Recovering from a hack cant update windows to a differnt version

Corbin1283 · 20 Jan 2022

So the hacker got all my info.. passwords, etc.. long story short hes gone for sure but now i have some residual things of his doing.

I cant update windows from version 19044.1288 to anything else, there seems to be a script running which if i put a usb in it installs from an offline windows installer... ive tried making media creators the traditional way, tried isos, they all install the same 1 version of windows and no matter what i cant change it. Anytime i install a new version from a usb my system, somehow resets the version and restores to an older copy.

Ive tried so many things, now its time to do it right and ask you guys.

steve108 · 20 Jan 2022

Hello @Corbin1283 and welcome to TF

,

Based on what you said about being hacked, have you consider doing a fresh clean install: Clean Install Windows 10 to start fresh?

Delete all the existing partitions as part of the clean install. Back up your important files and scan them with your AV and MalwareBytes free to make sure they are clean before copying them to your clean installed PC.

steve108 · 20 Jan 2022

You may also make a full backup of your exciting setup Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect - I'm just concerned that the hacker may have planted some malware in it - so it's possibly contaminated unless you know otherwise.

Corbin1283 · 20 Jan 2022

ive tried to clean install, even using diskpark clean all does nothing, he had a linux partition on my windows install he was booting from, i get messages from internet explorer saying its waiting for a responce from someone whos not there... i wish i had pictures of this specific event... but cant afford a new mobo or cpu/HD, so i have to try and make this hacked one work.

Oh and ive scanned with like 30 differnt virus scanners, each finds nothing, he used legit window processes with the mix of watching what i was doing in linux while i had no clue, the only defense i can take is flash and change passwords for bios and hope he cant figure it out.. thats all i got.

steve108 · 20 Jan 2022

Corbin1283 said:

ive tried to clean install, even using diskpark clean all does nothing, he had a linux partition on my windows install he was booting from, i get messages from internet explorer saying its waiting for a responce from someone whos not there... i wish i had pictures of this specific event... but cant afford a new mobo or cpu/HD, so i have to try and make this hacked one work.

Have you tried booting from Windows install media and wipe all partitions first before reinstalling Windows?

Corbin1283 · 20 Jan 2022

yes sir i have, and unfortunately the result is the same, same version gets installed, ive re-purchased windows 10, because he had some crazy oem version (after jacking my original copy) which was originally the problem, as windows was limiting me to that 1 install because of the oem version... but now i cant get away from it.

steve108 · 20 Jan 2022

Corbin1283 said:

yes sir i have, and unfortunately the result is the same, same version gets installed, ive re-purchased windows 10, because he had some crazy oem version (after jacking my original copy) which was originally the problem, as windows was limiting me to that 1 install because of the oem version... but now i cant get away from it.

Did you make a fresh install media using just MCT: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...load/windows10

steve108 · 20 Jan 2022

If yes, then maybe your drive needs to be reformatted. If you have more than one drive, disconnect all except the drive to be clean installed.

dalchina · 20 Jan 2022

And if you have more than one internal drive (do you?), consider the possibility other drives may have been affected as well.

Corbin1283 · 20 Jan 2022

Ive tried so much, read so many forums, it all comes down to the fact that no matter what i install with and no matter what i use, my windows simply reverts to some 2004 edition. Until i unblock updates i can run this version, but if i try and update... poof my computer is gone.