# MS keeps insisting it's "not genuine windows" after a SSD installed-??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 8, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821 "2014-09-08T02:13:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821/1 "2014-09-08T02:13:55Z")
Hey all, So… all I did was to install a SSD, and MS messages are now insisting that I’m somehow “not running genuine Windows” even though NOTHING else has changed. It’s the SAME copy of Windows 7 that came with the computer… right clicking Computer, then choosing Properties, then going to Windows Activation SHOWS that it’s activated… this is SO annoying. (The IMHO part is coming up, I guess…) All of MS’s messages imply that I’m an evil pirate who stole Windows 7, when this exact same thing MUST have happened to a lot of other people too (going by all the online complaints, anyway.) :mad: Anyway, back to the strict facts-- what am I supposed to do now?? I have the activation key, but it already SAYS that Windows has been activated!!! All advice appreciated. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821/2 "2014-09-08T02:35:50Z")
Is there a phone number shown on any of your warnings? If so, call it. ---
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821/3 "2014-09-08T03:09:40Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Is there a phone number shown on any of your warnings? If so, call it. No… I haven’t seen any phone numbers. The main thing that doesn’t make sense to me is that my computer SAYS that Windows is activated!! (Okay, that’s not the only thing that doesn’t make any sense, but it’s up there…😕 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821/4 "2014-09-08T07:32:03Z")
At what point of what process are these messages appearing? Are you seeing a dialog box? Does it recommend any particular actions? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821/5 "2014-09-08T07:34:47Z")
Is it this dialog? [http://blogs.msdn.com/cfs-filesystemfile.ashx/\_\_key/communityserver-components-postattachments/00-09-44-16-63/important\_5F00\_to\_5F00\_use.png](http://blogs.msdn.com/cfs-filesystemfile.ashx/__key/communityserver-components-postattachments/00-09-44-16-63/important_5F00_to_5F00_use.png) ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821/6 "2014-09-08T11:30:46Z")
I’d be wary of any phone numbers were there any: it could be malware. a few links: **[1.](http://www.networksteve.com/windows/topic.php/This_copy_of_Windows_is_not_genuine_-_Windows_7_Enterprise/?TopicId=52512&Posts=8)** See the post beginning for one solution: _The problem is that Windows cannot find the Product Key in the Licensing Store._ **[2.](http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-updates-activation/249000-windows-7-build-7601-suddenly-copy-windows-not-genuine.html)** **[3.](http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1928304)** **[4.](http://www.techyfreaks.com/2014/02/windows-7-build-7600-this-copy-of.html)** Another good solution, but wherein it is not ascribed to malware, but to: ‘_Another reason to think that Microsoft is a buggy piece of crap_.’ ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821/7 "2014-09-08T14:06:16Z")
There’s also the [new 4K sector issue](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2510009). New hard drives (SSD or traditional) come formatted with 4K sectors because it’s more efficient for storing large files (and on average all files in general have gotten larger). When you clone a non-4K drive onto a 4K one weird things can happen ---
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821/8 "2014-09-09T03:32:42Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > I’d be wary of any phone numbers were there any: it could be malware. > > a few links: > > **[1.](http://www.networksteve.com/windows/topic.php/This_copy_of_Windows_is_not_genuine_-_Windows_7_Enterprise/?TopicId=52512&Posts=8)** > > See the post beginning for one solution: > _The problem is that Windows cannot find the Product Key in the Licensing Store._ > > **[2.](http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-updates-activation/249000-windows-7-build-7601-suddenly-copy-windows-not-genuine.html)** > > **[3.](http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1928304)** > > **[4.](http://www.techyfreaks.com/2014/02/windows-7-build-7600-this-copy-of.html)** > > Another good solution, but wherein it is not ascribed to malware, but to: ‘_Another reason to think that Microsoft is a buggy piece of crap_.’ I looked at all the links-- I really, actually did! Some of them made me afraid. :eek: I tried the one that involved the command line (#3, I think,) but it didn’t accomplish anything. The same message is still coming up. I’ll try to conquer some of my fear of the others… Anyway, just so that everyone can see what I’m talking about… [Here’s a lovely screenshot.](http://www.dracoandginnyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/00-ms-message1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821/9 "2014-09-09T04:03:05Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > There’s also the [new 4K sector issue](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2510009). New hard drives (SSD or traditional) come formatted with 4K sectors because it’s more efficient for storing large files (and on average all files in general have gotten larger). When you clone a non-4K drive onto a 4K one weird things can happen I suppose anything is possible, but I haven’t seen this. I’ve installed one SSD on my own laptop and a different one on a friend’s. Both SSDs had the Advanced Format 4K sector alignment and the initial partition restore was misaligned and fixed later. I was running a retail version of Win 7 Pro and the other person an OEM version of Win 7 Home Premium. Neither one had a problem. While misaligned there were no Windows complaints and everything ran normally. That’s just my anecdotal experience, not saying it can’t happen. > [@Anise](#): > > … Anyway, just so that everyone can see what I’m talking about… [Here’s a lovely screenshot.](http://www.dracoandginnyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/00-ms-message1.jpg) A friend was having some serious Windows 7 issues a while ago and we did a repair install and ended up getting a similar message. I believe the online activation actually failed but as it was some time ago and I was helping them over the phone I’m no longer sure of the exact sequence of events. I know for sure that the “Windows not genuine” message was popping up. In their case for whatever reason there was a Microsoft 800 number to call for phone activation, and it resolved the problem for us. Perhaps you can get to it via the “resolve online now” link. You may need to deactivate (or there may be an “activate with different product key” option which I remember seeing somewhere) to go through the phone activation process. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821/10 "2014-09-09T04:09:39Z")
[Page one of thread](http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/upgraded-ssd-and-now-get-windows-not-genuine/7d471fbd-49c5-4d59-b1fc-dbbb2c91f3a6) [Some other people have had your same issue](http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/upgraded-ssd-and-now-get-windows-not-genuine/7d471fbd-49c5-4d59-b1fc-dbbb2c91f3a6?page=2) Here is one fix. > [@](#): > > Boonta123 replied on September 15, 2012See post history Close > > OKAY… Ignore all of these answers that talk about repairing Windows, etc… The problem is, you tried to clone your hard drive while the SSD had a defined/allocated partition. THAT’S IT… You did nothing else wrong, and there’s an easy way to fix it. I am assuming you are Using Norton Ghost 15.0. > > I just installed a Samsung 830 and had EXACTLY this problem. Here’s how to do it correctly, thereby making Windows boot properly and bypassing all of the ‘fixes’ offered here: > > 1. Go to Start \>Administrative Tools \>Computer Management. When Computer Management loads, select ‘Disk Management’ under the Storage tab. > > 2. The bottom center of the window will show you your disk drives. Look for your SSD and RIGHT click on it. Then select ‘Delete Volume’. This will unallocate that drive’s partition. > > 3. Reboot > > 4. Do step 1 again and make sure the SSD shows up and is listed as unallocated space. > > 5. Open Norton Ghost. Click Tools and then select ‘Copy My Hard Drive’. Select your current Windows boot drive as the source, click next. > > 6. Now you need to choose the SSD as your destination drive. It will NOT have a drive letter. Instead, it should show up on the list as an asterisk (\*) with a comment about XXX GB of unallocated space. Select it… Click Next > > 7. In the advanced settings, select the following: > > - Set Drive Active (for booting OS) > - Ignore bad sectors during copy > - Copy MBR > - Make sure that ‘Primary Partition’ is selected > - Set the drive letter to \ > > \*\*NOTE: If the partition button and drive letter menu are greyed out and can’t be selected, do steps 1-4 again. However, in step 1, allocate the SSD drive space, reboot, then delete the volume again. This is a windows glitch. > > 1. Hit next and click ‘finish’. After 45 minutes or so, your SSD will be cloned. > > 2. Shut down your PC. Reverse the SATA cables on your SSD and your old Windows boot drive… Don’t ask me why you have to do this, you just do. > > 3. Turn on your computer and boot in to the BIOS. Make sure you change the boot order to your SSD first. > > 4. Save and exit and reboot… It should now work without the Windows not genuine thing. HOWEVER, I have noticed that some programs (like games) have required me to reactivate them. This is hit and miss, but Windows and MS Office work perfectly. > > If this doesn’t work, then there’s other stuff going on… ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821/11 "2014-09-09T04:11:57Z")
**[Googling](https://www.google.com/search?q=0x8004fe21&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.gnu.gnuzilla:en-US:unofficial&client=firefox)** the error code 0x8004fe21 throws up many in the same boat. Microsoft has every right to key code their systems, but it seems to allow false negatives easily. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821/13 "2018-01-09T16:57:24Z")
Reported. ---
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821/14 "2018-01-09T17:03:10Z")
After three and a half years, people are still reading this thread. 🙂 To leave spam, anyway. (The issues never did get fixed, btw, and after investing literally dozens of hours at the least, I gave up and got another computer.) ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2018, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821/15 "2018-01-09T18:33:44Z")
Did you try turning it off and back on? If that doesn’t work, try installing Google Ultron. ---
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2018, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821/16 "2018-01-09T20:53:08Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Did you try turning it off and back on? > > If that doesn’t work, try installing Google Ultron. The number of times I turned it back off and on approached the limit of infinity. After spending many, many, many dozens of hours on the problem, including at least five separate phone calls to MS support, which lasted about eight hours in total (no, I’m not kidding, not if you include all of the time), and which ended in my offering to just drive the computer up to their call center in Bellingham WA, because it’s about two hours from my house, it all finally ended. I was considering building a time machine to return to the point where the entire thing last worked, but that didn’t work out too well for Homer Simpson, so I decided against it. I heard rumors that a giant centipede that was around during the Silurian era could have helped me with the Google Ultron thing, but at some point, you do just have to move on. . 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2018, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-keeps-insisting-its-not-genuine-windows-after-a-ssd-installed/697821/17 "2018-01-10T02:16:55Z")
Poor Zombies dont have windows 10?