How to Reactivate A Genuine Windows 7 That Became Pirated

You wake up in the morning, boot your computer and suddenly you are greeted with a box saying to activate your Windows 7, some text saying your Windows 7 is not genuine and your wallpaper is black-pure black. This thing happen to many Windows 7 users even Windows 7 SP1 RC users. Now that is strange since you buy Windows 7 legally as you remember so why this happen and how to fix this?  Luckily there's some ways to fix this without reinstall your OS. Here are How to Reactivate A Genuine Windows 7 That Became Pirated. 

Why It Happen?

The thing is, this problem occurs when there is lack of permission on a registry key "HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-20". Also by default System, Network Service and Administrator accoutns have "Full Control" and "Read" permissions on the registry I mention earlier. But unfortunately, sometimes 'Network Service" doesn't have proper permissions on the registry key and causing the Windows 7 problem were facing here. The problem may occurred by applying a Plug and Play Object. The Licensing services uses Plug and Play to obtain your system hardware ID info and binds the license to the computer. Default, it doesn't have any permissions to access Plug and Play devices. Thus, causing a mess, a BIG mess...

Solution 

Using RSOP
Type rsop.msc in Run and press enter. It will open RSOP or (Resultant Set Of Policy).

Next, Go to

Computer Configuration/Windows Settings/Security Settings/System Services

At the right side pane, find Plug and Play and check its Startup status. It should be Not Defined, change that to Automatic. Close RSOP and type the word below in Run and press enter.

gpupdate /force 

Restart your PC and all things should be genuine and reactivated now. But if it didn't, try the next solution.

Using Registry Editor
Type regedit in Run and press enter. The Registry Editor will appear. It allow us to access and configure the keys which defined how Windows work.

Expand the following keys

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-20 

Right click on the S-1-5-20 key and select Permission. A windows will appear. Select Network Service in the user list and check Full Control under the Allow section. Click on OK button to apply the changes.

But if for some reason there is no Network Service in the user list, click the Add button. Now type Network Service in 'Enter the object names to select type' and click Check Names button. It should detect the usename. Click the OK button and do the step I write.

Restart your PC and all things should be genuine and reactivated now. But if it didn't, try the next solution.

Resetting your Time and Date Setting
This one is pretty easy. Just set your country timezone properly and then synchronize it. Restart your PC and it should be reactivated and genuine again.

If all of the above step fail, try to search for other solution around the Web OR reinstall Windows 7 OR contact any Microsoft personal OR get some advice from the Pro's in forums, computer shops (honest one!) or anyone who have experience this problem and manage to solve it.

Posted in: Windows 7