My friend is selling a nice powerful asus laptop wihch I really like. The big problem with it is the fact he apparently wiped it clean at one point, and that included windows. He installed this windows 7 that is on a miscellaneous plain written on disk and got me the drivers for the wireless. I asked him what happens after the three months goes by and he told me just a disclaimer appears in the bottom right corner. I looked it up, though, and it appears that you also have to deal with a black background and only the most important windows updates. I have borrowed the laptop for a few days and now I am trying to solve these issues. I need to know my options. I already tried a keyfinder but it found a key that didn't work. I just put on RemoveWAT even though I won't have to deal with the disclaimer for three months, but I am not 100% on how it works. Here are my questions: - Does RemoveWAT just hide the disclaimer and activation notice? Do the other effects, like black background and no good updates still happen? Is RemoveWAT a good option? Are its effects permanent? - Is KMS activation a viable option, and is it better than RemoveWAT? - Is there some way I can uninstall this unlicensed WIndows and then restore the original Windows that was lost in the wipe, and use the activation code on the bottom of my laptop and not have to worry about all this? - Is this laptop worth buying at all? It is an excellent price for the power, but lack of original Windows makes me nervous. What should I do?
If this was my lappy I would be finding out what OS it came with from new. Vista, or Win 7. If the lappy came with Windows 7 the BIOS will hold SLIC2.1. Which means you can download from these forums a clean untouched copy of your chosen Win 7 image. Then either make your own OEM image or maybe easier use Daz's loader to activate it. All the loader will do is install the correct CERT and KEY which matches the BIOS SLIC2.1. Voila...
All I know is that it came with window 7 originally. I am not computer savvy enough to understand a lot of your response - my apologies. I don't usually have to mess with this stuff - if you could explain a bit more wa I would have to do that would be great
RemoveWat is evil. It tampers with system files, and will eventually be flagged non-genuine. You will be sorry. Use the license key on the bottom of the laptop, or use Daz loader.
removeWat will eat up the system files and you will be unactivated every time you get updates. removeWat is not an option if you want a clean system able to do full updates without issues. My advice, get a clean untouched iso, install windows and run Windows Loader. Done, no files are harmed touched and no service is running in windows at all. Since the machine originally came with Windows 7, you can install the same version and windows loader will install the right key and cert to give you back OEM activation.
I understand where you are coming from because I had almost similar experience with a seller. The second-hand Alienware I intend to buy, based on budget, from him is Windows 8 pre-installed but he installed Windows 7. To make matter worse the Windows 7 is not activated. I like to come clean with my system in some cases but getting my hand on Windows 8 (as I haven't no Windows 8 package coupled with the slow internet connection in my country )was really the oddity in the whole transaction that left me shopping for something else minimal. That's my frustration. I still don't know why he installed Windows 7 on a Windows 8 system.
I retried the key on the bottom of the computer, on the sticker. It worked. My windows 7 is now genuine. I cannot believe the soultion was there, and so simple. I feel stupid for working so hard trying to find programs now.
I am happy you sorted your problem but...... If it was me I would still like to install my own clean version, then you know exactly what is installed. It is not hard to learn how to make your own OEM disc. While your here you could have a good read about the forums and see if you can learn some new skills.
Did you reinstall before doing this? If you did not repair the damage caused by RemoveWat, you could still have trouble down the road.