update suddenly caused failure of validation

Does anyone know why all my Gateway computers have suddenly failed product
validation please? I have a personal XP computer which has passed everything
for about five years since it was new and suddenly I am getting the error
message that my Windows XP Home installation is using a blocked VLK.

Obviously it isnt a VLK and I cant believe Microsoft will have had such an
argument with Gateway that they would have blocked hitherto perfectly valid
product keys on personal computers.

Is there any way out of this situation or should I just ignore it and let
WindowsUpdate keep on providing critcal security updates? I called Gateway
and they obviously refused to help.

news.microsoft.com wrote:

> Does anyone know why all my Gateway computers have suddenly failed product
> validation please? I have a personal XP computer which has passed everything
> for about five years since it was new and suddenly I am getting the error
> message that my Windows XP Home installation is using a blocked VLK.
>
> Obviously it isnt a VLK and I cant believe Microsoft will have had such an
> argument with Gateway that they would have blocked hitherto perfectly valid
> product keys on personal computers.
>
> Is there any way out of this situation or should I just ignore it and let
> WindowsUpdate keep on providing critcal security updates? I called Gateway
> and they obviously refused to help.
>
>

Windows XP Genuine Advantage Validation Issues (Windows XP)
http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/e...dowsxp/threads

Suggest you post in the above forum as MS representatives are present
there. There are none present in the Windows Update newsgroup.


MowGreen
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

banthecheck.com
"Security updates should *not* have *non-security content* prechecked"

"MowGreen" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> news.microsoft.com wrote:
>
>> Does anyone know why all my Gateway computers have suddenly failed
>> product validation please? I have a personal XP computer which has passed
>> everything for about five years since it was new and suddenly I am
>> getting the error message that my Windows XP Home installation is using a
>> blocked VLK.
>>
>> Obviously it isnt a VLK and I cant believe Microsoft will have had such
>> an argument with Gateway that they would have blocked hitherto perfectly
>> valid product keys on personal computers.
>>
>> Is there any way out of this situation or should I just ignore it and let
>> WindowsUpdate keep on providing critcal security updates? I called
>> Gateway and they obviously refused to help.
>
> Windows XP Genuine Advantage Validation Issues (Windows XP)
> http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/e...dowsxp/threads
>
> Suggest you post in the above forum as MS representatives are present
> there. There are none present in the Windows Update newsgroup.

This issue arose when I did a WindowsUpdate: Does anyone know what the
trade-offs are to having to spend hours on the phont while someone at MS
tries to sell me yet another copy of Windows to replace my perfectly valid
one please? How often does the nag screen come up and will it at some time
be worth my time trying to resolve this with MS or is there in reality no
way of doing so?

S*** happens. Move on...

Please follow this simple troubleshooting procedure, courtesy of MS MVP
Carey Frisch:

1. Download and install the WGA Diagnostic Tool
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=56062

2. After running the WGA Diagnostic Tool, click on the "Windows" tab and
then click on "Copy to Clipboard".

3. Next, visit the following website and create a post in the "WGA
Validation Problems" forum and paste the results of the WGA Diagnostic Data
in a detailed post:
http://social.microsoft.com/forums/e...owsxp/threads/

4. A WGA troubleshooting specialist will analyze the data and recommend an
appropriate solution.

news.microsoft.com wrote:
> Does anyone know why all my Gateway computers have suddenly failed product
> validation please? I have a personal XP computer which has passed
> everything
> for about five years since it was new and suddenly I am getting the error
> message that my Windows XP Home installation is using a blocked VLK.
>
> Obviously it isnt a VLK and I cant believe Microsoft will have had such an
> argument with Gateway that they would have blocked hitherto perfectly
> valid
> product keys on personal computers.
>
> Is there any way out of this situation or should I just ignore it and let
> WindowsUpdate keep on providing critcal security updates? I called Gateway
> and they obviously refused to help.

news.microsoft.com wrote:

> How often does the nag screen come up and will it at some time
> be worth my time trying to resolve this with MS or is there in reality no
> way of doing so?

The easiest way to resolve this is to post to the Genuine Advantage Validation
Issues forum as MowGreen and PA Bear have already suggested.

Harry.


news.microsoft.com wrote:
> "MowGreen" <> wrote in message
> news:%...
>> news.microsoft.com wrote:
>>
>>> Does anyone know why all my Gateway computers have suddenly failed
>>> product validation please? I have a personal XP computer which has passed
>>> everything for about five years since it was new and suddenly I am
>>> getting the error message that my Windows XP Home installation is using a
>>> blocked VLK.
>>>
>>> Obviously it isnt a VLK and I cant believe Microsoft will have had such
>>> an argument with Gateway that they would have blocked hitherto perfectly
>>> valid product keys on personal computers.
>>>
>>> Is there any way out of this situation or should I just ignore it and let
>>> WindowsUpdate keep on providing critcal security updates? I called
>>> Gateway and they obviously refused to help.
>> Windows XP Genuine Advantage Validation Issues (Windows XP)
>> http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/e...dowsxp/threads
>>
>> Suggest you post in the above forum as MS representatives are present
>> there. There are none present in the Windows Update newsgroup.
>
> This issue arose when I did a WindowsUpdate: Does anyone know what the
> trade-offs are to having to spend hours on the phont while someone at MS
> tries to sell me yet another copy of Windows to replace my perfectly valid
> one please? How often does the nag screen come up and will it at some time
> be worth my time trying to resolve this with MS or is there in reality no
> way of doing so?
>
>

Isnt this just a way of getting the unwitting to buy another copy of windows
by pretending that theirs is in some way not genuine? Is there EVER any
other solution to this lengthy, convoluted and intrusive procedure? WGA
sounds like the ultimate malware to me: I am absolutely positive for various
reasons that my copy is genuine but am being told that it isnt. It may be
disguised as a WindowsUpdate but isn't that what malware is? Something
which slows down your computer with the ultimate intent of getting you to
waste money?

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <> wrote in message
news:...
> S*** happens. Move on...
>
> Please follow this simple troubleshooting procedure, courtesy of MS MVP
> Carey Frisch:
>
> 1. Download and install the WGA Diagnostic Tool
> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=56062
>
> 2. After running the WGA Diagnostic Tool, click on the "Windows" tab and
> then click on "Copy to Clipboard".
>
> 3. Next, visit the following website and create a post in the "WGA
> Validation Problems" forum and paste the results of the WGA Diagnostic
> Data in a detailed post:
> http://social.microsoft.com/forums/e...owsxp/threads/
>
> 4. A WGA troubleshooting specialist will analyze the data and recommend an
> appropriate solution.
>
> news.microsoft.com wrote:
>> Does anyone know why all my Gateway computers have suddenly failed
>> product
>> validation please? I have a personal XP computer which has passed
>> everything
>> for about five years since it was new and suddenly I am getting the error
>> message that my Windows XP Home installation is using a blocked VLK.
>>
>> Obviously it isnt a VLK and I cant believe Microsoft will have had such
>> an
>> argument with Gateway that they would have blocked hitherto perfectly
>> valid
>> product keys on personal computers.
>>
>> Is there any way out of this situation or should I just ignore it and let
>> WindowsUpdate keep on providing critcal security updates? I called
>> Gateway
>> and they obviously refused to help.
>

Dont take this the wrong way PABear but I think I could easily spend the
whole lot of time chasing my tail on this to which I alluded earlier.

I did go to the site you mention and found that you cant just post and get a
response. Besides that, I ran the check tool and found that suddenly my XP
home installation is being wrongly recognised as a Volume License Key. And
once I had run that clever piece of malware, I discovered that the VLK
status is now engrained in my registry and the "key update tool" (which
SHOULD show MS that I have a properly licensed OS with a genuine key on the
underside of the computer) to correct the wrong key which has found its way
onto my system wont actually take the proper genuine key on the computer!!

And I will bet this malware has infected all restore points as well! So I
cant go back to before the WindowsUpdate.

I wonder whether AVGshould have caught it or is it disabled by the "Press
here if you trust Microsoft" button.

[On a brighter note, I have found that ONE of my Gateway computers which had
this 'you're a dastardly counterfeiter and must spend lots of money with us
to get us to stop nagging you and make you feel better' problem has been
cured by simply shutting down and re-booting]

Time to start using Partition Commander to make backup hard drives again!

"news.microsoft.com" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> Isnt this just a way of getting the unwitting to buy another copy of
> windows by pretending that theirs is in some way not genuine? Is there
> EVER any other solution to this lengthy, convoluted and intrusive
> procedure? WGA sounds like the ultimate malware to me: I am absolutely
> positive for various reasons that my copy is genuine but am being told
> that it isnt. It may be disguised as a WindowsUpdate but isn't that what
> malware is? Something which slows down your computer with the ultimate
> intent of getting you to waste money?
>
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> S*** happens. Move on...
>>
>> Please follow this simple troubleshooting procedure, courtesy of MS MVP
>> Carey Frisch:
>>
>> 1. Download and install the WGA Diagnostic Tool
>> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=56062
>>
>> 2. After running the WGA Diagnostic Tool, click on the "Windows" tab and
>> then click on "Copy to Clipboard".
>>
>> 3. Next, visit the following website and create a post in the "WGA
>> Validation Problems" forum and paste the results of the WGA Diagnostic
>> Data in a detailed post:
>> http://social.microsoft.com/forums/e...owsxp/threads/
>>
>> 4. A WGA troubleshooting specialist will analyze the data and recommend
>> an appropriate solution.
>>
>> news.microsoft.com wrote:
>>> Does anyone know why all my Gateway computers have suddenly failed
>>> product
>>> validation please? I have a personal XP computer which has passed
>>> everything
>>> for about five years since it was new and suddenly I am getting the
>>> error
>>> message that my Windows XP Home installation is using a blocked VLK.
>>>
>>> Obviously it isnt a VLK and I cant believe Microsoft will have had such
>>> an
>>> argument with Gateway that they would have blocked hitherto perfectly
>>> valid
>>> product keys on personal computers.
>>>
>>> Is there any way out of this situation or should I just ignore it and
>>> let
>>> WindowsUpdate keep on providing critcal security updates? I called
>>> Gateway
>>> and they obviously refused to help.
>>
>
>

> I did go to the site you mention and found that you cant just post and get
> a
> response.

That's correct. You need to include the output of the WGA Diagnostic Tool
in your post, just as I said in my previous reply.

> ...I ran the check tool and found that suddenly my XP
> home installation is being wrongly recognised as a Volume License Key.

Why is it wrong? You bought the Gateway computer with WinXP pre-installed,
right?

> And I will bet this malware has infected all restore points as well!

Nonsense.

> I cant go back to before the WindowsUpdate.

Huh? No, you can't "undo" a failed Validation/Authentication.

PS: Your predicament (which is not that unusual & which probably could be
resolved very quickly without having to purchase anything) has no effect
whatsoever on Automatic Updates functionality.


news.microsoft.com wrote:
> Dont take this the wrong way PABear but I think I could easily spend the
> whole lot of time chasing my tail on this to which I alluded earlier.
>
> I did go to the site you mention and found that you cant just post and get
> a
> response. Besides that, I ran the check tool and found that suddenly my XP
> home installation is being wrongly recognised as a Volume License Key.
> And
> once I had run that clever piece of malware, I discovered that the VLK
> status is now engrained in my registry and the "key update tool" (which
> SHOULD show MS that I have a properly licensed OS with a genuine key on
> the
> underside of the computer) to correct the wrong key which has found its
> way
> onto my system wont actually take the proper genuine key on the computer!!
>
> And I will bet this malware has infected all restore points as well! So I
> cant go back to before the WindowsUpdate.
>
> I wonder whether AVGshould have caught it or is it disabled by the "Press
> here if you trust Microsoft" button.
>
> [On a brighter note, I have found that ONE of my Gateway computers which
> had
> this 'you're a dastardly counterfeiter and must spend lots of money with
> us
> to get us to stop nagging you and make you feel better' problem has been
> cured by simply shutting down and re-booting]
>
> Time to start using Partition Commander to make backup hard drives again!
>
> "news.microsoft.com" <> wrote in message
> news:%...
>> Isnt this just a way of getting the unwitting to buy another copy of
>> windows by pretending that theirs is in some way not genuine? Is there
>> EVER any other solution to this lengthy, convoluted and intrusive
>> procedure? WGA sounds like the ultimate malware to me: I am absolutely
>> positive for various reasons that my copy is genuine but am being told
>> that it isnt. It may be disguised as a WindowsUpdate but isn't that what
>> malware is? Something which slows down your computer with the ultimate
>> intent of getting you to waste money?
>>
>> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> S*** happens. Move on...
>>>
>>> Please follow this simple troubleshooting procedure, courtesy of MS MVP
>>> Carey Frisch:
>>>
>>> 1. Download and install the WGA Diagnostic Tool
>>> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=56062
>>>
>>> 2. After running the WGA Diagnostic Tool, click on the "Windows" tab and
>>> then click on "Copy to Clipboard".
>>>
>>> 3. Next, visit the following website and create a post in the "WGA
>>> Validation Problems" forum and paste the results of the WGA Diagnostic
>>> Data in a detailed post:
>>> http://social.microsoft.com/forums/e...owsxp/threads/
>>>
>>> 4. A WGA troubleshooting specialist will analyze the data and recommend
>>> an appropriate solution.
>>>
>>> news.microsoft.com wrote:
>>>> Does anyone know why all my Gateway computers have suddenly failed
>>>> product
>>>> validation please? I have a personal XP computer which has passed
>>>> everything
>>>> for about five years since it was new and suddenly I am getting the
>>>> error
>>>> message that my Windows XP Home installation is using a blocked VLK.
>>>>
>>>> Obviously it isnt a VLK and I cant believe Microsoft will have had such
>>>> an
>>>> argument with Gateway that they would have blocked hitherto perfectly
>>>> valid
>>>> product keys on personal computers.
>>>>
>>>> Is there any way out of this situation or should I just ignore it and
>>>> let
>>>> WindowsUpdate keep on providing critcal security updates? I called
>>>> Gateway
>>>> and they obviously refused to help.