Can anyone explain what happened to my Windows?

I was working through the Malware removal instructions. Ran Superantispyware and Malwarebytes, rebooting when instructed. Ran Combofix, and the rest. Finished everything I could do and rebooted one final time to see if the popup I had been seeing on startup was gone. It was but a new one appeared, telling me my Windows was counterfeit. WHAT HAPPENED?

I bought my system at least six years ago. It came with a recovery disc and documentation. Four years ago my harddrive failed and I installed a new one my self and used the recovery disc to install windows. If I remember correctly part of the installation process was going to Microsoft site and validating it.

Two years ago a malignant Securom infestation trashed my computer. The motherboard was broken and one of the memory chips failed. My son's roommate replaced the motherboard and CPU with spares he had and installed XP Pro from a disc he was no longer using as he had upgraded to Vista. I've read the license and it says it is allowed to be used on one computer at a time. I've been regularly updating at the Microsoft site for the past two years with no hint that my installation was not kosher.

So WHAT HAPPENED?

My desktop is now black. I can put wallpaper back on it but as soon as I open a window the desktop is black again when I return to it. There is a star in my systray and an intermittent popup on the desktop telling me my windows is counterfeit. I am very unhappy.

 

I would call the Microsoft Activation number and see what they say. Hope they can sort you out!

 

Can you tell me where to find this activation number to call? I have been to the Microsoft website and cannot find it.


I don't really think Microsoft will be able to tell me the answer anyway. I was not at the MS validation site when this happened. I was not at any site. I was running the anti malware programs according to the instructions I received here. Whatever happened occurred between running Malwarebytes and unsuccessfully running MGtools. So that pretty well points at either ComboFix or RootRepeal. My friend that installed Windows for me says it was validated when he installed it and he thinks one of the antimalware programs removed the validation key from the registry.

I have to say when this first popped up on my computer I thought it was some kind of scam/another malware like those ones that claim you have a virus so you will buy their antivirus program.