The error message “Windows is not Genuine” is not only reported in the case of pirated copy of Microsoft Windows 7, but even this error is reported for Genuine and already activated windows as well. When you logged into Microsoft windows 7, this error message will be displayed:
“Windows is not genuine
Your computer might not be running a counterfeit copy of Windows. 0×80070005″
The background of your computer desktop screen turned to black with the following error message on the bottom right corner of the screen:
“This copy of Windows is not genuine”
In an attempt to check the validity of your copy of Microsoft windows 7, you would navigate to Control Panel -> System and Security -> System, but encountered with following error message:
“You must activate today. Activate Windows now”
Furthermore, following error message will be prompted while checking the activation status through command promt using slmgr/vbs/dlv or slmgr.vbs/dli:
“Error: 0×80070005 Access denied: the requested action requires elevated privileges”
Generally, the abrupt deactivation of already activated Microsoft Windows 7 on actual platform can easily be solved by just re-booting the computer, so that Microsoft Windows 7 can re-access the activation status to return the computer into activated status. But still, in few cases, where change has been done to HKU\S-1-5-20 registry key inducing the Network Service account to drop off and dropping complete control and read licenses over the registry key, the losing of activated status may happen on Microsoft Windows 7 as well.
The issue is addressed in Microsoft’s update “KB2008385″ that the one possible reason for “Windows 7 is not genuine” is applying a Plug and Play Group Policy object (GPO).
Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> System Services -> Plug and Play (Startup Mode: Automatic)
Here are two methods to make Microsoft Windows 7 Genuine and Activated:
Method A: Disable the Plug and Play Policy
First of all check the source of the policy and to do this, follow these steps:
- Start -> Run
- Type rsop.msc and press enter
- Navigate to Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> System Services
If the Plug and Play service is configured through a Group Policy setting, you see it hereby settings other than Not Defined. In addition, you will be able to see which Group Policy is applying this setting.
- Disable the Group Policy settings and force the Group Policy to be reapplied.
- Edit the Group Policy i.e. Named in earlier step and change the setting to “Not Defined.” Or, follow the section below to add the needed permissions for the Network Service account.
- Now force the Group Policy setting to reapply: gpupdate /force
Method B: Edit the permissions of the Group Policy
- Open the Group Policy already identifed in Method A.
- Open Group Policy Settings.
- Click the Edit Security button, then click the Advanced button.
- Click Add and then add the SERVICE account In the Advanced Security Settings for Plug and Play window
- Select the following permissions in the Allow section and then click OK.
- Query template
- Query status
- Enumerate dependents
- Interrogate
- User-defined control
- Read permissions
- Now Run gpupdate /force after applying the permissions to the Group Policy setting.
- Verify that the appropriate permissions are applied with the following command:
“sc sdshow plugplay”
The following are the rights applied to the Plug and Play service in SDDL:
- D:(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;SY)
- (A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)
- (A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;IU)
- (A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;SU)
- S:(AU;FA;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;WD)
Note: (A;;CC LC SW LO CR RC ;;;SU is an Access Control Entry (ACE) that allows the following rights to “SU” (SDDL_SERVICE – Service logon user):
- A: Access Allowed
- CC: Create Child
- LC: List Children
- SW: Self Write
- LO: List Object
- CR: Control Access
- RC: Read Control
- SU: Service Logon User
If there are no GPO’s in place, then another activity may have changed the default registry permissions. To solve this issue, perform the following steps:
- On the computer that is out of tolerance, start Registry Editor.
- Right-click the registry key HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-20, and select Permissions… button.
- If the NETWORK SERVICE is not present, click Add… button.
- In Enter the object names to select type Network Service and then click Check Names and OK.
- Select the NETWORK SERVICE and Grant Full Control and Read permissions.
- Restart the computer.
- After the restart, the system may require activation. Complete the activation.
