Why does the windows ask you to buy GENUINE software?

Most of you must have experienced getting messages from the Microsoft saying- "This copy of Windows is not genuine, click here to resolve!" and "You may be a victim of software counterfeiting".

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Why does this happen?

This happens only when your system does not pass the WGA test (Windows Genuine Advantage test). Microsoft automatically detects that the copy of OS (Operating System) you are using is either a pirated one or a non-registered one.

Most of the users might not have brought the original software, and hence would not have been able to register to the MICROSOFT online.

But once you connect to the Internet, your system will automatically go to Microsoft.com and start downloading the Microsoft updates available. There the website will detect that your Operating System has not been registered to Microsoft.com and hence shows the messages.

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What is Genuine Microsoft Software?

Genuine Microsoft software is published by Microsoft, properly licensed, and fully supported by Microsoft or a trusted partner. Using genuine Microsoft software offers you greater capabilities and easy integration with the widest variety of hardware, software, and services. It also provides the latest product features, updates, and ongoing improvements to keep your PC performing at its best.

What is software counterfeiting?

If you are using a pirated version of Microsoft Windows software, then they will stop providing the available updates to you and quite obviously your system will be counterfeited.

To avoid this, one must purchase the licence online OR just turn off all the automatic updates of your system.

How to avoid getting these messages?

By turning off the automatic updates, you are avoiding the frequent visit of your system to the Microsoft.com website, and hence the Microsoft cannot detect the piracy of your OS

To turn off the automatic updates-

(NOTE:This works only when you turn off the Automatic Updates after re-installing the OS completely.)

a.Right click on My computer, go to properties. You get a System Properties window displayed against you.

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b.Go to Automatic Updates and select "Turn off Automatic Updates" and apply your settings.

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By doing this, you are avoidong all the updates from the Microsoft.com and hence will not recieve any of these messages.

Advantages of Genuine Microsoft Software-

Once you purchase the licence of the OS, you have full rights to download all the latest programs and updates and help protect your PC from Viruses, threats, hackers and more importantly from counterfeiters.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL THE READERS- This blog does not entertain people to buy pirated software and turn off the automatic updates. It recommends all the users to buy original Microsoft Software.

To remove the virus which disables the task manager!

There is a particular virus that disables the task manager of your computer.

The consequence of this is that you will not be able to view the applications running on your computer and end these applications if they are not responding!

A good updated anti-virus should remove this virus BUT, remember an antivirus just removes the virus but doesn't restore the changes made by it!!

There are two ways to restore settings-

1)

a.Go to start menu, click on RUN.

b.Type gpedit.msc

c.You must get a Group Policy window displayed against you-

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d.Go to Administrative templates>System>Control+Alt+Delete options>remove task manager.

e.You get an option to disable it, if it is not configured.

f.You are done with it! The next time you run the task manager it shouldn't show error messages as before.

2)If the above one doesn't work then you need certain tools to remove the restrictions

• Process Explorer: Click here to download.
  
• RRT(Remove restrictions Tool): Click here to download.
• Hijack this: Click here download.
  

What are all these?

A Process explorer is a similar kind of tool as that of Windows Task Manager, it enables you to view the processes running on your machine and stop them.

An RRT is one with which you can restrict the acts performed by your virus(such as disabling the task manager)

Hijackthis is a hacker that detects and removes the target methods used by most of the hijackers.

How to remove them now?

If you have downloaded these tools, then follow the instructons(better if you run them in safe mode)-

a.Go to start menu, select run; type processxp.exe and kill all the processes that has the icon of a folder (Remember, no process will have an icon of a folder: that's actually a virus)!

b.Run rrt.exe, select all the restrictions and remove them by clicking remove button(donot restart now).

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c.Once you are done with it, run hijackthis.exe, do a system safe scan and click on fix save changes.

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Now you have successfully restored all the changes made by the virus,

reboot the system and you have now got rid of it!