also be declared non-genuine at any time.

there are other examples but I figure two would be enough. If microsoft would not activate your computer, you must have some violation you were not aware of.

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Same here
Nov 29, 2016 9:19AM PST

I've had the exact same experience. Microsoft says everything is copacetic and legal, and then later on the "not genuine" message pops up. I've had this happen on more than one of my computers. I have gotten so I just ignore it and treat it as an annoyance. Everything seems to work except for not being able to show background wallpaper on the monitors. Who cares? I can live without pretty wallpaper.

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Now that W7 support is fading
Nov 29, 2016 3:39PM PST

I'm seeing more and more W7 installs damaged by malware and FAKE system optimizers. I know folk are desperate to restore Windows speed or functions but if you see an offer for PC Speedup 2017 or similar, it's usually not what it seems.

Hey, there are folk that love that stuff and had some initial good luck, and I only need to check back in a few weeks to hear an earful.