windows not genuine message

[tipisqueen]

I started receiving this message about a year ago about my windows not being genuine. I looked online and found some ways to bypass like using rearm on cmd. But now that does not work as it says it has been used too many times and I even reset in registry to allow for more times but still does not work.  I don't know why it suddenly started giving me this message as I had this computer since 2013 and it never gave me that message before. How can I get the license key again?

[mdklassen]

Every time that you start Windows, it "calls home", passing the product-key to Microsoft.

For some reason, Microsoft is now flagging your product-key.

Your product-key is on the decal that is affixed to the exterior case of your computer.

One reason for the flagging is that somebody copied that 25-character value, and is using it on their computer.

Perhaps, tell us more about your acquisition of the computer.

Did you purchase it from a reputable "big-box" store, such as WALMART?

Did you purchase it online from HP?

Did you purchase from a small owner/operator computer-store, who may have been less than honest with how they obtained that product-key?

Have you ever taken your computer to that small computer-store, for servicing? Did they copy your product-key?

Did you purchase it privately?

[tipisqueen]

It was bought from a small computer store and no it has never been serviced. And I have no idea how they obtained the key. But I had it for a few years and all was fine.

[mdklassen]

> I had it for a few years and all was fine. 

I can only presume that "too many" computers "called home" with the same product-key over "too long" a time interval, causing Microsoft to take action.

One of the "get genuine" options on your computer is to telephone a voice-response system.

If you indicate that you have not used that product-key on more than one computer, you should be granted a new product-key, at no cost to you.

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[tipisqueen]

OK thanks, I just bought a code off eBay and is now registered again. I did that before I read about the telephone service. But thanks either way.

[mdklassen · Accepted solution]

> I just bought a code off eBay and is now registered again.

Good, at least for a while.   Probably, it was less expensive than buying a genuine product-key from Microsoft.

It was unethical (and maybe illegal) for the seller to take the product-key from a "dead" system, and sell it to you.

Hopefully, the seller will not sell the same product-key to anybody else, which might eventually return you to the "not genuine" status.

I would avoid that unethical computer-store, where you were put you into that "not genuine" trap.