Factory restore on 2 year old Windows 8 Gateway fails to validate Windows 8 from encrypted bios

Notz
Notz Member Posts: 4 New User

Hello all. For two weeks now I've been trying to help an 84 year old veteran fix his virus infected 2 year old Windows 8 Gateway (Walmart) desktop.

 

The poor old guy was a first time PC buyer when he purchased this PC two years ago, & didn't comprehend the implications of not renewing his anti-virus 60 day trial version. Consequently after continuing to operate his PC online for almost two years afterwards, he got badly infected. I went over there to help him a couple of weeks ago & it was obviously infected. I installed Malewarebytes, which found over 2100 malewares & 7 trojans...

 

I've used factory restore from both inside Windows 8 & from boot, & it of course works but won't validate Windows 8 once it completes. I've even tried clearing cmos to no avail. It simply cannot read the encrypted product ID key from the UEFI bios.

 

I could go into another (horrible) story about the third party out of warranty support vendor Acer references on their site, but really what good would it do at this point?

 

Does anyone have a fix for this?

 

Thanks in advance for your time, consideration, & effort!

regards,

 Frank

Best Answer

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓

    i would try to use the Microsoft phone activation before installing windows 7 (need to set Leagacy, disable secure boot, sometimes you need to update your BIOS too to have CSM option)

     

    from windows 8 desktop press:

    windows key logo + r

    type

    slui.exe 4

    press enter

     

    Choose to activate by phone then follow on screen instructions.

    I'm not an Acer employee.

Answers

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    Which error is giving the validation tool?

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • Notz
    Notz Member Posts: 4 New User

    Thanks for replying.

     

    I'm not at the PC again until noon & I can't rememeber the oXXX*.* (i think) form error code, but on the Validate window it says 'unknown error'.

     

    Also could you tell me if it's possible to load Win 7 on this PC if I disable UEFI Security Boot section in Bios?

     

    Thanks again

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓

    i would try to use the Microsoft phone activation before installing windows 7 (need to set Leagacy, disable secure boot, sometimes you need to update your BIOS too to have CSM option)

     

    from windows 8 desktop press:

    windows key logo + r

    type

    slui.exe 4

    press enter

     

    Choose to activate by phone then follow on screen instructions.

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • Notz
    Notz Member Posts: 4 New User

    Thanks for replying.

     

    I've already done this, & the Microsoft rep was very kind & helpful, but couldn't give me the number to enter because he said that would have to come from Acer. He said Acer would have sent the owner an email with pertinant info upon registering the PC when the client first purchased it (he's deleted all his emails since then). He did however transfer me to another person in tech who remote accessed the pc for 2-3 hours trying to find a solution, to no avail. They did this for free too.

     

    By the time I tried this I had already restored the quick way, & at the end of the remote access the MS rep suggested I try the long/complete way, then referred me to Acer if that didn't work.

     

    At this point the ole guy hates Win 8, & just wants Win 7.

     

    I was just trying to find out two things. Is there a fix for this? (I can only assume a virus somehow flashed the bios to corrupt the UEFI key).

     

    Secondly, can disabling secure boot UEFI (there is no legacy choice in this Gateway's bios), allow a different OS to be successfully installed?

     

    Thanks again.

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    Disabling only Secure boot and without Legacy mode, i doubt you will able to install Windows 7.

    Check if a BIOS update is available for your desktop.

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • Notz
    Notz Member Posts: 4 New User

    "sometimes you need to update your BIOS too to have CSM option"

     

    What is CSM option stand for?

     

    I will check for bios update; there probably is one for a 2 yr old PC, huh.

     

    If there is, do you think it will contain a Legacy Mode choice?

     

    I just figured disabling secure boot in the UEFI section would auto revert to Legacy mode, but guess not from what you're sayin.

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    Notz wrote:

    I just figured disabling secure boot in the UEFI section would auto revert to Legacy mode, but guess not from what you're sayin.


    That's good and what i meant, i think you will able to install Win7.

    I'm not an Acer employee.