Win 7 startup password - how to eliminate?

Download to another computer and burn to CD or write to Flash stick Windows Defender Offline to try booting to run a full scan. Alternatives are here: FREE Bootable AntiVirus Rescue CDs Download List.

If a bootable disk or flash stick will boot then we can also help you copy out your files and Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. But in that case it should also run Factory Recovery from it's hotkey at boot: Dell Restoring Your Computer´s Software to the Factory Settings

Otherwise your best approach is Barman's above: contact Dell to obtain the password or ship it back to reflash the BIOS chip on the mobo. Explain fully what happened, if necessary to a supervisor.

You should not be ashamed of this and even report it to law enforcement as it is a type of creepy assault that gets prosecuted.

kegobeer said:

Stop. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.

You were hacked. You have no idea what they did. Do not waste time trying to change passwords, etc. Do a clean install of Windows ASAP.

In the future, give a complete history of what's going on with the computer. Had you done this in your first post, you would have received this type of recommendation immediately.

Totally agree.

That picture looks like the startup lockscreen, which can be configured by using the syskey application. Hit the Windows key, type syskey, click update, then choose system generated password (store startup key locally).

gregrocker said:

Kegger's Syskey prompt offers to enable irreversible encryption. This might be a way hackers are able to get it irreversibly passworded.

But since BIOS is not locked would OP be able to boot a disk to copy out data and then Reinstall, or run Factory Recovery from its partition? Or will data be encrypted even if attempt is made to copy it out with Rescue CD, as with BitLocker?

Yes, the data can be copied - I'd just slave the drive into another system and copy what I wanted to keep. Then, pop in the Windows 7 disc and do a custom clean install, formatting both the 100mb and the OS partition, then installing on the OS partition. Or, if his Dell has a restore partition that can be access during boot, a restore would also work, since it will completely erase and overwrite the OS partition with the original image.

BTW - syskey is just a tool that is used to secure the system accounts management (SAM) database.

Window Key + R to open the run prompt

Type syskey and hit enter



Select the option "Encryption Enabled" and click "Update"



Select the options below and click OK



You will be required to provide the current password. If you do not have it, you will need to seek alternative methods.

Hope this is helpful

Tim