Windows Genuine Help!

[Guest Deleted_Account]

Okay so long story short:

I Windows 7 Ultimate become unstable because of some driver issues and crashed so I wiped it out and installed Fedora 13. This was fine until I realized I need windows to use specific programs for my Computer Science Course. any so I reinstalled Windows, which is an OEM copy from Acer as when I bought my computer I opted for Ultimate at a 40% off price, it accepted the OEM key but now, 24 hours latter, it is saying I am NOT genuine!!! So I thought it was because an update failed (thats what googling told me anyways) but nope after 2 reinstalls latter it still wont accept this key as legit!!! I virus scanned to be safe but I am not infected.

When I called Microsoft the call went like this:

Them: Hello thank you for calling Microsoft my name is {Guys name} what seems to be the problem?

Me: I reinstalled my OEM copy of windows and now it's saying its not Genuine.

Them: Okay sir, Can you please read me you OS ID? Do you know how to find it?

Me: Yes one second.... Okay its {ID}...

Them: One moment please

Them: Okay it seems this good what is your OEM key? It should be on the disk or back of you computer.

Me: Oh, its {KEY}

Them: Sorry sir but this key has been blacklisted.

Me: What do mean? I got this from Acer!?

Them: Well sir when OEM keys get leaked we have to black list them in order to stop piracy.

Me: But mine is legit? Why is mine no longer genuine?

Them: See sire that shouldn't happen. Let me check something what was your name?

Me: Kyle {Last Name :P}

Them: Okay it looks like you may have been infected with malware.

Me: Nope I checked and reinstalled 2 times since..

Them: Oh.. Well are you SURE it is not a fake?

Me: I got it from acer and it has worked for months!

Them: Well I am sorry but your only option is to buy a new copy.

Me: [HUNG UP PHONE HERE]

So as MS is being a bunch of Fing douches can someone tell me what I can do BESIDES buy a new one??? I tried my friends serial (as they can be used 3 times or whatever) but it wont change from not genuine :/ even the Slmg stuff and it goes back :/ no matter what key I use :(

Thanks ahead of time!

X942

[VaKo]

Me: [HUNG UP PHONE HERE]

Here is where you fucked up. You should have asked for an escalation, to speak to a manager. Unless you push, nothing will get done. So get the fuck off of the internet, back on that phone and don't give up until your speaking to someone in charge of something more important than a desk chair.

[Sparda]

Agreed, you can (probably) prove you bought the Acer computer from Acer, presumably they keep a record of the serial numbers of the copy of Windows that go with each machine.

[3TeK]

Just install Ubuntu 10.10.

Problem solved.

[Guest Deleted_Account]

Lol I hang up because I was pissed as I had spent 20 minuets on hold for nothing. I did call back and got some better a supervisor I think. Anyway they had me fax them my reciept and a scanned copy of the COA sticker and key on the back of my laptop. Apparently my Key is invalid it's a Dell key and WGA has detected a "loader" that apperntly makes windows 7 accept the Dell key. Which is weird so checking receipts and paypal it's definitely from acer. But the COA and other security features I was told to look for are missing or poorly forged :( Some how I have a fake copy of windows :/ either that Or some how there was some weird mix up. Anyways I am awaiting for them to call back. Wonder how this happened I ordered fro acers website :/

[digip]

Put in your original key, then if it says its already been used, opt for phone registration, and go through the menu, answer the questions, input the keys windows gives you and it should activate. otherwise, someone else has ganked the code and used it too many times and its now invalid, which means you have to sit with customer service and do a little schmoozing to get the system activated.

[Guest Deleted_Account]

Well Acer seems willing to consider sending my another copy it will take 20 days to clear though. As for the phone in MS said the same but I don't see the option they said it is because it's OEM install IDK but there is no option for it while on my friends ultimate disk there is :/

[Guest Deleted_Account]

DUDE!

ugh.. you fucked up a few times

*Hung up

*Tried someone elses key (still illegal regardless)

MS probably figures your trying to get it free at this point.

Your options: Buy a new one, or crack it (I'm not condoning it but its an option)

Actually read MS's EULA it's perfectly legal to use the same key you can you use it on up to 3 different PC's. Also this doesn't matter I never told them about it anyways it was an attempt to see if was my key or copy. It turns out it's the actually CD as this is the first time I had to use it as before I had a recovery partition that would install the OS from there. According to Acer some of their disc are "faulty" and in 20 days they may send me another for free. As for cracks I refuse to use them for two reasons:

1) I don't care won't anyone says lots of them are malicious and I am not going to take that chance

2) I do not condone nor support piracy in anyform as a developer I know how hard it can be. I may not be the most amazing at coding but when I am hired to create a product for someone and they give out Copies for free I know how annoying it can be. (this is why me and my friends are designing a better security/ anti-piracy solution for our programs that will hopefully slow down piracy).

[VaKo]

Shit happens, so you need to push aggressively on the issue and dictate the progress of the interaction. Acer seem to be playing ball, so go with this option for the moment. Take names, reference numbers, log call times, get escalated. But be polite, and switch tactics to match the person your dealing with. Yelling, cursing etc will get you nowhere fast (every call center worker ever has a way of fucking you over without going off script).

As for license issues, your copy of Windows 7 will allow you to activate x amount of times, but that does not allow you to run x amount of copies concurrently. If you need multiple copies of Windows, buy MSDN/Technet, your not supposed to run them on production systems but honestly, unless your selling keys no one will care. Its pretty much legal piracy, MS knows this but your paying which is more than you would do if they didn't have the option.

[Charles]

+1 to VaKo. That's the way to deal with customer service people. Be polite and take down names and reference numbers.

[astromech_kuhns]

I did http://www.microsoft.com/About/Legal/EN/US...ms/Default.aspx

and I think your full of it..... It's not there. one licenese per machine.. 3 activations per machine

I cannot buy one license for windows and put it on 3 pcs id get sued

______________________

As far a piracy, you shouldn't be upset I mentioned it was an option as you legally paid for your copy right? So you didn't steal anything from them now did you.

Calm it buddy, Just trying to help

i do have to agree, if you paid for it, and had to reinstall it, and due to THERE faults, it wont work, then i dont see a huge problem with cracking it. now if they end up fixing your problem with a new copy like you might get, good. but if not, then the way i look at it is, your not at fault they are. if your not pirating it, it shouldn't be a huge problem.

but these are the kind of reasons i run linux. you have to reinstall and you cant because there codes got black listed and they wont help you out with there problems. now you have to re-buy something you already purchased.

[SomeoneE1se]

if you only need it for this one program crack in a VM inside your favorite *nix distro?

[Guest Deleted_Account]

I did http://www.microsoft.com/About/Legal/EN/US...ms/Default.aspx

and I think your full of it..... It's not there. one licenese per machine.. 3 activations per machine

I cannot buy one license for windows and put it on 3 pcs id get sued

______________________

As far a piracy, you shouldn't be upset I mentioned it was an option as you legally paid for your copy right? So you didn't steal anything from them now did you.

Calm it buddy, Just trying to help

First I would like to apologize as thAts not how I wanted it to come accross. I only ment it as my view I am sorry it came across that way. Secondly I guess I misunderstood the EULA I did double check and I agree with you now. I was wrong and misunderstood.

i do have to agree, if you paid for it, and had to reinstall it, and due to THERE faults, it wont work, then i dont see a huge problem with cracking it. now if they end up fixing your problem with a new copy like you might get, good. but if not, then the way i look at it is, your not at fault they are. if your not pirating it, it shouldn't be a huge problem.

but these are the kind of reasons i run linux. you have to reinstall and you cant because there codes got black listed and they wont help you out with there problems. now you have to re-buy something you already purchased.

I see what you are saying but it is a security risk with all of the infected faux crams out there and still I would rather ride this out till the end. MS my just give the old run around but Acer is being nice should have started with them.

if you only need it for this one program crack in a VM inside your favorite *nix distro?

Tried this with XP as I just never activated it and 7 the software wont run properly and just crashes even when running on my tower with 8GB of Ram and a quad core. Not sure why but if any one knows how to fix problems like this much appreciated :)

Didn't think of it earlier but it may possibly run in wine

Tried too and unfortunately it's a no go it won't even launch properly :(

Again I am sorry if my comments cAme across wrong, it's one of the limitations of text, it was only ment as an explanation to why I thought it was wrong and why I cannot will not do it. As for liscences I was wrong and misread it and as I said after rereading I understand what you are saying. I think it's office I was think of that let's you install on more than one pc with kne license idk something I have from MS let's you.

Edited October 13, 2010 by x942

[slipdisc]

I recently had something very similar like this happen with a Dell desktop. MS asked me to take a digital pic of the CoA and email it to a tech support person at MS, which i did. The next day someone from Dell emailed me asking me to call a 800# at Dell.

I did this and they overnighted the restore discs to me, no questions asked. It appears that the version of Win 7 Home Premium is pre-activated, as I didn't have to mess with the MS activation anymore.

I would agree with the others here and say that by you telling MS to fuck off accomplishes nothing. Stay on the line and escalate it further. But if there is no CoA on the machine, forget it.

[Guest Deleted_Account]

UPDATE:

While the key on the back of my Laptop looks fake and has no COA or other anti-counterfeit marks the CD does so I scanned it. MS is still giving me the run a round and when I finally got some today higher up (above "supervisor" apparently) they said it wasn't their fault and keys only get black listed if they are used to often. Now that I gave them the key on the CD the say it IS Acer (while the one on the laptop is Dell) and it has been black listed too :/ Apparently this happens after a key is used X number of times or if WGA detects a Loader used with the key. HOWEVER if you are LEGIT WGA should not have a problem according to MS and as such they think I am trying to rip them off even after sending them receipts and such.

Acer on the other hand has sent me a pre-paid envelope to send them back the CD and a photo of the label on the computer. They also requested that I either send them my laptop or they use Remote Desktop/Assistance to verify the problem (Never knew they actually do this lol).

[slipdisc]

UPDATE:

Acer on the other hand has sent me a pre-paid envelope to send them back the CD and a photo of the label on the computer. They also requested that I either send them my laptop or they use Remote Desktop/Assistance to verify the problem (Never knew they actually do this lol).

Cool. Sounds like Acer is stepping up to do the right thing and support their customer.

Best of luck to you.

[Guest Deleted_Account]

Cool. Sounds like Acer is stepping up to do the right thing and support their customer.

Best of luck to you.

Thanks and yes they are thankfully. I am not sure why Microsoft won't though, I mean sure they get thousands of calls a day with such claims but I ACTUALLY presented a receipt and scan of the disc. Having said that I did find a website ( I will post the link when I can find it again) talking about some guys experience with MS and how they did a similar thing and he ended up taking them to court and WON :) I would do this but its a waste of time for me however I like to here when us normal people when against the big corps :)

[VaKo]

Its probably something along the lines of MS sold Acer the licences, not you. So Acer is responsible for resolving the issue, not MS.

[Guest Deleted_Account]

Its probably something along the lines of MS sold Acer the licences, not you. So Acer is responsible for resolving the issue, not MS.

Maybe but they never did say to call Acer I just did it because I was fed up of being passed around and put on hold. Acer answered right away and I was with someone in </= 5 minute. Acer has sent me an "integrity checker" on CD and I am about to run it.