Windows 7 repeated requests for activation - 18 months after first activated!

[nedyr]

Put this into this forum as no one is replying in After sales Support.

I bought a Scan 3XS system in August 2012 and had it delivered and set up in September 2012. Windows 7 Home Premium (bought with the computer) was successfully activated at that time and has worked fine with no complaints for the last 18 months.

Over the last couple of weeks I have had repeated requests to activate Windows 7 within the next three days or lose functionality. So far I have re-activated successfully each time. But, (a) this is beginning to be annoying, and (b) I am worrying that after a certain number of re-activations I will not be able to do so any more. The request tells me that changes have been detected on my computer which mean that reactivation is necessary BUT, I have made no changes to the computer AT ALL which should lead to this.

Using Event Viewer, I notice that during March I have recorded repeated error 36885 warnings for Schanne(?) saying "When asking for client authentication, this server sends a list of trusted certificate authorities to the client. The client uses this list to choose a client certificate that is trusted by the server. Currently, this server trusts so many certificate authorities that the list has grown too long. This list has thus been truncated. The administrator of this machine should review the certificate authorities trusted for client authentication and remove those that do not really need to be trusted." and wonder if this could be connected?

I have no idea how to get to "the certificate authorities trusted for client authentication" nor how to remove them so that the list is shorter.

I have Software Protection set to automatic and started, but notice in services that SPP Notification Service is shown as manual and not started. Not sure if there is any connection with the reactivation problem.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks

John

Addendum: Following advice in the Microsoft Community Forum I have run chkdsk - no errors and SFC - no errors. No new hardware or software installed since this began two weeks ago. I have used Ubuntu Linux live CDs several times but that should not affect the underlying windows installation(?)

No registry cleaning software installed - I don't believe in them. Anti-virus is Avast Pro latest edition - this updated this week but activation issue occurred before this update. Also use Malwarebytes latest edition up-to-date.

Date and time are correct.
Any help appreciated.

Thanks

John

[herulach]

have you run the genuine advantage diagnosis util from microsoft? what does the licence status line say? You haven't installed new disks or anything?

[nedyr]

Not changed any hard disks nor any other hardware.

Yes, I have run Microsoft diagnostics but don't understand the result. Here is relevant part with product key blanked out - but it is genuine!

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

Validation Code: 0
Cached Online Validation Code: 0x0
Windows Product Key: *****-*****-*****-*****-*****
Windows Product Key Hash: 0qRIgXjh6Rh/KvcsPpOEx8xVBpc=
Windows Product ID: 00359-OEM-8703953-59216
Windows Product ID Type: 3
Windows License Type: OEM System Builder
Windows OS version: 6.1.7601.2.00010300.1.0.003
ID: {4D5E2804-3C52-4A03-B35F-84CB5A4FA42A}(1)
Is Admin: Yes
TestCab: 0x0
LegitcheckControl ActiveX: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Product Name: Windows 7 Home Premium
Architecture: 0x00000009
Build lab: 7601.win7sp1_gdr.130828-1532
TTS Error:
Validation Diagnostic:
Resolution Status: N/A

Put all this on Microsoft Community forum but no one has responded to the diagnostic to explain it!

Thanks

John

[DavidM]

Please can you email your name + invoice details to: systemsupport@scan.co.uk and the system team will look into this for you.

It could be worth checking for either Spyware and if your system time and date are correct.

[herulach]

Not changed any hard disks nor any other hardware.

Yes, I have run Microsoft diagnostics but don't understand the result. Here is relevant part with product key blanked out - but it is genuine!

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

Validation Code: 0
Cached Online Validation Code: 0x0
Windows Product Key: *****-*****-*****-*****-*****
Windows Product Key Hash: 0qRIgXjh6Rh/KvcsPpOEx8xVBpc=
Windows Product ID: 00359-OEM-8703953-59216
Windows Product ID Type: 3
Windows License Type: OEM System Builder
Windows OS version: 6.1.7601.2.00010300.1.0.003
ID: {4D5E2804-3C52-4A03-B35F-84CB5A4FA42A}(1)
Is Admin: Yes
TestCab: 0x0
LegitcheckControl ActiveX: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Product Name: Windows 7 Home Premium
Architecture: 0x00000009
Build lab: 7601.win7sp1_gdr.130828-1532
TTS Error:
Validation Diagnostic:
Resolution Status: N/A

Put all this on Microsoft Community forum but no one has responded to the diagnostic to explain it!

Thanks

John

Thats not the relevant status, you want the bit that starts:
Licensing Data-->
Software licensing service version: 6.1.7600.16385

Name: Windows(R) 7, HomePremium edition

down the bottom of that section it should say the licence status, and a notification reason.

Edit: but do what DavidM says I don't work for scan.

[nedyr]

Thanks, have responded to David and sent full log to him. John

[satrow]

Hi, John.

I'm pretty sure Noel Paton (NoelDP) is active on the MS Community forums, he's be your best bet, imo, to get to the root of the problem. He has been online elsewhere today but it might be an idea to follow his Sticky here: http://www.sysnative.com/forums/wind...-for-help.html - if Noel doesn't chime in, I'm sure someone else will.

Looks like the excess Certificates issue is the main problem, Internet Options > Content tab > Certificates button - > count the Trusted Root Certification Authorities entries, also the Trusted Publishers - I think they're the ones referred to by your Schannel error messages. For comparison purposes, I have ~51 entries in Trusted Root Authorities and 10 in Trusted Publishers.

The cause of the excess certificates might well be down to malware - or even a bad update from a security software, you need to run further diags and get the logs checked over.

[nedyr]

Thanks for this. I will follow up Noel Paton tomorrow. Meanwhile I have counted my certificates. I have none in the Trusted Publishers, but literally 100s in the Trusted Root Certification Authorities - far too many to count. I guess I need to remove some of these. How do I choose which? Just taking out those that have expired would help I suppose?

Meanwhile I will check for malware - though I have a feeling that this happened after a Microsoft update!

Thanks again.

John