# Replace Power Supply, get shaken down by Microsoft. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 9, 2015, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440 "2015-01-09T21:29:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2015, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/1 "2015-01-09T21:29:07Z")
So the power supply on my 4 year l Dell went. Technically the fan on it went but either way I had to replace it. Luckily Dell was able to sell me a replacement part that was exactly the same and I was able to install it myself and t worked! Yay? Well, apparently the hardware change somehow made Windows think it was now on a new PC because I started getting messages that my Windows was not Genuine. I called the number that appeared on the error message and they had me run through a command and he told me my license was “Blocked” so they couldn’t do anything and I should call Dell (who sold me my original Window license). What I discovered by calling Dell is apparently they have a policy to hang up the minute you tell them you are getting a message that your Windows is not genuine. The first time it happened, I thought it was my cell phone. Calling back twice more confirmed it was a pattern. So the end result is I had to pay $116 for a new Windows license to replace the Windows license I legally owned. I am glad that my PC is back to normal but I feel a little like I was taken advantage of (but not enough to make this a pit thread). I am leaving out some sub plots: like how a blog post I found online made me briefly believe the error was actually a virus, how the Dell rep who helped me obtain the power supply stopped returning my calls and how the Microsoft technician insisted my only option was to upgrade to Windows 8.1 (it was not. Their own web site let me buy a Windows 7 License) but I have been through the wringer these last few days and come out the other side 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2015, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/2 "2015-01-09T22:58:51Z")
Looks like you’re not the first [person](http://wuwablog.blogspot.com/2014/06/remove-windows-genuine-advantage.html)to get skewered after the Windows Genuine Adantage tool got confused by a new power supply. I wasn’t even aware WGA looked at the power supply. I knew it paid attention to things with serial numbers or ROM checksums like the graphics board, hard drive(s) and motherboard, and that changing too many of those at once could trip it up. ---
**Author:** ![arseNal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@arseNal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arseNal)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2015, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/3 "2015-01-09T23:12:46Z")
Someone, anyone, please explain how windows could possibly know anything about the power supply. I’d never heard of this and would have bet the farm that it wasn’t possible. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/4 "2015-01-10T00:20:34Z")
> [@arseNal](#): > > Someone, anyone, please explain how windows could possibly know anything about the power supply. I’d never heard of this and would have bet the farm that it wasn’t possible. It doesn’t. It can’t. This whole story reeks. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/5 "2015-01-10T00:23:04Z")
> [@arseNal](#): > > Someone, anyone, please explain how windows could possibly know anything about the power supply. I’d never heard of this and would have bet the farm that it wasn’t possible. I know that on server motherboards, power supplies are accessible via an I2C bus and you can read things like serials, model numbers and fault status from them. I am somewhat surprised to learn that this has made its way to consumer machines though. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/6 "2015-01-10T00:24:00Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > It doesn’t. It can’t. This whole story reeks. Windows must surely know _something_ about the power supply, or else how would you be able to configure for UPS, sleep states etc? ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/7 "2015-01-10T00:42:38Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > It doesn’t. It can’t. This whole story reeks. Thanks for calling me a liar. Every word is true. ---
**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/8 "2015-01-10T00:53:47Z")
Well, damn, **Quimby** - that (the OP) sucks. I’ve also gotten a “Not Genuine Windows” message recently when looking in the Control Panel Hardware Section. I also thought it might be a virus, checked thoroughly and it came up clean. Funny thing, I _know_ I haven’t changed any hardware in 2+ years. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/9 "2015-01-10T01:00:49Z")
In case anyone is curious. This [post](http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/an_opportunity_to_shout_at_assholes/) by Scott Adams on the Dilbert Blog is what made me concerned that it may be a virus but for a variety of reasons I have come to the conclusion that he is mistaken. ---
**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/10 "2015-01-10T01:12:36Z")
That was informative. Thankfully, I’m not getting any pop-up windows from it except as I described. Think I might do a little manual Registry searching tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Recusant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@Recusant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recusant)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/11 "2015-01-10T01:35:33Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Thanks for calling me a liar. Every word is true. I don’t think that’s what jz78817 meant; it could just as easily have been a problem with the power supply, or an internal hiccup (the “Genuine Advantage” tool is _great_ at making those), or some other such thing. But a power supply change, especially one to the same model, shouldn’t have been able to set it off like that, especially not on a personal machine. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/12 "2015-01-10T01:38:16Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > I know that on server motherboards, power supplies are accessible via an I2C bus and you can read things like serials, model numbers and fault status from them. I am somewhat surprised to learn that this has made its way to consumer machines though. I don’t think you should believe you’ve “learned” something here. > [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Windows must surely know _something_ about the power supply, or else how would you be able to configure for UPS, sleep states etc? Look, the PSU is a mostly dumb switch-mode power supply. It has a handful of outputs: +12VDC, -12VDC, +5VDC, +3.3VDC, +5 volt standby, a bunch of grounds, and a PWR\_OK line that goes high to signal the motherboard that the power supply is stable. Windows can’t tell one power supply from another because the hardware has no mechanism to do so. All of the power management stuff is handled by the motherboard hardware and firmware. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/13 "2015-01-10T01:44:48Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Thanks for calling me a liar. Every word is true. I’m not calling you a liar. I’m saying that I don’t think you know what is happening here. There is no way for a power supply swap to trigger a windows re-activation. The power supply in a consumer PC does not have any way to uniquely identify itself. All the power supply is is a little box which spits out a few DC voltages. All PC power supplies output the same voltages. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/14 "2015-01-10T02:10:14Z")
I’d google up a crack before paying a single red cent to MS over this extortion style nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/15 "2015-01-10T02:15:18Z")
I seriously doubt you needed to get a new version. Assuming your computer came with the same Windows you are using, the activation key should have been built into your BIOS. It would not have surprised me if you could have fixed it by reinstalling with just a Windows disk (which you can also get online, sans license) and the official DELL license code–without needing to activate. And, even if not, getting around activation for Windows 7 or lower is a solved problem, using pretty much using the same method. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/16 "2015-01-10T05:12:44Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I seriously doubt you needed to get a new version. Assuming your computer came with the same Windows you are using, the activation key should have been built into your BIOS. It would not have surprised me if you could have fixed it by reinstalling with just a Windows disk (which you can also get online, sans license) and the official DELL license code–without needing to activate. > > And, even if not, getting around activation for Windows 7 or lower is a solved problem, using pretty much using the same method. I had my old key but that isn’t the same as the Genuine Advantage which is based off the key. I admit that the power supply may not have caused it but that was the only change I made when the issue started. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/17 "2015-01-10T05:31:08Z")
This Windows Genuine Advantage doesn’t sound like such an advantage, to me, but more of a pain in the ass. ---
**Author:** ![SuperAbe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@SuperAbe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperAbe)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/18 "2015-01-10T06:21:52Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > This Windows Genuine Advantage doesn’t sound like such an advantage, to me, but more of a pain in the ass. Your mistake is thinking its supposed to be an “advantage” for _you_… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/19 "2015-01-10T06:22:14Z")
I wonder if maybe the time and date got reset on the computer (because the backup battery was failing) and that triggered the warning… ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440/20 "2015-01-10T14:26:29Z")
It may have just been coincidence; I’ve gotten that message before. I did a little research and it seems that there are certain updates or other things that can trigger it. I ignored it, and it went away after a day or two. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-power-supply-get-shaken-down-by-microsoft/709440.md?page=2)