Shopkeepers here will often tell you that they are selling you a computer with genuine Windows, but are they? Why is it important?
- Original factory installed Windows is not theft. Illegal copies of Windows are theft.
- A factory original installation of Windows will come with all the driver files needed to make your computer work properly. Without those some parts of your computer won’t function unless you download some very large files from the manufacturer’s website, if you can locate the right ones. Some shopkeepers will assure you that they have all the right drivers so you don’t have a problem – they use a tool called DriverPack (or similar) to put the drivers on your computer – but how do you know that the drivers haven’t been tampered with or come with viruses? Why would you trust the manufacturer of a third party tool that is designed to use with illegal copies of windows not to do something else illegal or inappropriate like loading keyboard logging software or spyware or viruses onto your computer as well?
- A factory original installation of Windows will come with a program to create original Windows re-installation disks for you. You will need these if ever you need to re-install Windows. You should therefore make this disk set as soon as you get your computer – you will usually need 3 blank DVDs to do this or a completely blank USB stick. You should label these as original media for your computer and should put them away in a safe place to use if your computer dies.
So how can you tell? Sometimes the shopkeeper will give it away by what they say.
- If they tell you that this is genuine Windows that is pre-activated it is probably illegal. Microsoft does not design Windows to be pre-activated. Legal activation of Windows must be done by the end user.
- If they tell you that this is genuine Windows that is not on any blacklists it IS illegal. Microsoft don’t blacklist activation codes for legitimately sold software, but they do blacklist software that is illegally copied. The fact that the shopkeeper has pointed this out to you means that he has installed an illegal copy of Windows as this statement is unnecessary for legal installations.
- If they tell you that this is a version of Windows that is only for sale in Afghanistan and Iran and another country it is probably illegal. I’ve not been able to get any confirmation from Microsoft that such a product actually exists.
- If the shopkeeper tries to show you the “Ask for Genuine Microsoft” logo on the My Computer – System Properties page or that Windows is Activated and the product ID it has then that isn’t correct evidence and he’s trying to fool you.
Sometimes you just have to start the computer up (which you really should do anyway or the computer you buy might not work!).
- If the computer starts up not to Windows but to a Microsoft setup program where it asks you to accept licence agreements etc, then it is genuine.
- If the computer starts into Windows and you don’t have to accept a Microsoft licence agreement then Windows has already been used on this computer and therefore it is probably not genuine.
- If you see any software on the harddrive that is for drive cloning (one I’ve seen is called Elaborate Bytes VirtualCloneDrive, but there are many) then Windows is not genuine.
- If you see any software like DriverPack Solution – which is used to install drivers because all the original manufacturer supplied drivers have been erased from the harddrive when original windows was erased then Windows is not genuine.
Sometimes the labels on the computer give it away.
- The computer is a Dell with an N-series logo – this means that it is sold with no operating system, therefore if it has Windows it is not genuine.
example n series logo
- The computer has an Ubuntu logo on it – this means that it is sold with Ubuntu Linux, not Windows, therefore if it has Windows it is not genuine.
Example Ubuntu logo
- Computers sold with legal Windows usually have a Windows logo stuck on them somewhere. For Windows 7 and earlier there was usually a Microsoft barcoded label underneath called “Proof of Licence. Certificate of Authenticity”
Windows 7 example Certificate of Authenticity
. Windows 8 computers don’t have this but they do have a genuine Windows 8 colour shifting logo sticker (usually underneath). Computers pre-loaded with Windows 8 now have their activation codes stored in the BIOS of the computer. Here is a link to Microsoft’s information about genuine Windows 8.
Example Windows 8 logo label
Ok, so maybe you have proven that the shopkeeper is not selling computers with genuine Windows. Don’t let him tell you he’ll give you genuine Windows or you can buy genuine Windows because you still don’t have the genuine drivers from the manufacturer. And don’t let him install the drivers with something like driverpack – who knows what other things it will install on your computer that are not good for you. Just walk away and find an honest shopkeeper. You may pay a little more but you’ll be better off in the long run. I asked Microsoft how you can tell genuine or non-genuine. Unfortunately it isn’t as clear as it could be. They said:
For Windows to be genuine you need three things:
- certificate of authenticity
- original disks or manuals
- receipt of purchase for the computer
But life isn’t that simple. The original disks or manuals are usually not supplied by manufacturers anymore – they are included on the harddrive of the computer ready for you to burn yourself using software provided by the manufacturer that is designed to burn only one set of original media. (this would all be missing on an illegal copy of Windows) The certificate of authenticity used to be a piece of paper in the original box but with Windows 7 it was a sticker on the bottom of the computer (also, if the shopkeeper doesn’t have the original box be wary). With Windows 8 you get a genuine Windows 8 logo sticker on the bottom of the computer and the Windows 8 activation codes are burned into the BIOS of the computer (and you can’t see them without a special program). In any case, if you have any doubts about the authenticity of what someone is trying to sell you, just walk away. It isn’t worth the hassle even if it is going to be cheaper. I will not help you find the drivers you need – it isn’t worth my time and I don’t want to encourage you to use illegal software anyway.