Windows 8 how can I fix fake Microsoft hack

gx6583

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Sep 11, 2014
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yesterday I received a phone call from a guy claiming to work for Microsoft,he went on to say my system was in danger of crashing, and that they would fix it for me no problem, before allowing him to remote access, he had me access some files and directories which showed numerous errors, after that I let my guard down he got in my system,installed software and restarted my laptop, it's locked up and asking for a startup password ,, I'm running a Toshiba satellite c55 on windows 8. , anyone have any advice please help me thanks in advance
 
Solution
Hi

If you want to recover your data before you do this, then follow these steps to create a Ubuntu bootable disk and save your data to DVDS, a separate drive in your computer or an external hard drive.

Download the Ubuntu .ISO file.
Write it to a DVD using Imgburn that's it.

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

Select the 64 or 32 bit version.

Skip the form and select "Not now take me to the download" at the bottom.

http://imgburn.com/index.php?act=download

Install Imgburn and select, Write Image File to Disk.

In a few minutes you will have a disk that will boot your computer when Windows fails to start

Mike
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You can't afford to mess with a system which has been compromised. You should first disconnect from the internet - they have access to your pc.

Next back up any data you need to save to external storage.

Then run a full system recovery back to factory settings either by booting from the recovery partition on your hard drive or by booting from a bootable recovery dvd.
 
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I've tried system recovery and also system restore, windows will not load ,also tried booting a rescue disc and it won't boot using that method, which is why I don't want to purchase a windows 8 disc and do a clean install
 
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I believe what Pat was talking about was taking advantage of the factory image in the hidden partition on your hard disk.
As he said.... make every effort to back up any critical data to an external storage component.
Then shut down your computer. Make sure it is off as in really off (not sleep, not suspended / hybrid sleep, no hibernating or any other power saving fast booting option(s))
Then hold down the 0 (zero) key on your keyboard and hit the power button.
You can let go of the zero key when you see the menu.
That should bring up the factory reset menu options and return your computer to the state it was in when you first purchased it.
 
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cool I understand exactly what you're saying, except I tried that process and a error occurs each time same with restore point, it's stuck in a loop , I turn it on and all I get is the Toshiba load screen but it won't boot past that, thanks Trouble
 
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And I will assume that if you try using the F8 option the Toshiba Recovery Menu is not presented there either. So.......
I'm going to guess that somewhere along the line the factory image in the recovery partition has been damaged or perhaps the partition deleted during an over enthusiastic formatting exercise.
So failing (apparently) all of the above, go here Link Removed
Down the page just a bit you'll see some big text stating "Get Recovery Media", next to which you can type in your Toshiba's Serial Number along with a link explaining where you are likely to find that number.
 
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Hi

If you want to recover your data before you do this, then follow these steps to create a Ubuntu bootable disk and save your data to DVDS, a separate drive in your computer or an external hard drive.

Download the Ubuntu .ISO file.
Write it to a DVD using Imgburn that's it.

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

Select the 64 or 32 bit version.

Skip the form and select "Not now take me to the download" at the bottom.

http://imgburn.com/index.php?act=download

Install Imgburn and select, Write Image File to Disk.

In a few minutes you will have a disk that will boot your computer when Windows fails to start

Mike
 
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Solution
I just remembered something that happened once before I believe to someone on this forum. He had to enter the BIOS on his computer and disable fastboot before he could get the factory image reset menu to appear.
Might be worth a try.
And given the circumstances please make sure that any recovery you do of your critical data is plugged promptly into a good virus malware scanner.
 
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awesome information guys ,,,I'm about to try these steps be back with the results, and thanks again for everything, I'm truly grateful you guys spent your time helping me outstanding community going here!
 
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so how do I turn off fastboot, or is there a link with instructions?
 
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it should be in the system BIOS utility.
On your particular model I believe that it requires you to press F2 as the machine is initially starting up.
You should have some kind of documentation from the manufacturer that might point you to the correct key or key combination.
It could also be anything from Esc, to Delete, to F10, F11, or F12 with all the models out there it is hard to keep track as to which one require which.
Some time you might see an indicator as the machine boots.... something like press F12 for boot menu ..... press F2 for Setup
Once in the BIOS you'll have to maneuver around and find the Fast Boot enabled setting and change it to disabled or off.
 
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Here are the instructions for doing the reset from the Toshiba site.

To restore the original factory software image on your computer follow these steps:
  1. Make sure the computer is turned off ("Shut-down" from the Windows Start menu.
  2. Remove any peripherals such an external mouse, keyboard, monitor, USB flash drive etc.
  3. Make sure the AC Adapter is plugged in and working.
  4. Press and hold down the 0 (zero) key on the keyboard while powering on the computer. Release it when the recovery warning screen appears.
  5. If the recovery process offers a choice of Operating Systems, select the appropriate one for you.
  6. A warning screen appears, stating that when the recovery is executed all data will be deleted and rewritten.
  7. Click Yes to continue.
  8. When the Toshiba Recovery Wizard opens select "Recovery of Factory Software" or the appropriate option for your needs.
  9. Continue to follow the directions restarting as necessary.
This is probably what you are already doing but it,s what is supposed to work.
I can see that if the computer wasn't completely shut down do to fast boot, then the process might not work.

Your error message seems to indicate that it's still trying to load Windows.
Which it wouldn't do if it going to do the system restore from the recovery partition.
 
Last edited:
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Doesn't sound very likely to me - hell of a coincidence that your hard drive fails immediately after some hacker tries to take control of your pc. Might be worth you trying a download of a Windows install and using your existing key to install it. Make sure of course you have it written down before you try the install.
 
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patcooke said:
Doesn't sound very likely to me - hell of a coincidence that your hard drive fails immediately after some hacker tries to take control of your pc
Click to expand...
I agree, and I wouldn't suspect the hard drive immediately either.
However; I thought that this was a laptop that came with Windows 8 pre-installed, plus it looks like an EFI BIOS with a possible GPT configuration.
The media may be difficult to obtain without going to the source as I suggested above Link Removed.
The Product Key will likely be imbedded in the BIOS.
Were you not able to enter the BIOS Setup Utility??
 
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yes but once I try booting ithe Toshiba load screen appears then windows never boots up it just gives me the error jn the pic I posted earlier, then shutdown,,,I can't boot from a disc or the hard drive! Recovery or. Restore point wouldn't work either, the guy at geek squad suggested it might be the drive idk,,,,,,
 
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Hi

I have to vote on the side of it's not the hard drive.

If it was you would be a lot more likely to get an indication to enter the bios, when you turn the computer on, generated by the mother board and not have any screens relating to Windows install.

It is possible I suppose that the virus or whatever it is did corrupt the install files in the recovery partition.

What does happen when you turn the computer off, hold 0, and turn it back on?
Does it show anything on the screen?

It would be interesting to see what happens if you did the Ubuntu thing on another computer, boot from the disk, and see if you can see what's on the hard drive, or if it's unreadable from Linux too.

Unfortunately getting a Windows 8 ISO file isn't as easy as it was for previous versions.
I don't know if there has been some breakthrough in that area.

Putting in a new hard drive would solve your problem, but you would lose all your stuff, and you would have to get Windows install media from somewhere.

Only slightly related, but a friend who runs a large school system had his computers all hijacked and had to pay a ransom to get his data freed up just in the last year, he had no option because they had to have the data.

He found other local school systems who had the same thing happen, now one knows where the perpetrator is doing this from.

They are a lot more stringent about backing everything up now, if it happens again they will just wipe the computers.

Mike
 
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Man, why do people do stuff like this? Like do they honestly have nothing better to do than act like MS reps and delete boot files from someone's computer? As wrong as it is, I can at least understand stealing files. But crippling the computer in the process is heartless. I just don't get it...
 
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whenever I try to hold 0 and power the machine it gives me all the options but always an error if show a screenshot but I boxed it up for shipping the hardware is covered by warranty so I had to tell them that worse case scenario they tell me what is causing it, then I'll have a start point
 
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