Fred Mastropasqua

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I was having problems trying to download XPMode because the website tries to validate your Windows 7 operation system.  Even though I activated successfully and I ran the MGA Diagnostic Tool locally and it said Genuine. It still failed the online check.

I even called Microsoft to see if they could figure it out. No luck. They tried the obvious stuff, re-entering my product key, re-activating.  They couldn’t figure it out. Even gave me a new product key and still no luck.  Then I told them I had to go.

Found the answer on my own..

I was getting Event Errors in my Application Log.

Source: CAPI2
Event ID: 257
The Cryptographic Services service failed to initialize the Catalog Database. The ESENT error was: -1011.

Then I caught online something on bypassing XP Genuine has to do with the Cryptographic services. Putting two and two together, I figured this error was the source of my problem.

After a little digging I found this article which gave me steps to wipe out my System Catalog Database. 

This fixed my error and allowed me to validate my windows online.

1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Services.
2. Right-click Cryptographic Services, and then click Stop.
3. Click Start, and then click Computer.
4. Navigate to %systemroot%\System32.

   By default, %systemroot% is located at C:\Windows.

5. Rename the catroot2 folder to catroot2.old.
6. In the Services snap-in console, right-click Cryptographic Services, and then click Start.

Operating Systems, Troubleshooting MGA, Genuine Advantage, Windows7