Can't reinstall windows on SSD after scam

[127213_1454180396]

Yesterday I was scamed by someone who said to be from Microsoft. Anyway, I am now locked out of my computer and want to just wipe everything off my harddrive and do a clean installation of windows 10. However the windows key that I own is windows 8.1 and the ability to upgrade to windows 10 for free is not valid anymore. Is there any chance that windows know that I upgraded my key while the option was avaliable and could offer to upgrade me now? 

 

Also, I downloaded a windows 10 iso file to an usb stick but when I try to install windows on to that SSD it just tells me that it can't be done because my chosen disk has a MBR while windows can only be installed on GPT discs. What is the deal here? Did the guy reform my SSD or something?

The harddrive

The SSD is an120GB kingston.

[mineblaster]

it should activate once you sign in with your microsoft account

 

[Rohime]

Just download windows 10 from the microsoft site.   Install that (via USB or whatever).   It will know that you previously upgraded and just work.  (as long as you havent changed major pieces of hardware).

 

[Rohime]

ha ha... edit ... you updated.

 

Yeah you will need to format the SSD properly.   this will lose any data.

Do a custom Full install, and delete any existing partitions on the SSD.

[127213_1454180396]

4 minutes ago, Rohime said:

ha ha... edit ... you updated.

 

Yeah you will need to format the SSD properly.   this will lose any data.

Do a custom Full install, and delete any existing partitions on the SSD.

Like I said 

, I am locked out of my computer so the only thing I can acess is the bios. Is it possible to reform the SSD from here?

[mineblaster]

1 minute ago, 127213_1454180396 said:

Like I said 

, I am locked out of my computer so the only thing I can acess is the bios. Is it possible to reform the SSD from here?

you can delete partions when you run the installer

 

[Rohime]

Reformat when you are doing the install of Win10.   Boot from the Install USB and there is an option somewhere ... .Custom Full Install has option to delete the existing partitions.  you dont actually need to recreate .. the install routine will do that automatically, just delete the existing ones.

[ndfr623]

You could try firing up the recovery options and using DISKPART from the command line, as much as you may hate this. You could try

1. . From what I see, that will completely wipe everything PLUS partition table. You should have no trouble then. Good luck!

[GoodBytes]

2 hours ago, 127213_1454180396 said:

Yesterday I was scamed by someone who said to be from Microsoft. Anyway, I am now locked out of my computer and want to just wipe everything off my harddrive and do a clean installation of windows 10. However the windows key that I own is windows 8.1 and the ability to upgrade to windows 10 for free is not valid anymore. Is there any chance that windows know that I upgraded my key while the option was avaliable and could offer to upgrade me now? 

 

Also, I downloaded a windows 10 iso file to an usb stick but when I try to install windows on to that SSD it just tells me that it can't be done because my chosen disk has a MBR while windows can only be installed on GPT discs. What is the deal here? Did the guy reform my SSD or something?

The harddrive

The SSD is an120GB kingston.

Just do a system restore to bring back your system before you got scammed.

The scammer just encrypted your registry hive, requiring you to put a password. They are too moronic to know how to clear the system restore point. Boot from your Windows install disk or USB flash drive, and hit "Repair..." instead of "Install", and you'll have the option for "System Restore", click on that and wait until a panel opens, pick a points before the call, and voila, you are back like before. Simple, easy, fast...ish.

 

Also,:

• When you get a call from anyone, if you have not given them your phone number, how do they know its you? They don't... They just dial random numbers. If it is "the government", which again, like Microsoft, they never call you, unless you requested a call back from them, Ask them who are you... they can't name you.. as they don't know. It is a scam.
   
• In the scam, unless they just changed, they always claim that they are "Windows Technical Support", and not "Microsoft Technical Support". Like if, they need to be honest to try and avoid a lawsuit from Microsoft. Their hole operation is a crime, but "oh now, let's not mess with Microsoft". I always found that funny. If you are going to do something illegal, might as well go all in.
   
• Notice that is an Indian on the phone. This applies to all other scams, like those claiming to be "the government". Governments and call backs from company aren't from shady India call center, with usually 20 conversation on the back and you can barely hear anything, let alone India. If it is actually important, you'll get a letter, where you can call them (not the number on the letter, but rather website), and validate the claim(s).
   
• If Windows itself has Remote Desktop, and Remote Assistance ( Quick Assist under Windows 10), why they are you to download some third party low security remote desktop software.

Just some of the many red flags to pay attention in the future.

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

If Goodbytes' suggestion doesn't work and you really need to re-install, it's going to get a bit more complicated.

 

I'm often using this on Win7 and 8.1, so I assume it works in Win10

 

Before installing Windows, always unplug all the drives except the Windows one.  I'm not sure about Win10, but previous versions of Windows have a tendency to put the bootloader on another drive than the OS, which means the system won't boot if you ever replace the secondary drive. 

 

Run the installer like normal. 

When you get to the screen where you normally choose the disk, go back one screen by using the back button.

Press shift+F10 and a command prompt window should appear
type diskpart

wait a couple of seconds for diskpart to start

 

type list disk

type select disk # (where you replace # with the number of the disk you're trying to install windows on)

type clean

at this point the disk is completely empty, no partitions or nothing.

 

type convert gpt

This changed the disk from MBR to GPT.  Now let's put a new partition on the drive.

 

type create part primary

Note about that last line : If you are using a HDD that's split up with a small partition for Windows and a large one for data, it should be create part primary size=#### (where #### is the size in MEGAbytes.  So 1024 for 1GB, 10240 for 10GB, 20480 for 20GB etc.)

 

type select part 1

type format fs=ntfs quick

a few seconds later the disk is formatted

 

type exit

close the command prompt window.

click "next" and you'll be back on the disk selection screen.  This time you should be able to install on the drive.

 

In theory, everything between "convert GPT" and "exit" isn't really necessary.  It's a habit I created during my Win7 days because Windows 7 has a tendency to create 2 more partitions if you don't manually prepare one in diskpart for it to install on.