Our youngen as done something to it, he said he as downloaded something to stop it getting a virus ...

Anyway now it wont let me start windows.......

It lets me start in safe mode but I get this message...

Windows Product activation:

This copy of windows must be activated with Microsoftbefore you can continue.You cannot log on until you activate windows. Because activation cannot occur in safe mode, please restart your computer in normal mode to activate windows.


But I cant start it in normal mode...

This is what I have tried in safe mode:
System Restore. (to a earlier date)
AVG virus scan.


Anyone any ideas??

I have to tell you, I know very little about computers.

Do you have a windows CD?

No mate, a mate loaded it up for me, but wont be able to see him for 2 weeks

i was thinking reinstall of operating system as long as you have the product key normally on a sticker on base of laptop it just means you have lost all music/pictures on laptop unless it will run in safe mode and allow you to transfer them onto usb stick

No need to be quite so drastic, I was thinking of running a windows repair from CD. Do you know what was downloaded?

havent been able to get rid of these in the past without a reinstall but you may know a way

I'm wondering if the download was coincidental. Had you had activation warnings previously?

I suspect you're going to need an XP CD (I'm assuming you're running XP) and boot into recovery mode.


Option 2: Starting the Windows Recovery Console from the Windows XP CD-ROM
If you have not preinstalled the Windows Recovery Console, you can start the computer and use the Recovery Console directly from your original Windows XP installation disc. If your computer is already in Windows and you want to add the Windows Recovery Console as a startup option, go to the next section "Adding the Windows Recovery Console as a startup option."

1. Insert the Windows XP CD into your CD drive and restart your computer. If you are prompted, select any options required to start (boot) from the CD.
2. When the text-based part of Setup begins, follow the prompts. Select the repair or recover option by pressing R.
3. If you have a dual-boot or multiboot system, select the installation that you want to access from the Recovery Console.
4. When you are prompted, type the Administrator password.
5. At the command prompt, type Recovery Console commands, and then you can refer to the commands that are listed in the "Available commands within Windows Recovery Console" section.
6. At any time, you can type Help for a list of available commands.
7. At any time, you can type Help commandname for help on a specific command. For example, you can type help attrib to display the help on the attributes command.
8. At any time, you can exit Windows Recovery Console by typing Exit at the command line.

Yes Mr I it is XP, I dont have a disc though, a mate loaded the OS on for me.... never had any activation warnings either....

Fraid you're gonna need one.

Sounds like you have downloaded the windows update which can determine if your using hooky operating system, came out a few weeks ago, you will either need a crack and run it in safe mode, or get a cd key for your operating system, if you cant find one, there are plenty of the shelves of asda tesco etc under neath the laptops

not with xp on
plenty of vista/windows7