Windows operating systems are paid, which imposes on their users responsibility for non-compliance with the terms of the license agreement, namely, the use of an unlicensed copy of this operating system. In this case, sooner or later a service message will appear on the monitor screen - "Windows system was not authenticated."
When installing Windows, starting with XP, the system security settings immediately register the settings, according to which the system is automatically checked for all the latest updates. After downloading the updates, you must install them before shutting down the computer.
When installing them, the operating system must be authenticated, in which the key embedded in the system will be checked for a license. If the verification was not successful during the last system startup, then the next time you turn on the computer, instead of installing updates, a message about failed authentication will appear.
The presence of an installed licensed copy of Windows
If the PC user is sure that his license key is genuine, and the message about failed authentication pops up erroneously, then he needs to call Windows User Support. Contact details are on the official Microsoft page. Next, you will need to name the installed license key, the time and place of purchase of the licensed copy of Windows, as well as your personal data.
If the information is correct, the user will be prompted to reinstall the operating system, or another license key will be offered for installation, which will be dictated by the support operator. The described situation occurs when system errors occur, or third parties gained access to the original license key using malicious software (viruses, Trojan horses, etc.).
System errors often occur due to the lack of up-to-date antivirus software. It should be regularly updated.
Presence of a "pirated" copy of Windows installed
The use of unlicensed copies of the operating system falls under Articles 146, 272 and 273 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Therefore, if the PC user is the owner of the "pirated" version, then he needs to purchase a license key from Microsoft within 30 days after the message about failed authentication appears.
The license can be applied to one computer or to many. This is often used by "pirates" using stolen corporate licenses that are difficult to trace in use.
Errors in downloaded updates
The updates themselves are not without flaws. Often, some of them themselves provoke the appearance of the message about the failed authentication. Updates for the Windows operating system are packed in special files, the name of which begins with two letters - KB. The most common problem occurs with the KB971033 update package.
In order to remove it, you need to go to the "Control Panel", in the menu that appears, select the "Security System" menu. There is a list of all installed updates. Next, you need to specify the KB971033 package or those that provoked system errors and delete. After that, you need to restart your computer.
