my computer's windows only gives me limited use. I used to have full use. Why..?

Question

Somebody bought the computer I'm on from an important company. At first it worked great, but one day, after apparently downloading 'updates' for my computer, something happened. When I would turn it on, a banner of varying opacity would sit on the bottom right of my screen. It says, in paraphrase: "We charge you with not paying for this version of Windows; therefore you only have limited use of this copy of windows.." When the desktop loads, the banner is always there. On startup, it forces a box asking whether to resolve now or later. When the desktop loads, again, I am prohibited from customizing my desktop like wallpaper. It defaults my desktop to a black blank screen. When I have a window open, generally a browser, another label like think pops up every 5 minutes.

I am annoyed at this but Why should I have to pay? I am not the one who installed this copy of Windows. And I can't ask the former owner because they won't help me.

Any suggestions? I already know I can click some buttons to resolve this, I just don't well not just paying, but the additional software when I only have 1.3G of space free on my harddrive.

It must be the previous owner didn't type their serial number into it correctly or something. That's what I believe but I don't know i wasn't there.

Answer 1

First of all do a Virus and Spyware check and make sure it is not a Trojan Horse Fake Alert Trick.



Secondly I find it amazing that a "Company" has sold a "Company" computer WITHOUT doing a "Total Clean-Up Disk Wipe",more for their benefit as some of their company information might still be on that computer.



Thirdly I Agree that Companies can have group polices, BUT Microsoft/ Windows, normally have a Error code NUMBER that goes with a brief Error description of a Error



."We charge you with not paying for this version of Windows; therefore you only have limited use of this copy of windows.." JUST does not sound like a Microsoft/Windows Error Code.or Denial of Service Info..



IF you go to microsoft.com you are suppose to type in the ERROR CODE NUMBER and Microsoft would then give you a detailed report, Surprise,Surprise when I copy & paste the above sentence, Yes you've guest correctly NOTHING.



Finally I personally believe it to be a Virus/Worm /Spyware/Trojan/ or whatever. Please run a virus check and get rid of it, THEN SAVE all your Data, and REBOOT your system from scratch if you think necessary



Hope this helps good luck yours Thomas J.

Answer 2

no suprise, your a victim of company policy on windows group licencing.



why? the big company that bought the computer set up windows on it and applied windows group licence, so whenever the computer still belongs to the company, it has valid windows group licence applied.



but now it does not belong to the company anymore, since you said you bought it from the company, so the company simply cancelled licence on this computer, and then windows update detects this copy as "illegal, copyright infringed", thats why you are banned from using it.



ofcoz the only way to solve it is to buy a legal copy, or you could try those chinese pirated ones, but if you get caught, consequences are bad especially if your in the united states, software companies could force you settle offcourt for a deal and ask you to pay a lotta money.

Answer 3

Sounds like a dodgy deals the old owner gave you. You definitely need to find a copy of Windows, and reinstall the whole thing. How you obtain this copy of windows, it's up to you :P



Make sure you backup your files (MP3, Pictures, Videos) first to an external harddrive. Also, start researching/downloading drivers from the internet for you specific brand of PC. you'll need it after your reinstalling of windows.