[RESOLVED] Windows 7 Build 7601 is not genuine

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Not the answer I would have rather have received; naturally. I'll think over my options and decide shortly.

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Thanks for more info fink. Got another question; suppose I buy the windows 7 install CD, what would I have to do to install it? Does the CD clean or remove all that I now have on the hard drive and then install win 7 on the cleaned hard drive?

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Depends.

You're actually buying the license, not the DVD so if you buy the proper license for the version of Windows currently installed on the computer then all you have to do is use it to legitimize the computer/Windows 7 and nothing changes except you stop getting warnings.

If you buy a different version's license, say to upgrade then you'd need to install that version on top of the current install but you would not need to wipe/format the drive first.. it would just upgrade Windows 7 to a higher version but keep the things that are there now (programs, data, etc)

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I have never had a windows 7 OS cd so that had something to do with my buying the OS software. Guess I just wanted one for my use for current and future use, if ever needed. I now have the win 7 Home edition---the same as I have always used in the win 7 family.

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In your reply, no 3, you say..

I have now checked and I find that I used an ISO file I had burned to disk--X17-58997 from Microsoft to install Win 7 SP1.

That downloaded .iso is a complete version of Windows, not just SP1 by the way. Perhaps this is where the confusion is coming from.

So you do have a Windows 7 install DVD. Did you use that or another download to install Windows 7 on the laptop? What is running on the illegal laptop now? You had to have installed it from some downloaded .iso/DVD.

Again, just to be clear, when you buy a license from Microsoft you are getting the key which allows you to install the specific version of Windows 7 you've chosen to pay for. The Win 7 .iso downloads are all identical (except for different versions of course) which means they can each be activated by any legit license/key but only once each after they are installed on a computer.

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This afternoon I worked on the "invalid windows" problem. I woke up long enough to look for the HP sticker on the side of the tower, wrote down the letters/numbers and then actually installed Windows 7!! Don't know why I didn't do this 4 months ago! There were several B's and 8's on the sticker and these two characters cause problems for my eyes but after a process of elimination, while trying to enter the correct code, I succeeded. Many thanks to those who have offered help.
PS. Am running my software on the drive now and hope I don't find any animals. Thanks again.