Get Past the Validity Check

I recently tried to use Windows Update, but I got a "Validation Failure: Product Key Failed Validation" error. What does this mean, and how do I get past it?

Microsoft has shipped millions and millions of copies of Windows XP since its release in 2001, and each one has a unique product key: the 25-digit series of letters and numbers you had to type when you installed XP. Of course, if your PC came with Windows XP preinstalled, that key was entered when your machine left the factory, but it's in there nonetheless.

In an attempt to combat software piracy, Microsoft has taken further steps to ensure that every copy of Windows XP that is installed is installed with a valid, legitimate license. To that end, Microsoft added a new component to the Windows Update service that checks to see if you have a valid product key. The problem is that quite a few (we're talking millions here) product keys that were once valid such as the one printed on the hologram sticker on the bottom of your laptop have become invalidated for one reason or another. In theory, all you need to do is contact Microsoft (or perhaps your PC vendor) and request a new key. Whether you get one, however, is a different matter.

However, you can get your Windows updates without spending hours on the phone with Microsoft technical support. First, note that the Automatic Updates feature doesn't (at the time of this writing) require the same validation as the standard Windows Update web site. To use the Automatic Updates feature, open the System control panel, choose the Automatic Updates tab, and select either "Automatic (recommended)" or "Download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them," and click OK.

If you'd rather use the Windows Update web site and manually select which updates to install, open Internet Explorer, go to Tools --> Internet Options, choose the Programs tab, and click the Manage Add-ons button. Highlight "Windows Genuine Advantage" in the list, select the Disable option below, and click OK. Then, go to Tools --> Windows Update to get your update without the validation hassles.