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Scammer changed "normal startup" configuration in msconfig

Started by AGuyWithAName , Mar 16 2018 08:23 AM

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4 replies to this topic

#1 AGuyWithAName

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Posted 16 March 2018 - 08:23 AM

This week marks the second time I've seen this happen (once in Windows 7 once in Windows 10). After a client fell victim to a tech support scammer the computer always boots into safe mode with command line. If you run msconfig and select "normal startup" in the "General" tab this will not remove the safe mode settings. Instead what I have done is choose "selective startup" and just uncheck safe mode.

I tried to look this up last time this happened (maybe a month ago) and just now but my Google-fu is failing me and I haven't been able to find anyone who even reports the same issue. I can make it work but clearly whatever defines "normal startup" has been changed. (maybe an .ini somewhere?) I'd like to fix the problem itself and not just slap on a band aid. Any advice in this regard would be appreciated.

Robert

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#2 ranchhand_

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Posted 16 March 2018 - 08:38 AM

Did you check the MBR? Sounds like it may have been altered. Try running BOOTREC /FIXMBR

Edited by ranchhand_, 16 March 2018 - 08:40 AM.

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#3 AGuyWithAName

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Posted 16 March 2018 - 09:19 AM

That's a good idea unfortunately I do not have the computer any more I did the work on site. Next time this comes up I will definitely give that a try. Thanks for your reply.

Can you think of how they might have changed that? Mostly I'm just curious because I don't know how one might go about changing the MBR.

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#4 ranchhand_

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Posted 16 March 2018 - 09:35 AM

On Windows 7 and later, things get complicated. Windows XP was easy, you could access the MBR and literally edit it and save. Not so any more. In addition, MBR will only work on drives up to 2TB, whereas the newer GPT with UEFI now is pretty much unlimited.

Best to study up on it, this will help get you started.

https://www.howtogeek.com/245610/how-to-check-if-a-disk-uses-gpt-or-mbr-and-how-to-convert-between-the-two/

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