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ATIH 2010 Win 7 Restore: This copy of Windows is not genuine

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My PC came with Win 7 Home Premium and I upgraded it to Win 7 Ultimate with Windows Anytime Upgrade.

My HDD crashed. I replaced it with an equivalent sized HDD.
From the Acronis recovery disk I restored track 0 information and C drive image.
After restoration, there were two errors at boot:
1. MBR error 3
2. Boot manager missing

I repaired the MBR error 3 problem with the following:
Click on Acronis Startup Recovery Manager which opened a window asking me if I wanted to activate the F11 option, so activated it.

I tried to repair the boot manager missing with bootrec /fixboot from the command prompt, but that did not work. I still had the boot manager missing error. Next I tried the Windows repair disk, and that did fix the problem.

Now, when I boot into windows, the desktop is completely blue with no icons. There are words in the bottom right of the screen as follows:
Windows 7
Build 7601
This copy of Windows is not genuine

What do I do now?

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Most likely, you didn't restore the system reserved partition that was on your other system and/or you didn't include it in your backup. Maybe that partition is still readable on your old HD? You can try to back it up separately by installing your old disk in the computer, booting on the Acronis recovery CD.
Then restore the system reserved partition, then the C:\system partition, with the MBR + Track0 option checked. Also include the disk signature.

That makes sense. The old HDD is is history. Alas, I start the long process of rebuilding the system from scratch. Sigh. At least I will have my data.

OK. After you have installed Win7, search for disk management. Look at your system disk. You will probably see a system reserved partition that is hidden when you just open "My Computer" with Windows. THis partition is active. You will also see your C:\System partition.

If you reinstalled Win7 on top of your recent restored version, and you have not asked the installation DVD to reformat your drive, then Win7 will be reinstalled without the system reserved partition. THis is not an issue if you don't use BitLocker.

Yes, there is a 100MB system reserve partition. And, yes, I have just finished installing Win 7 Home Premium and upgraded it to Ultimate.

Is there a way now to restore the back up image over the fresh install? Is that what you are suggesting I try?

You can try that, yes. Before you do though, make sure you backup your newly installed disk and include all the partitions in the backup.

Then try to restore the previous partition C:\system onto the new C:\system

Okay, I backed up the fresh install as you suggested, and I then recovered the original. I am back to the boot manager missing error.

Should I run bootrec /fixboot like last time? And, then try the Windows repair disc if that does not work?

Hold on. Check you disk and verify you have now the 100MB reserved partition (hidden) and the C:\system partition restore like it should. YOu can check this by using the installation DVD, install, repair, command prompt. Enter DISKPART, LIST DISK, SELECT DISK X (where X is the number of the system disk, probably 0), LIST PARTITION.
To make sure that the 100MB partition is active, then type: SELECT PARTITION Y (where Y is the number of the system reserved partition), ACTIVE.
Then SELECT PARITION Z (where Z is the number of the C:\system partition), INACTIVE.
THen EXIT to exist the DISKPART program. See here for your reference: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766465(WS.10).aspx

Once you are back to the prompt in the command prompt window, type the following:
- bootrec /scanOS (this will scan your system to make sure it finds a valid Windows installation)
- bootrec /fixboot
- bootrec /rebuilbcd (this will rebuild the BCD)
- bootrec /fixMBR (this will reset the MBR)
Restart the computer.

Thanks for the input. I did not get your email before I simply tried running the repair option on my installation disk. After running it 3 times, I was able to boot to windows on the recovered image. Yay!

The only strange thing now is that the System Reserved partition of 100MB has been designatated as volume V: and it appears in the list of volumes/drives on my computer. Before, it did not appear in this list. Is there a way to make it disappar from this list?

Thanks for all your help!
Matt

Matt:

Yes. Type "partition" into the Windows 7 Start/Search box and choose "Create and format hard disk partitions" from the list of search hits. When Disk Management console opens, right-click on the 100 MB partition in the graphic and choose "Change drive letter and paths". Click "Remove" in the dialog box that opens and then "OK". This will remove the drive letter from the System Reserved partition and it will not show up in Windows Explorer like before.

Super. That worked. Everything is back up and working correctly now. Thanks for all your help.

You're welcome.

Note that if you ever want to see or work with the files on the System Reserved partition, all you have to do is to assign the partition a drive letter and it will be visible in Windows Explorer. Remove the drive letter when you're done and the partition will be hidden again.

Matthew Schlegel wrote:

This copy of Windows is not genuine

What do I do now?

Matthew,
Hello.. Whenever i get that message (as i recover often and get that ) Re-boot ...and when you get the the Windows is not Blah , Blah screen (on re-boot) ...Just "X" it and all will be well... Regards Fred