Windows 7 Pro Occasional Error: "Invalid Product Key"

[tsulkoske1]

So, perhaps I should have done a bit more research on Windows installs before attempting this, but I currently have Windows 7 installed on my brand new machine (I specifically wanted W7 bc I've heard horror stories about W8 and W10) via a bootable USB drive I purchased from Ebay (I needed a flash drive bc my computer does not sport a CD drive). I also separately purchased a key from another ebay user, not questioning the validity of said user (the reviews were decent, so couldn't go wrong yeah?).

Well, apparently that is not exactly 100% gravy, because every couple of days, my computer will produce a pop-up that states "Product Key is Invalid" and prompts me to enter a different key. Upon ignoring the popup, my screen crashes and I have to reboot.

Aside from this issue, the computer is totally usable... I completed an activation, and according to the system description in Control Panel, my copy of Windows is activated and legitimate.

What would be the best way to fix this problem? Could I purchase an actual product key from microsoft or a trusted retailer? Or would I still get the same issues?

Here is a report generated from Microsoft Genuine Advantage Diagnostic Tool:

Diagnostic Report (1.9.0027.0):
-----------------------------------------
Windows Validation Data-->

Validation Code: 0
Cached Online Validation Code: N/A, hr = 0xc004f012
Windows Product Key: *****-*****-484JX-7GY4H-73JK3
Windows Product Key Hash: A7N8Jvm+WRpGoze1niyTLapymqM=
Windows Product ID: 00371-OEM-9326035-51663
Windows Product ID Type: 8
Windows License Type: COA SLP
Windows OS version: 6.1.7601.2.00010100.1.0.048
ID: {43CBD035-0AFF-4BDB-B4C7-FF83CD760737}(3)
Is Admin: Yes
TestCab: 0x0
LegitcheckControl ActiveX: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Product Name: Windows 7 Professional
Architecture: 0x00000009
Build lab: 7601.win7sp1_rtm.101119-1850
TTS Error:
Validation Diagnostic:
Resolution Status: N/A

Vista WgaER Data-->
ThreatID(s): N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002

Windows XP Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
File Exists: No
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaTray.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaLogon.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002

OGA Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAExec.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAAddin.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002

OGA Data-->
Office Status: 109 N/A
OGA Version: N/A, 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Office Diagnostics: 025D1FF3-364-80041010_025D1FF3-229-80041010_025D1FF3-230-1_025D1FF3-517-80040154_025D1FF3-237-80040154_025D1FF3-238-2_025D1FF3-244-80070002_025D1FF3-258-3

Browser Data-->
Proxy settings: N/A
User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Win32)
Default Browser: C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Disabled
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Allowed
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Disabled
Allow scripting of Internet Explorer Webbrowser control: Disabled
Active scripting: Allowed
Script ActiveX controls marked as safe for scripting: Allowed

File Scan Data-->
File Mismatch: C:\Windows\system32\wat\watadminsvc.exe[Hr = 0x80070003]
File Mismatch: C:\Windows\system32\wat\npwatweb.dll[Hr = 0x80070003]
File Mismatch: C:\Windows\system32\wat\watux.exe[Hr = 0x80070003]
File Mismatch: C:\Windows\system32\wat\watweb.dll[Hr = 0x80070003]

Other data-->
Office Details: <GenuineResults><MachineData><UGUID>{43CBD035-0AFF-4BDB-B4C7-FF83CD760737}</UGUID><Version>1.9.0027.0</Version><OS>6.1.7601.2.00010100.1.0.048</OS><Architecture>x64</Architecture><PKey>*****-*****-*****-*****-73JK3</PKey><PID>00371-OEM-9326035-51663</PID><PIDType>8</PIDType><SID>S-1-5-21-1061646367-3421050397-1320452659</SID><SYSTEM><Manufacturer>Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.</Manufacturer><Model>To be filled by O.E.M.</Model></SYSTEM><BIOS><Manufacturer>American Megatrends Inc.</Manufacturer><Version>F3</Version><SMBIOSVersion major="2" minor="8"/><Date>20151020000000.000000+000</Date></BIOS><HWID>A03E0000018400FE</HWID><UserLCID>0409</UserLCID><SystemLCID>0409</SystemLCID><TimeZone>Eastern Standard Time(GMT-05:00)</TimeZone><iJoin>0</iJoin><SBID><stat>3</stat><msppid></msppid><name></name><model></model></SBID><OEM/><GANotification/></MachineData><Software><Office><Result>109</Result><Products/><Applications/></Office></Software></GenuineResults>

Spsys.log Content: 0x80070002

Licensing Data-->
Software licensing service version: 6.1.7601.17514

Name: Windows(R) 7, Professional edition
Description: Windows Operating System - Windows(R) 7, OEM_COA_SLP channel
Activation ID: da22eadd-46dc-4056-a287-f5041c852470
Application ID: 55c92734-d682-4d71-983e-d6ec3f16059f
Extended PID: 00371-00186-260-351663-02-1033-7601.0000-1972016
Installation ID: 019191847874518450330655472145546924489975143020366230
Processor Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88338
Machine Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88339
Use License URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88341
Product Key Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88340
Partial Product Key: 73JK3
License Status: Licensed
Remaining Windows rearm count: 3
Trusted time: 7/15/2016 11:11:42 PM

Windows Activation Technologies-->
HrOffline: 0x00000000
HrOnline: N/A
HealthStatus: 0x0000000000000000
Event Time Stamp: N/A
ActiveX: Not Registered - 0x80040154
Admin Service: Not Registered - 0x80040154
HealthStatus Bitmask Output:


HWID Data-->
HWID Hash Current: MAAAAAAAAgABAAEAAAADAAAAAgABAAEAHKKGII4GkLRmInRE2KW2QKtfSt2KsfRS

OEM Activation 1.0 Data-->
N/A

OEM Activation 2.0 Data-->
BIOS valid for OA 2.0: yes, but no SLIC table
Windows marker version: N/A
OEMID and OEMTableID Consistent: N/A
BIOS Information:
ACPI Table Name OEMID Value OEMTableID Value
APIC ALASKA A M I
FACP ALASKA A M I
DBGP INTEL
HPET ALASKA A M I
MCFG ALASKA A M I
FPDT ALASKA A M I
FIDT ALASKA A M I
SSDT SataRe SataTabl
SSDT SataRe SataTabl
UEFI
LPIT INTEL SKL
SSDT SataRe SataTabl
SSDT SataRe SataTabl
SSDT SataRe SataTabl
DBG2 INTEL
SSDT SataRe SataTabl
SSDT SataRe SataTabl
ASF! INTEL HCG

 

[bignastyid]

Did it come with a coa sticker with the product key on it?

 

[tsulkoske1]

Did it come with a coa sticker with the product key on it?

No, the key was from a secondary retailer (not microsoft) and was provided in a PDF. If I replaced that key with a retail key (from a boxed W7 copy), do you think that would fix it?

 

[bignastyid]

The problem is likely with the image used to install. Sounds to me like it might have been a pirated version they put on that usb key, which would explain why the activation is screwy. If you have a retail key you can download a copy of 7 from Microsoft and use that to try and repair the current install.

 

[tsulkoske1]

The problem is likely with the image used to install. Sounds to me like it might have been a pirated version they put on that usb key, which would explain why the activation is screwy. If you have a retail key you can download a copy of 7 from Microsoft and use that to try and repair the current install.

I kept the image and current install, but used Windows Activator/loader to re-activate Windows 7. It's been a week, and no more warnings about an invalid key have appeared. Also just ran a sfc /scannow and it came up clean. Seems that one more problem out of MANY with this build has been solved haha.

I am actually having a few other problems in relation to graphics cards and the display giving me static after prolonged sleep and/or hard reboots. I'll probably post a different thread for that though.

 

[bignastyid]

You are now running a fully illegitimate pirated copy of windows. That activator you used is NOT legal. Where was your key in PDF format purchased? If it was from a illegitimate source like kinguin, g2a, or softwareswap theres a good chance it has been made invalid and you need to buy a new license.

 

[bicycle_repair_man]

This, boys and girls, is why you never buy software keys from eBay, G2A, Kinguin or any other site which sells them at suspiciously low prices. The key may work at first, but it's only a matter of time before it gets revoked.

 

[tsulkoske]

This, boys and girls, is why you never buy software keys from eBay, G2A, Kinguin or any other site which sells them at suspiciously low prices. The key may work at first, but it's only a matter of time before it gets revoked.

Lesson learned. But it's not like there are easily accessible, legitimate copies of W7 laying around anymore. OEM and builder copies for custom builds are not even 'officially' supported by Microsoft.

@bignastyid:

Well sir, I already tried doing things the straight-laced way by putting money down on Windows 10. Turns out I just wasted $125 on malware. I dedicated MULTIPLE 6-hour troubleshooting sessions to figuring out why it would keep freezing, crashing, reboot-looping etc. Clean boot, safe mode, THREE clean installs, nothing fixed it. Why would I do that to myself again? Why would I go through so much trouble and waste more money on Microsoft? They drove my business away by selling a shitty, half-rate product.

 

[bignastyid]

What are the specs of the system? I dont see that you posted any questions here asking for assistance with Win 10. I have Win 10 running on 3 machines with no stability issue. Had a couple driver issues with the laptop but that was an issue with a driver and not Microsofts probkem. If you are worried about the telemetry data get Anti-Beacon from spybot. You are more at risk running a cracked OS.

 

[tsulkoske1]

What are the specs of the system? I dont see that you posted any questions here asking for assistance with Win 10. I have Win 10 running on 3 machines with no stability issue. Had a couple driver issues with the laptop but that was an issue with a driver and not Microsofts probkem. If you are worried about the telemetry data get Anti-Beacon from spybot. You are more at risk running a cracked OS.

I didn't make any such posts here. If you look around various enthusiast forums, there are myriad amounts of Windows 10 problem threads. I was able to find plenty of accounts of others having my same issues (freezing, driver incompatibility, crashing, random static screens, reboot loops). I already went through the ringer. Test the ram, switch out the ram, disable drivers methodically, try different versions of drivers, switch out the PSU, take out the GPU, disconnect all unnecessary peripherals, run various commands in an elevated command prompt, nuke and clean install (which I did, thrice). I really have no further interest in troubleshooting W10, as installing W7 has fixed the vast majority of those issues. Why would I waste more hours of my life when my current system is working fine now? Even if the cracked OS turns on me, I can just nuke the drive and re-install. All my precious files reside elsewhere, so if the OS takes a dump it's not a huge loss on me.
Ask my friends in the film business who have shipped countless projects on their Hackintoshes. Seems to work great for them! Why toil over a company's product when they don't toil for the customer? It's not worth the days and weeks of headache.