Strange password situation Hp Laptop win8

[mikehende]

Hi Pete, someone was downloading a microsoft app when the laptop started doing some strange stuff so now she can't log to windows as the system is not accepting her password and since she has a lot of softwares on the machine she doesn't want to reload the OS. I am guessing this is a virus situation but before I should have her bring her machine here, I would like to know what course of action I can take here. My first guess was to try a password crack software but if it's virus activity I am not sure it would work, any ideas please?

[starbuck]

Hi Mike,

 

To be honest this doesn't sound like any virus that I know of.

What would be the point of locking you out of your system?

Ransomware is different..... that may lock you out but will still give you enough access so that you can pay.

 

With all due respect..... do you know this lady personally?

Are you sure it's genuine.

 

My first guess was to try a password crack software

Obviously I can't condone any action like this.

 

One thought that does come to mind....

Does her password contain a mix of letters and numbers?

Maybe something has changed the num lock setting and the numbers aren't actually being typed.

Using the numbers across the top of the keyboard instead of the keypad would get around this.

[mikehende]

Hey Pete, no I don't know her but she just called and said "hp got it sorted out" so that's that. I would like to ask thought just for the knowledge, why using a password crack software would be against any rules?

[allheart55 Cindy E]

We can't condone the use of password crack software as we have no way of knowing if the person needing password assistance actually owns the computer or not. I do have a password remover program and have used it many times on computers from people that I know. I'm sure that you have come across the same situation in your line of work but it's quite different when you are dealing with someone online rather than having the computer in your own hands.

[starbuck]

Cindy beat me to it.

[mikehende]

I'm sure that you have come across the same situation in your line of work but it's quite different when you are dealing with someone online rather than having the computer in your own hands.

 

This person is not online but local, I did not want her to bring her unit here if I would not be able to help her situation but thanks for explaining, now I know.

[allheart55 Cindy E]

I understand.