Win7 'not genuine'

[BOAC]

Had to do a crisis clone of my Win7 (IDE) drive due to imminent failure.

I can now boot into Win7, admin password recognised, but after a slow 'preparing your desktop' I get just a basic blank desktop with a non-genuine warning bottom right and now't else. Ctrl/Alt/Del is normal, and shutdown options too. Repair from DVD recognises the install but dumps me back at the repair options.

It obviously thinks I am trying to do a second install, I guess, but how do I get to any screen where I can re-validate?

[mixture]

Right click on computer, down to properties, hit "change product key" ... enter your key.... run through the validation... job done.

Otherwise, from the command line....

Code:

slmgr -ipk your-key-here

 slmgr -ato

[BOAC]

Thanks, M - good plan but:

No start button or 'Computer' icon so cannot access

Plan 2 produced a 'cannot find script slmgr.vbs' or similar

[mixture]

Suggest you wipe (or replace) the drive, install windows from fresh, reinstall software the proper way (i.e. not from some cloning process) and restore any files you need from backup (don't just blindly stick the clone back on there !).

Sounds like you've got a badly messed up system there, and your last minute desperate clone is unlikely to be of much use.

[Milo Minderbinder]

explorer.exe isn't loading automatically. This can happen sometimes after recovery operations
use ctrl-alt-del to launch task manager, and then use that to manually launch explorer.exe
once explorer is running you should be able to run the activation wizard, however you'll probably have to re-enter the product key, using the one from the CofA sticker

[BOAC]

Thanks to both. I had pretty much decided by post#3 that it was heading down re-install alley, and have done. Milo - I could not work out what I needed to run in cmd prompt to get there! That is useful.

I fully expected a 'hassle' with a reinstall WGA but none arrived

[Milo Minderbinder]

for future reference, the sequence is

ctrl-alt-del > select " start task manager" > Applications > New Task > explorer.exe (just type it in the namespace) > OK

[BOAC]

UPDATE:

I fully expected a 'hassle' with a reinstall WGA but none arrived

- well now it has! After finally transferring the Win7 to a SATA drive from an old IDE I guess M$ reckons there is skullduggery afoot. Too many hardware changes I guess. The initial 'change product key' via first line telephone support did not work so I have to wait until Monday to speak to the next level for reactivation.

I know why they do it, but it is a pain when you ain't 'cheating'.......................

[Milo Minderbinder]

you must have said something wrong.....or the key was entered incorrectly.
In hundreds of activations I've never been escalated. Never. Its worked every time
Give it another go using the automated line, check the key very carefully, and make sure you answer the automated questions correctly. When it asks on how many PCs the software is installed, be certain to say "one" only.

Other possibility is that the installation CD is for the wrong version of windows....
what does the CofA sticker say re version? And whats on the disk? Is it a genuine Microsoft disk? Or an OEM manufacturers disk?

[BOAC]

All sorted today with the support guy. Never found out what it was, but maybe I had a vestigial Win7 file/key somewhere from the cloning which was throwing a wobbly. Anyway, all up and running.