Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Geeky stuff
Original poster

Counterfeit windows 7 on computer....cannot get rid of it or install real win 8 !

28 replies

sneezecakesmum · 04/01/2013 18:31

My son gave me an old games pc of his which has a really fast processor and had all the crap taken off so it was pretty clean program wise when I got it. It is for my grandson so he can use a big dell touchscreen monitor. DS installed a hooky win 7 downloaded from utorrent. At first it was fine but I think microsoft virused it when it downloaded updates. Blush Anyway it went crazy...giant lettering, weird shapes and outlines and colours..a disaster! Despite hours trying to uninstall this copy, initially from the control panel then going into the computer OS (C) drive and looking for all the microsoft.NET etc stuff and even uninstalling all the updates, which the PC promptly reinstalled when I restarted it

So I bought a genuine windows 8 with activation code thinking it would partition the win 7 and work fine. But it cant install because the underlying files are corrupt. I tried custom install and opted to partition, no luck ditto with the straight install. Trying all day with no success. I have a major headache and have run out of ideas. Any thoughts before I take it back to DS and get him to wipe the hard drive for me. btw. there are NO files etc to save, nothing to backup. We only used cbeebies website and another kiddie site.

OP posts:
PedroPonyLikesCrisps · 04/01/2013 19:02

You need to do a clean install. Here's a site which walks you through it:

pcsupport.about.com/od/windows-8/ss/windows-8-clean-install-part-1.htm

Chanatan · 04/01/2013 20:20

clicky link

Original poster
sneezecakesmum · 04/01/2013 21:14

thanks...I will give it a go tomorrow when my headache is gone Smile

OP posts:
lazydog · 04/01/2013 22:45

"genuine windows 8 with activation code"

Did you purchase a full version or an upgrade licence? An upgrade licence will only install the new OS if you have an existing genuine copy of Windows. Even though the "upgrade" will quite happily do a clean ("custom") installation, it still needs to know that you are entitled to use the cheaper upgrade path by virtue of having a valid licence for an older version of Windows. If not you need to purchase a full/retail (or OEM, if you're not too worried about the technicality that they're only meant to be used when building a new PC Wink) licence, not an upgrade. However, if that's what you already have then I suggest just format the drive and start from scratch.

PedroPonyLikesCrisps · 05/01/2013 09:07

If you purchased the £25 version from the Microsoft website then that enables you to do a clean install. Can't say I've actually seen an upgrade version of Windows 8.....

Original poster
sneezecakesmum · 05/01/2013 11:17

Hi. It's the full version not upgrade. Am going to give the above link a go and will report back.

OP posts:
NetworkGuy · 05/01/2013 11:49

If you still have problems with install, you (or DS, if he's about) could install a free version of Linux (eg Knoppix - there's a link to an .ISO CD for the English language version which you would have to burn to CD and install...

When installing you should be able to get it to wipe the whole drive so it gets rid of the existing Windows 7 dodgy version, and then after that install Windows 8.

Original poster
sneezecakesmum · 05/01/2013 14:14

Thanks. I've been at this since 10.00 bloody annoyingly yesterday it was trying to install as per the clicky link and I got to the partition bit and I'm pretty sure I opted to partition and not erase so that when the files tried to install it stopped because it said they were corrupted. I think that is why I cannot back to anywhere. Tons of error messages, going round in circles, won't allow safe mode unable to continue to boot from the disc.

I was thinking what I need to do is get some kind of software just to eliminate everything on the hard drive, and I hope that's what you're linking to networkguy!

If DS can't fix I can at least buy a new hard drive!

OP posts:
NetworkGuy · 05/01/2013 16:26

Yes, erasing was my thinking...

Original poster
sneezecakesmum · 05/01/2013 19:41

Am currently downloading knoppix (4.5 hours on coal burning connection).

I am assuming I boot the computer up from the DVD I burn it to. It would then hopefully tie up the insane windows 7 fake in a straightjacket and allow me to install my full windows 8 as per the clean install process as outlined above??

Otherwise its DSs problem. He says he wants to 'borrow' my activation key for new win 8............ Nooooooooooooooo!

OP posts:
lazydog · 05/01/2013 20:08

"If you purchased the £25 version from the Microsoft website then that enables you to do a clean install. Can't say I've actually seen an upgrade version of Windows 8....."

That is purely an upgrade. (I'm not saying this is what the OP has - just that the £25 version from the Microsoft website is definitely an upgrade promo offer, not a full licence.)

Any Windows Upgrade installation package always allows you to choose to do a full install (i.e not have to upgrade over the top of the old version of Windows) but it will not allow you to install Windows 8 onto a clean hard drive for that price - i.e. one on which it cannot detect the existence of an earlier, legal version of Windows.

NetworkGuy · 05/01/2013 20:21

4.5 hours... Gulp!!!

Did you choose DVD not the CD ? CD was about 20% of DVD size, I think...

As for the comments regarding the need for a legal copy of Windows (as per lazydog's comment) may be best to hold off wiping the drive.

Get the cheapest s/h Windows system from Ebay (or I will root around in my shed as I have a few old systems out there!) and use the hard drive from that for this upgrade! Might be a better solution...

What's the spec of the machine you plan to install Windows 8 on (and have you run any system checks to see if the hardware is compatible) ?

Also worth double checking what your Microsoft paperwork / e-mail / info says about what was bought.

lazydog · 05/01/2013 20:54

"Hi. It's the full version not upgrade."

Really? You purchased a "System Builder/OEM" dvd of Windows 8, as that is the only way you could have the full version?

You know what - if you do only have an upgrade, it is possible that a genuine but not yet activated Wink version of Win7 (which you can download an iso legitimately from digitalriver - I can find the exact link if you need me to?) might (not tried it myself) fool the upgrade licence for Win8, since you have 30 days to activate Win7 after installation...

NetworkGuy · 05/01/2013 21:30

good thinking, lazydog...

Original poster
sneezecakesmum · 05/01/2013 21:38

Checking in....Bought full version on ebay £46 I have a feeling they were bought in america as there is no option for English UK (only English US). Shipped to me from rotterdam but good feedback etc so think it is OK. (Pro version btw). Did not buy upgrade as I am not totally thick...Hmm

what I bought

KNOPPIX_V7.0.5CD-2012-12-21-EN.iso is downloading....guessing it is the CD not DVD? My computers ISP is talktalk and slower than drying paint!

Not sure what a s/h ? windows system is?? But the Dell touchscreen needs Vista and above to run it. XP wont do.

Have run a system check to see 64 or 32 bit and it is 64 so thats what Ive got on the disc. Pretty sure the HP PC is compatable as it was a gaming machine and has lots of upgrades and such. Cant check anything now as it is insane certifiable.

The paperwork is just a letter telling me how to install and not to panic and contact them as they will sort out the activation code if the one they sent doesnt work. They expected it to install OK and its because its hooky I think it wont.

Lazydog. Not sure at all what your last paragraph says?? The win 7 (hooky) that is installed is now so corrupted I cant even get anywhere with it.

Im off to watch Crime and investigation channel and see some murder before I go to sleep - it relaxes me Grin PC can continue arduous download..

OP posts:
Original poster
sneezecakesmum · 05/01/2013 21:40

'because its hooky' should read 'because its trying to install over a hooky win 7' it wont install!

OP posts:
Original poster
sneezecakesmum · 05/01/2013 21:56

Second hand doh! Thought something technical like system hard drive!

OP posts:
Original poster
sneezecakesmum · 05/01/2013 21:58

Not keen on win 7 as DS says win 8 is designed with touchscreen in mind and huge dell touchscreen awaits

OP posts:
NetworkGuy · 06/01/2013 00:15

Understood regards touchscreen. Fingers crossed the download ends OK and you have a good night's sleep after some relaxing crime show :)

lazydog · 06/01/2013 07:01

Good luck! Hope it works out for you, however I'd be very surprised if that isn't a leaked MSDN product key. Since they're not allowed to be sold or redistributed, it's likely to only be a matter of time (after installing and activating successfully - working for months, often) before that specific key winds up on Microsoft's "blacklist" and you get notified that you are running a non genuine copy of windows and your OS is disabled. It happens with every new Windows release until Microsoft cleans up the exploited developers licences... You may be lucky and yours gets missed, but for that price it's as "100% Genuine" as a $3 bill Grin

Original poster
sneezecakesmum · 06/01/2013 10:40

Then I'll disable all the updates and keep below the radar Wink

Knoppix burning onto disc aws. Fingers x Smile

OP posts:
Bunbaker · 06/01/2013 10:44

Have you actually tried to use Windows 8? OH upgraded his desktop and we both hate it. Most techies I know hate it as well. It takes 6 steps just to shut your computer down, there is no start button and there are loads of other features I dislike. IMO it is not an improvement at all on Windows 7.

I think it is aimed at the younger end of the market - teenagers, who have Windows phones. Us oldies find the changes to drastic to really like it.

Bunbaker · 06/01/2013 10:47

OH says that it is quite likely you will find a legitimate version of Windows 8 on ebay as we both think it is a crap piece of software. He thinks that people will have bought it, tried it and decided to uninstall it, sell it on ebay and go back to Windows 7.

Original poster
sneezecakesmum · 06/01/2013 10:55

Money paid now so going to persevere with it. Its for a 4 year old actually...Blush Mainly to use the touchscreen monitor cbeebies etc so no fancy footwork involved.

ImgBurn encountered and uncorrectable error in 2 sectors of Knoppix via the link above so will go to site and try again. It said 'Oh no' at me too.

OP posts:
Original poster
sneezecakesmum · 06/01/2013 11:21

12 hours to download the DVD KNOPPIX! DS on his way round. Can see a new hard drive on the horizon.

OP posts: