for some reason the laptop i have been using for 3 yrs now is saying i don't have a genuine copy of windows vista and is asking for the product key to be entered. the problem is the product key is basically unreadable and why would it be doing this when the product was registered when i set it up 3 years ago?
"why would it be doing this when the product was registered when i set it up 3 years ago?" Registration of Windows and validation of Windows are two different things.
Registration is optional, whereas validation/activation is compulsory. There is no requirement to activate pre-installed versions of Windows however, since it's already done at the factory.
What may have happened is someone else is using your Windows Product Key, and when that happens, Microsoft "blacklists" it so that even the genuine owner of that key (you) eventually receives the "not genuine" warning.You will have to contact Microsoft.
try downloading magic jelly bean and running that to get your key and see if it matches the one you have your using.but if could be what pip22 is saying also.just my 2 cents worth might help you thou Davidw
Easiest solution is to contact M$
Vista was obviously the factory installed OSSome HELP in posting on Computing.net plus free progs and instructions 7 Medals
Ad Choices