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+---- Thread: Windows locked to a company. (/showthread.php?tid=6250192)
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Windows locked to a company. - TorPhoon - Aug 26, 2023
Hi all,
Firstly, apologies if this isn't posted in the correct section; I couldn't find anywhere 'accurate' to post it.
I recently bought a laptop off Gumtree and got this delivered to me - rookie error.
Upon trying to set the laptop up, it's asking me to sign in with my credentials using a company domain - a company I have neither heard of nor worked for so don't have these credentials.
The laptop appears to be at the set-up screen as if it's been formatted but I can't get any further.
Could anyone please advise on how to 'unlock' this? Even if I know what I need to be Googling to learn how to do this. I have tried some search terms myself but nothing is really coming back that answers this so I may be using the wrong terms.
Or is it just worth contacting the company? I'm not sure if the seller was an old employee or this was simply stolen.
Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks a lot.
RE: Windows locked to a company. - Malwhere? - Aug 26, 2023
It's likely a stolen device, as for the vast majority of companies all storage would be removed from a laptop prior to sale.
There are many ways to format the drive (Google this) - you will need a Windows installation USB to setup the operating system again afterwards.
RE: Windows locked to a company. - TorPhoon - Aug 26, 2023
(Aug 26, 2023 05:19 AM)tidy Wrote: It's likely a stolen device, as for the vast majority of companies all storage would be removed from a laptop prior to sale.
There are many ways to format the drive (Google this) - you will need a Windows installation USB to setup the operating system again afterwards.
Thank you for the response - it's appreciated.
I have anticipated it may be stolen, so I'm not sure whether or not to contact the company in question.
I did create a reformat USB and ran that and it did wipe Windows but has left me at this 'sign in with company domain' screen.
RE: Windows locked to a company. - Charlie Sheen - Aug 26, 2023
Most of those devices that are formatted for companies are also tracked. The second it connects to Internet you're screwed. I know 3 different people that had work laptops stolen out of their cars at night and their companies were able to track them and report to the police where it was, in one instance even provide snapshots from the webcam.
You're best off contacting the company and maybe they will reward you.
RE: Windows locked to a company. - TorPhoon - Aug 26, 2023
(Aug 26, 2023 07:50 AM)Charlie Sheen Wrote: Most of those devices that are formatted for companies are also tracked. The second it connects to Internet you're screwed. I know 3 different people that had work laptops stolen out of their cars at night and their companies were able to track them and report to the police where it was, in one instance even provide snapshots from the webcam.
You're best off contacting the company and maybe they will reward you.
Thank you for the response - I will contact the company.
I'm not worried in regards to the police as I can prove my purchase.
Thank you for the heads up, it's appreciated.
RE: Windows locked to a company. - c4m3l - Aug 26, 2023
Contact the company, companies use services such as absolute software's "absolute persistence" which is inbuilt rootkit that is installed by the computer manufacturer. Companies use services such as Absolute to track location of device, corrupt the machine (remotely of course) and some other functionalities like collecting data about the worker using the company computer.
By entering the BIOS, you can see if the computer are protected or not.
sources;
https://www.absolute.com/platform/persistence/
RE: Windows locked to a company. - Deany - Aug 26, 2023
Had a similar issue on ebay, guy sold me a stolen laptop or his work laptop. Ebay ended up refunding me and he didn't want the laptop back. So I assume it was probably stolen lol.
RE: Windows locked to a company. - Malwhere? - Aug 26, 2023
(Aug 26, 2023 07:54 AM)TorPhoon Wrote: Thank you for the response - I will contact the company.
I'm not worried in regards to the police as I can prove my purchase.
Thank you for the heads up, it's appreciated.
Only contact the company if you are okay with police at your door, a company I worked for would often have people contact them after buying stolen school laptops/Chromebooks from pawn shops etc and they'd get the police involved.
RE: Windows locked to a company. - Bastille - Aug 26, 2023
I'm wondering how a computer could be binded / linked to a company at a lower level than the OS ?
I mean even if a computer if Bitlocked by the company, wiping the disk delete the Bitlocker activated. If a computer is binded to an Azure infrastructure it's at the OS level, not under it. So if you wipe the disk it's not linked anymore.
Can you please confirm that you wiped the entire disk and not just a partition ? Can you please share some screen that ask you to signin with the company's logins ?
Can you try by replacing the disk ? Can you check if there are not another disk inside ?
RE: Windows locked to a company. - DramaKing - Aug 26, 2023
(Aug 26, 2023 01:28 PM)Yseurk Wrote: I'm wondering how a computer could be binded / linked to a company at a lower level than the OS ?
I mean even if a computer if Bitlocked by the company, wiping the disk delete the Bitlocker activated. If a computer is binded to an Azure infrastructure it's at the OS level, not under it. So if you wipe the disk it's not linked anymore.
Can you please confirm that you wiped the entire disk and not just a partition ? Can you please share some screen that ask you to signin with the company's logins ?
Can you try by replacing the disk ? Can you check if there are not another disk inside ?
It's locked to the company at the firmware level. He would have to replace the BIOS. Read the previous comments.
RE: Windows locked to a company. - Sectoradmin - Aug 26, 2023
Admin of private laptop or computer?
Access or just to get a secefic combo on a Business domain?
Let me know I may f able to help you.
RE: Windows locked to a company. - Abandzz - Aug 26, 2023
Dawg, your sad fr bro
(Aug 26, 2023 03:54 PM)DramaKing Wrote: It's locked to the company at the firmware level. He would have to replace the BIOS. Read the previous comments.
Biggest scammer on here
RE: Windows locked to a company. - DramaKing - Aug 26, 2023
(Aug 26, 2023 05:49 PM)serveradmin Wrote: Admin of private laptop or computer?
Access or just to get a secefic combo on a Business domain?
Let me know I may f able to help you.
Either you didn't read, or you don't know anything. He reformatted, but company settings were restored, probably by Absolute Persistence.
RE: Windows locked to a company. - Bastille - Aug 27, 2023
(Aug 26, 2023 03:54 PM)DramaKing Wrote: It's locked to the company at the firmware level. He would have to replace the BIOS. Read the previous comments.
Indeed I've read, I'm saying that I don't know any feature that can do this,
Feel free to develop this, does it work through a cloud service ? MDM stuff ? is it possible to do it through an Active Directory ? Go ahead my man
RE: Windows locked to a company. - DramaKing - Aug 27, 2023
(Aug 27, 2023 01:11 AM)Yseurk Wrote: Indeed I've read, I'm saying that I don't know any feature that can do this,
Feel free to develop this, does it work through a cloud service ? MDM stuff ? is it possible to do it through an Active Directory ? Go ahead my man
The feature is commonly found in business laptops and will ensure that the laptop can only be used on the company domain like a BIOS rootkit. See this: https://www.absolute.com/platform/persistence/