Windows 7 Locked after scam call - SYSKEY

Anonymous
2014-07-09T06:15:35+00:00

I have had a couple for customers fall for the "This is So and So from Windows 7 Tech support, we have detected malicious software on you PC. The customers have given the scamers access to the PC and its now locked with What looks like the XP Syskey lock screen. There are reports the Password are 123 or 1234 or abcd. But that all failed. If you have this problem:

THIS IS FOR WINDOWS 7 ONLY, MAY WORK ON OTHER OS!!!!

I have repaired the syskey issue when created by scam call from “Windows 7 Tech Support” in windows 7. I repaired customers computers (1 32-bit and 1 64-bit) successfully, To remove following the steps below:

1.     Boot from windows 7 install cd.

2.     When the Install Windows page appears, click Repair your computer to access system recovery options.

3.     Run System Restore to last point before syskey password blocked access. (This will fail, but must be done). Click run system restore again (this will take you back to the options list)

4.     Open Command Prompt from the options list.

5.     Open Regedit (Type regedit into the command prompt). Regedit will open.

6.     Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa, and change 'SecureBoot' value to 0.

7.     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \SAM\SAM\Domains\Account Change F value to 0000

8.     Reboot and Login

This has worked for me on two machines. After reboot I ran Super-anti Spyware, Ad-Aware and Hitman Pro to confirm, found 68 items on Super-Anti Spyware, 5 more on ad aware and no further detection's on Hitman Pro. The PC now runs fine with not Lockouts or Passwords.

Hope this helps everyone with this problem.

MICROSOFT / WINDOWS 7 SUPPORT WILL NEVER RING YOU UNLESS YOU HAVE REQUESTED THEM TO DO SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Security and privacy

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-08-08T14:05:08+00:00

    Hi,

    I tried to follow the steps above on windows 7 and i am still getting the password prompt on startup.  Any other thoughts?

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-01-30T15:19:34+00:00

    Possibly a permissions issue on the keys?

    John

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-10-28T15:16:36+00:00

    This one works 100% everytime for me. 

    remove HDD and attach to any other windows computer.

    go to

    \Windows\System32\config\RegBack on affected HDD and copy DEFAULT, SAM, SECURITY,  SOFTWARE AND SYSTEM files.

    now paste and replace at 

    \Windows\System32\config.

    now insert the HDD back to the original computer and restart.

    now syskey password must be gone.

    do not forget to do a registry cleanup in the end.

    hope it works for you.

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-10-31T15:21:47+00:00

    This worked for me with windows 10 version 1607 build 14393.  As a precaution, I first renamed the original registry files in the config folder just in case the regback files did not fix the problem.  Then I copied the 5 registry files from the regback folder to the config folder.  The system booted clean on the next boot.

    Rather than remove the drive from the PC, I simply booted from a Windows PE flash drive and made the changes.  You can also boot from a Windows Installation disk and, at the Install Screen (second screen), select repair computer and then select the command prompt from the advanced options screen.

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-09-22T21:01:09+00:00

    That's a shame. I was only trying to help. I had this problem and the fix that I used worked.

    Thank you for your time.

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