Malware or drive failure? Machine is crippled

adamgm said:

To respond to this more directly; I wasn't able to get it with ShowKey, it said that there was no OEM in the firmware in the backup - I also tried running the executable from the bad drive, with the same result.

However, I did install Lazesoft software recovery suite to the bad drive (very slowly) and it has a password/key recovery option which is what gave me my key.

A good sign is, putting that key into Showkey does also give me the correct version.

Ok, thanks - not familiar with Lazesoft .. but no one can be familiar with all of the software out there, eh

If you can ... run showkey on the running machine, not from the PEboot
if Showkey still doesn't return anything useful ... Superfly might need to be consulted.

As a double check on the key (because there might be a few reported by different software)
Run Belarc advisor - no need to update when prompted, it the MS Security Updates database - that might take too long on the machine in it's present condition.
Answer no and let it generate the report. On the left, you should see License keys link
There's an added bonus in that you get keys for all (or most) of your software, if you're going to reinstall purchased software

adamgm said:

Ok, so I didn't insert a key, but according to the system page in the control panel "Windows is activated" but it's not a standard key, but some "product id" ?

Please post a pic of Settings>Update & security>Activation

adamgm said:

Second, and a new issue - if someone can help me out, when installing windows, for some reason the first attempt screwed up, I forget what the error was, but it cancelled.
I now have a partition to the left of my primary one, and I can't extend the primary... how do I get rid of this?

Please post 2 pics: One of Disk Management and one of your partitions using Macrium Reflect Free.

adamgm said:

If I make the unallocated space (501mb) a volume, I can shrink it, but only by ~ 280 mb. Presumably I could add that to my main.... is there some way to get rid of the whole thing?
I can start over and reinstall windows again...

Let's have @Kyhi or @Slartybart take a look and give you some direction on your partition structure. :) Get those screenshots posted for them, ok?

When you clean install Windows 10 - there are 2 -4 partitions created. Windows knows what it needs.

I'm not sure what you did, but I understnad there was an issue with the first attempt.

I'll wait for the images simrick requested.


MBR firmware

The 500 MB is the System Reserve partition - leave this alone, it holds WinRE and Boot configuration
The remainder of the drive is devoted to your Windows boot and possibly a Recovery partition

UEFI firmware is different, I'll have to read the thread to see if you already answered MBR/BIOS or UEFI

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I'd like to see your Disk Management.

Step 1: Download this zip file (contains dmDskmgr-vd.mmc)

dmDskmgr-vd.zip

Step 2: Double click dmDskmgr-vd.zip to open the compressed folder
Double click dmDskmgr-vd.mmc to launch the custom Disk Management console
You'll get an output similar to this:

Press Alt+PrtScn to grab a snapshot of just the Disk Management window
Open Paint and Ctrl+V to paste it, then save the image
Attach the image to a new post.

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Option 2: Use Disk Management in the x-Menu (right click the Windows logo, select Disk Management)
Select View > Bottom > Disk list
Maximize the window and grab the screen shot.

Slartybart said:

When you clean install Windows 10 - there are 2 -4 partitions created. Windows knows what it needs.

I'm not sure what you did, but I understnad there was an issue with the first attempt.

I'll wait for the images simrick requested.


MBR firmware

The 500 MB is the System Reserve partition - leave this alone, it holds WinRE and Boot configuration
The remainder of the drive is devoted to your Windows boot and possibly a Recovery partition

UEFI firmware is different, I'll have to read the thread to see if you already answered MBR/BIOS or UEFI

---

I'd like to see your Disk Management.

Step 1: Download this zip file (contains dmDskmgr-vd.mmc)

dmDskmgr-vd.zip

Step 2: Double click dmDskmgr-vd.zip to open the compressed folder
Double click dmDskmgr-vd.mmc to launch the custom Disk Management console
You'll get an output similar to this:

Press Alt+PrtScn to grab a snapshot of just the Disk Management window
Open Paint and Ctrl+V to paste it, then save the image
Attach the image to a new post.

---

Option 2: Use Disk Management in the x-Menu (right click the Windows logo, select Disk Management)
Select View > Bottom > Disk list
Maximize the window and grab the screen shot.

Oops.

I was pretty sure that partition was made when the first attempt at installing windows screwed up. It wasn't allocated, or even a volume, and my main partition details in Computer Management mentioned "(System, boot, page file, etc...)

I used the partition tool to get rid of it, I can still get a picture if you like - so I only have 1 now (the un-allocated volume to the left of my C:/ drive was the only other one).

Should I reinstall or redo something?

Yes, I'd like to see the disk mmnt ... or if you're still willing to re-install that would be the fastest and cleanest.

Windows 10 - Clean Install - Windows 10 Forums[2]=Installation%20and%20Setup

If you do a Clean install, when you get to here (Step12 MBR or Step13 UEFI),
make sure the entire disk is unallocated - that way Windows creates the correct partition scheme.
You don't have to create the partitions - let windows do it.

adamgm said:

Ok I'll get that picture later today.

If it was something windows did, should it have been an actual volume and not an unallocated space?

Thanks,

It really depends on how you installed Windows.

If the drive was empty, the there should not have been unallocated space after Windows was installed. There are hidden partitions though.
If the drive had any partitioning on it before the install, then Windows preserves that schema.

I regularly create space for testing an OS and leave my data partitions allocated - the data partitions stay allocated.
There is also unallocated space on my drive that stays unallocated.

The key then is to have no partitions on the drive when you install Windows, that way Windows decides what to allocate and where it gets allocated.

There are cases where a second attempt causes issues - best to start from the beginning rather than pick up from where you left off.

This refers to a clean install ... clean means a clean drive.