The computer will display “This copy of Windows is not genuine” if your operating system is not activated properly. License Windows activation is essential for Microsoft to know that you are using legitimate software and to limit the number of computers using the same windows key.
Some other errors will appear on your computer if you do not fix the This copy of windows is not genuine error. Your computer can automatically log out every hour. Sometimes, the PC will automatically render or display a permanent black screen on your Desktop or even prevent you from updating your Windows operating system.
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What is This copy of windows is not genuine?
This copy of Windows is not genuine (also known as a black computer screen error) is one of the most common errors in the Windows operating system.
When encountering this error, the wallpaper on your computer will automatically turn to a black screen, the battery life will decrease as this message continuously appears on the laptop.
The main reason why your computer displays this error message is because you do not activate the Windows license after the trial period expires. You may also receive this error message if your windows key has expired or has been blocked.
How is This copy of Windows is not a genuine error displayed?
This copy of Windows is not a genuine error depending on the version of the Windows operating system you are using. For example, for Windows 7 Build 7601, you will see an error message like this:
From time to time you will also see some similar error message appear on your Windows:
- “Windows is not genuine.” “Click this message to learn how to get genuine.”
- “Activate Windows” “Go to Settings to activate Windows.”
- “Activate Windows” “Go to Settings to activate Windows.”
- “The copy of Windows you are using does not pass genuine validation.”
- “Activate Windows now” “The activation period has expired. Click this message to start activation. ”
- “This copy of Windows is not genuine.” “You may be a victim of software counterfeiting.”
- “This copy of Microsoft Windows is not genuine.” “Your copy of Microsoft Windows must be validated as genuine.”
- “This computer is not running genuine Windows” “To use Windows without interruption, this computer needs to be running genuine Windows.”
- “You must activate today.” “Activate Windows now”
If you see these errors on your Windows computer, this article will show you how to fix the black computer screen error effectively.
Top 5 Ways Fix “This copy of windows is not genuine” in Windows 7
Use RSOP
You can resolve This copy of Windows is not genuine error on your Desktop via RSOP. In it, RSOP stands for Set of Policy Window, and you should follow the instructions below.
Step 1: Press the Windows + R keyboard shortcut from the computer keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
Step 2: Type rsop.msc and press Enter.
Step 3: In the Resultant Set of Policy window, navigate to Windows settings, click on Security system and go to System services.
Step 4: Search for Plug and play service, then right-click on it and then click Automatic.
Step 5: Press the Windows + R keyboard shortcut as you did in step 1 and paste gpupdate / force into the Run dialog box. Finally, press Enter to execute the command.
Step 6: Restart your computer.
Use the SLMGR-REARM
Using Command Prompt and a simple command line, you should be able to fix this problem in both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows and all versions of the Windows operating system.
Step 1: Launch Command Prompt as administrator by clicking Start, typing cmd in the search box, then right-clicking on Command Prompt and choosing Run as administrator.
Step 2: Type SLMGR – REARM or SLMGR / REARM.
Step 3: You will see a confirmation window, click OK and restart your computer.
Note: SLMGR is a Windows software licensing management tool. The REARM command will reset the licensing status of your computer.
Check that your license is valid or not?
If you paid for the license and now notice that it is a fake license, you can take the problem with Microsoft, report the fake software and see what happens.
Also, you will need to contact your license vendor as the Microsoft Support team will, in most cases, only help you with the problem when you purchase a licensed Windows operating system from the Microsoft store.
Uninstall update KB971033
Update KB971033 can be the source of all your problems if you are using Windows 7. If you receive the message This copy of Windows is not genuine, this means that Windows has an update file capable of detecting the copyright status on your operating system.
Therefore, you need to remove this update to no longer experience this issue:
Step 1: Open Control Panel.
Step 2: Go to Windows Update.
Step 3: Click View update history.
In the next window click on the Installed Updates button to see all the updates installed on the machine.
Step 4: After the computer displays all installed updates, find the KB971033 update and uninstall it with the Uninstall button.
Step 5: Restart your computer.
Turn off automatic Windows updates
To ensure that This copy of Windows is not genuine error message does not return later, turn off automatic updating of the Windows operating system.
To turn off Automatic Update in Windows operating system, you need to:
Step 1: Open Control Panel from the Start Menu.
Step 2: Select Windows Update feature.
Select Change settings in the list of features on the left.
Step 3: Click the Install Updates Automatically option and select Never check for updates (Not Recommended).
Step 4: Click Apply to change settings and restart your computer.
Note: From now on, your computer will no longer see this error. However, you will also not be able to upgrade your Windows operating system to the latest version to fix bugs or update new features.
Conclusion
Overall, we hope that the methods introduced above can help you fix your This copy of windows is not genuine error. In addition, to avoid such troubles, we also recommend that you use a genuine Microsoft version of Windows to better secure and update new features for your computer.
