reinstall windows on a hacked HP

[Tuscan72]

My HP F6E05EA has been hacked and I am not able to login anymore into windows 10.

I manage to take out the hard drive, place it into an enclosure and copy all the files on a portable one so I have not lost anything but I would like to re-install windows 10. Actually the PC came with windows 8.1 which I later updated to windows 10. My question is:

1) there is no sticker on the back of the machine showing the product key. Once I connected the HD with the USB enclosure I can see the files and the windows directory of the hacked drive,I tried using key finder software to look for the windows key in the removed hard drive  but it always shows the key for the C drive, regardless if I browse in the external location F:\windows\system32\config

2) if I format the drive and I download windows 10 from the microsoft site and burn it on a DVD, how can I then activate it as I do not have the key?

3) can HP provide the key or who shall I contact?

Thanks

Tom

[DavidPK]

Hi Tom,

The product key is actually embedded in the uefi firmware, however the good news is that you won't need to 'extract' this.

As the machine has been previously upgraded from 8.1 to 10, a hardware profile ( Digital Entitlement ) will have been recorded by the activation servers.

As long as the previous installation of Windows 10 had activated Ok after the upgrade from 8.1, you can just perform a clean installation. 

Note: At the activation screen, select 'I don't have a Product key' - Windows will activate automatically once the installation has completed.

There's a good guide on this procedure on the following link.

http://www.howtogeek.com/224342/how-to-clean-install-windows-10/

Regards,

DP-K

[Tuscan72]

I am stucked. I am trying to do a clean format but when I try ANY advanced options, I receive the message You need to sign in as an administrator,  but there aren't any administrator accounts on this PC. I've been trying to find a solution that works, but have not had ANY luck. I've tried with Media Creation tool, but to NO luck, any hints?

[DavidPK]

Hi,

If the machine has been infected, I wouldn't try launching the reinstallation from within Windows.  Instead, use another PC to first create the Windows 10 installation media.  Then insert the Windows 10 media and Shutdown the PC.

Tap away at the esc key as soon as you press the power button to enter the Start-up Menu and then select the Boot Options Menu ( f9 ).

Use the arrow keys to highlight the CDROM or usb flash drive option and hit enter - if prompted to 'Press any key to continue....' - do so.

Regards,

DP-K

[Tuscan72]

I tried to create a boot DVD I am not able to boot it from it, there is a cursor blinking in the screen but the win 10 installation DVD not working, same with a USB bootable stick, it is not recognized! is there any escape route?

[Tuscan72]

I did try to put USB--->DVD---> HD in the boot order, no luck...

[Tuscan72]

[DavidPK · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Looking at your screenshots, this looks like the f10 setup menu, not the f9 boot menu - with the boot media inserted, restart the PC, access the f9 boot menu and see if the disc or flash drive is now listed as a bootable option.

Regards,

DP-K

[Tuscan72]

Thanks. Did a prompt install with the new created media, had to  GPT disk and it is now installing, let me see how it goes...

[DavidPK]

You're welcome and that's good to hear

All the best,

DP-K