Should i download windows validation components

A genuine product key can only be used on the number of computers that are specified in a software license. Validation is an online process that enables you to verify that the copy of Windows 7 that is running on your computer is activated correctly and is genuine. To do this, follow these steps:. Under Important updates , select Install updates automatically recommended , and then click OK. The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Download Center: Update for Windows 7 for xbased systems KB Download the Update for Windows 7 for xbased systems package now.

For more information about how to download Microsoft support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

Note Installing this update does not affect the functionality of your operating system. This update for Windows Activation Technologies helps detect validation errors and activation exploits.

This update also detects any tampering attempts made to important Windows 7 system files. Be aware that some counterfeit copies of Windows include malware. When this update is installed, it performs a validation process for the copy of Windows that is running on your computer. However, this validation process does not affect the functionality of Windows. The update process exits silently if it detects no validation errors, activation exploits, or tampered files. Tampered Files If the update discovers a tampered file, it tries to restore the file.

This restore may require a restart. If this update cannot restore the tampered files, it will direct you more information on the Internet. The net result is that clean installs will be much easier--but only after you get past the first one. OEM activation hasn't changed, nor have the procedures for activating volume license copies.

But the massive Get Windows 10 upgrade push means that for the near future at least those retail upgrade scenarios are very important. The biggest change of all is that the Windows 10 activation status for a device is stored online. After you successfully activate Windows 10 for the first time, that device will activate automatically in the future, with no product key required.

That's a huge change from previous versions of Windows, which required a product key for every installation. And it's potentially an unwelcome surprise for anyone who tries to do a clean install of Windows 10 without understanding the new activation landscape.

Microsoft is characteristically shy about discussing the details of activation. That's understandable, because every detail the company provides about its anti-piracy measures offers information that its attackers can use.

But it's also frustrating, because Microsoft's customers who use Windows don't want to have to think about activation. The Windows PC you paid for, and the free upgrade you spent time installing, should just work. I've had some way-off-the-record discussions with people who know a few things about the subject, and I've also done my own testing for the two weeks since Windows 10 was released to the public.

Here's what I've learned. For more than a decade, one of the keys that Microsoft's activation servers have relied on is a unique ID, which is based on a hash of your hardware. That hash is reportedly not reversible and not tied to any other Microsoft services. So although it defines your device, it doesn't identify you. When you activate for the first time, that hashed value let's call it your installation ID is recorded in the activation database alongside the product key you entered with the installation.

Later, when you reinstall the same edition of Windows on the same hardware, with the same product key, it's activated automatically. Conversely, if you try to use that product key on a different machine with a different hardware ID, you'll probably be denied activation.

See update at the end of this post. When you upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8. If you're "genuine" that is, properly activated , the Windows activation server generates a Windows 10 license certificate Microsoft calls it a "digital entitlement" and stores it in conjunction with your installation ID and the version you just activated Home or Pro.

It didn't need a product key to do that activation. All it needed was the proof from the Software Licensing Manager utility that your underlying activation was legit. You can now wipe that hard disk completely, boot from Windows 10 installation media, and install a squeaky clean copy. The Setup program asks you to enter a product key, but in a major change from Windows 8 and 8. You'll be asked to enter that key a second time, later in setup, but you can skip past that box as well.

When you finish the reinstall, assuming you used the same Windows 10 version on that hardware, you'll find it's automatically activated. Step 1: I booted from Windows 10 installation media, a USB flash drive prepared by the Windows 10 Media Creation tool, and tried a clean install on a system that had never been activated for Windows I skipped both prompts to enter a product key.

Microsoft has established a forum to help users encountering problems. In February , a "Not Sure" section was added to the program, in case of an incorrect reading. According to an editorial on the arstechnica. On June 18, , news surfaced that it is possible to positively validate as a "Genuine Microsoft Product" user and— as a result— be able to download certain software from Microsoft 's official website using Internet Explorer with IEs4Linux and Wine , running on Linux , without even having a Windows -family system installed.

From the moment that WGA was released, it had a flaw that allows a typical user to remove the program without uninstalling its root key, causing Windows to think that the software is installed although no "nagging" process or RAM usage occurs. This flaw has not yet July been fixed, although it still prevents critical system updates. On October 5, , a WGA failure occurred, incorrectly flagging some systems as being non-genuine. The issue was solved about twelve hours later.

According to Microsoft, "fewer than 12, systems were affected worldwide. Microsoft later responded that only offline verification was temporarily down. Microsoft Wiki Explore. Windows families.

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Microsoft Shared source. Explore Wikis Community Central. Register Don't have an account? Windows Genuine Advantage. View source. History Talk 0. WGA official seal. Despite its name it does not actually evaluate the integrity or security of any computer. This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia view authors.

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