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Post by Stratmangler on Dec 12, 2014 13:37:16 GMT
This started appearing on my laptop yesterday  Naturally I'm very wary of just clicking on things to just try to rectify things, especially as the machine in question has been owned from brand new with Win7 64 on it, and I have had no problems with Microsoft updates. I think it's a scam! Any ideas for getting rid? I've already done a full system scan with MSE, and also Malwarebytes Free. Malwarebytes Free pulled up a few potential threats, and these have been quarantined and subsequently deleted. |
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Post by Pinch on Dec 12, 2014 13:48:09 GMT
It does seem a tad fishy. You can check if your version of Windows is activated by right-clicking on 'My Computer' and going to 'properties', and looking at the bottom of the window that appears, under 'Windows Activation'. If it says 'Windows is activated', then this is probably a scam.
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Post by Stratmangler on Dec 12, 2014 13:57:25 GMT
Thanks Pinch! Just checked what you said to and it does say that Windows is activated. I still suspect that it's a fishing scam  |
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Post by Pinch on Dec 12, 2014 14:05:53 GMT
Yeah I suspect so then. I'd give it a few sweeps with a few different AV/anti-malware packages - they all differ a little in their sensitivities to different kinds of thing, so hopefully one will turn up something. I'd probably have a crack with something like AVAST first - you can uninstall it and revert back to MSE when you're done. |
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Post by MartinT on Dec 12, 2014 15:24:15 GMT
Not a scam*, it happens occasionally to a Windows installation that for some reason loses its activation.
Just find your software licence key (often on a sticker on the machine, or came with your Windows package) and reactivate from Control Panel | System.
*it's just possible that a popup could emulate the real notification, but the resolve online would lead to a very dodgy place. Restart the machine and check in Control Panel above for the real situation. |
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Post by Pinch on Dec 12, 2014 15:44:25 GMT
I'd assumed that if it had lost the activation then it would have registered this on 'System', but as strat mentioned in his reply, it's still listed as activated there. Would Windows lose the activation but still list itself as activated?
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Post by Stratmangler on Dec 12, 2014 15:45:36 GMT
Thanks Martin - I haven't had it happen before, hence the question.
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Post by Stratmangler on Dec 12, 2014 16:27:06 GMT
I've just successfully validated my copy of Win7 on the Microsoft site, so hopefully no more screens popping up  Thanks to all who responded. |
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Post by speedysteve on Dec 12, 2014 16:55:41 GMT
I've seen a please validate Windows request a good while back now - can't recall which OS - perhaps 98, or Vista. Not seen anything like that before though.
Don't you love puters! Enable so much at the tap of a keyboard / swish of a mouse pad, and sometimes cause a fair bit of grief!
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