"dark"user

FRANKEHA · 05 Mar 2023

Hi i am new here i am a Unix guy but had to switch to Windows because a options trading app runs on Windows only
Windows 10 Pro, version 22H2, OEM, build 19045.2604, Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.4190.0
I bought Tower Dell from a bank they closed down a small branch office sold off some equipment very low price
Now the question
what must be wrong when a user owns all of drive C files but none of drive D (SSD) but does not show up in control panel /user accounts?
This should not be a problem as i am admin user thus have full rights but it is .The "dark user" is dell possibly for remote service maintenance. For ex in the command shell i see C:/users/dell C:/users/me admin does not exist
The problem is that logging to a service that provides real time price info on tradeable items always ask to confirm again and again. They don't trust me. I do not know what happens in handshake but primarily i want to delete user dell but how when it is not a user account

bro67 · 05 Mar 2023

There is no Dark user. Suggest opening it up to verify what hardware is connected and do a Clean install of Windows or Linux.

FRANKEHA · 05 Mar 2023

bro67 said:

There is no Dark user. Suggest opening it up to verify what hardware is connected and do a Clean install of Windows or Linux.

oops no ido not want Win 10 downloads with fake registration keys for clean install and said user is dark beacause has no user account so how to open up?

RickC · 05 Mar 2023

If you've bought a second-hand machine then I would suggest clean-installing it so you know there's nothing on it except what you have put on yourself.

The machine will already have a digital license for Windows 10 Pro so will activate automatically when first connected to the internet... no 'fake registration keys' needed at all.

Have a look at this How to Clean Install Windows 10 tutorial.

Hope this helps...

FRANKEHA · 05 Mar 2023

RickC said:

If you've bought a second-hand machine then I would suggest clean-installing it so you know there's nothing on it except what you have put on yourself.

The machine will already have a digital license for Windows 10 Pro so will activate automatically when first connected to the internet... no 'fake registration keys' needed at all.

Have a look at this How to Clean Install Windows 10 tutorial.

Hope this helps...

well if that is indeed so how to find out if it really has a digital license because some command i entered in cmd window but forgot gives a bunch of some id's and says licensed OEM ok thats probably the final question and if so i'd buy US Win 10

FRANKEHA · 06 Mar 2023

FRANKEHA said:

well if that is indeed so how to find out if it really has a digital license because some command i entered in cmd window but forgot gives a bunch of some id's and says licensed OEM ok thats probably the final question and if so i'd buy US Win 10

command line enter slmgr /dlv returns a bunch of ids which i do not understand at all
hence i still don't know whether or not the machine is digitally licensed

idgat · 06 Mar 2023

How many time do we have to tell you - if Win 10 was installed and activated, then the machine has a digital license.

Windows 10/11 license are per machine, not per user/owner. The digital license goes with the machine wherever it goes.. It's there.

Just put in a new blank SSD, do a clean install of Win 10 or 11 (same license is good for both).

Tips
- clean install without an internet connection, even if prompted DO NOT DISCONNECT
- you on't need the license key during installtion (Option : "I don't have a license key")
- turn off (slid switch > off) all Windows bells-and-whistles that are offered
- complete clean insatll. reboot. Connect internet. Run updates.
- activation will now occur.

Check the activation
Settings > System > About

And you're right, there is a "dark user" ... and it's called Microsoft. Telemetry is the price you have to pay if you want to own a Microsoft computer .... unless you're savvy enough to be able to disable them all (but I bet you can't. No-one can!! I doubt whether there can ever be such a beast as a telemetless computer .....

)

idgat · 06 Mar 2023

FRANKEHA said:

command line enter slmgr /dlv returns a bunch of ids ...

One of which is Activation ID (3rd line down) !!

dalchina · 06 Mar 2023

And just to highlight one element from the tutorial for clean installing Win 10... around step 13/14 you delete all partitions of which the existing O/S on the disk is comprised

i.e. Win 10 is installed to unallocated space on the disk, and creates its own partitions.

RickC · 06 Mar 2023

FRANKEHA said:

well if that is indeed so how to find out if it really has a digital license because some command i entered in cmd window but forgot gives a bunch of some id's and says licensed OEM ok thats probably the final question and if so i'd buy US Win 10

1. Right-click on Start then select Windows PowerShell (it doesn't have to be Windows PowerShell (Admin)).

2. When the PowerShell console opens, copy/paste the following command then press RETURN/ENTER.

Code:

slmgr /xpr

3. If the OS is activated you will see this:

(Note: You can also use this slmgr /xpr command in a CMD console.)

Alternatively, use this in the PowerShell console:

Code:

Get-CimInstance SoftwareLicensingProduct -Filter "partialproductkey is not null" | ? name -like windows*

This will give you all the licensing details you ever wanted... but the important entry is LicenseStatus, shown here in the Windows PowerShell ISE for clarity:

Here are the codes for each possible value:

0=Unlicensed
1=Licensed
2=OOBGrace
3=OOTGrace
4=NonGenuineGrace
5=Notification
6=ExtendedGrace

So, you are looking for the entry called LicenseStatus with a value of 1.

Another alternative is to just use the following in the PowerShell console:

Code:

Get-CimInstance SoftwareLicensingProduct -Filter "Name like 'Windows%'" | where { $_.PartialProductKey } | select Description, LicenseStatus

Just be aware that the query is very slow (up to 30 seconds), but does give you just the info you're looking for:

Hope this helps...