Author Topic: "Cracking" a corporate laptop.... (Read 4496 times)

rafletcher · « **on:** 23 January, 2018, 11:32:25 am »

I have a legitimately acquired surplus laptop from my last place of work - they were replaced every 3 years by the corporate IT folks, and they cared not for the old ones, so when I left I took the last one with me. It's not a bad machine, a Dell Latitude E6440 with a core i7 running Win10. It does however have a corporate login front end. I thought (though never checked before I left) that I could log on using the "other user" option, which gives access only the the PC, but it hasn't worked.

I could of course just swap out the hard drive and do a clean install - I have no interest in the data on it (which if there's any left was mine anyway as I never stored work files locally) and I have a legit copy of Win7 to install - but would this remove the corporate login, or could that be in the BIOS somehow?

I want to use the laptop with Zwift etc, down in the shed, so I'd appreciate any suggestions. IT, by the way, was offshored to India, with the local support (who might well have assisted me) removed, so I can't ask them to help.

Feanor · « **Reply #1 on:** 23 January, 2018, 11:38:02 am »

Doesn't need a new hard drive.

Just flatten it and re-install from the ground up.
This will remove the corporate branding. It will not be in the BIOS.

rafletcher · « **Reply #2 on:** 23 January, 2018, 12:51:41 pm »

Quote from: Feanor on 23 January, 2018, 11:38:02 am

Doesn't need a new hard drive.

Just flatten it and re-install from the ground up.
This will remove the corporate branding. It will not be in the BIOS.

By flatten it you mean what please?

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #3 on:** 23 January, 2018, 01:03:56 pm »

Reformat hard drive

Ham · « **Reply #4 on:** 23 January, 2018, 01:24:52 pm »

Alternatively and, possibly, most simply you could use UBCD password utilities to change the password

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

You create the CD by downloading the ISO and using that to burn the CD.

Kim · « **Reply #5 on:** 23 January, 2018, 01:29:30 pm »

+1 for reformat the drive. It's simple, has a predictable outcome and you don't know where it's been.

I wouldn't consider doing anything else with a second-hand computer.

rafletcher · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 January, 2018, 02:55:19 pm »

Ok, thanks, but (and apologies for dumbness) how do I reformat the drive if I can't actually get past the initial logon screen please?

Kim · « **Reply #7 on:** 23 January, 2018, 02:57:03 pm »

The Windows installer should offer you the option to jibble with partitions as part of the installation process. Just ignore the existing system.

Ham · « **Reply #8 on:** 23 January, 2018, 02:58:20 pm »

You may need to get into the BIOS to change the boot order to start from CD, first

Feanor · « **Reply #9 on:** 23 January, 2018, 03:31:38 pm »

You need a bootable Windows Install media - Either a disk, or a Memory Stick.

Insert this into the machine, and boot it up.
With a bit of luck, it will just boot straight from this, rather than the internal hard drive.
If it doesn't, and it stills boots up into the corporate windows installation, then you need to go into the BIOS and play with the boot order to get it to see the DVD / USB first.

Then when it gets to the bit where it asks you where you want to install to, I'd remove all the existing partitions, and then tell it to install to the unpartitioned space.
It will lay down a default partition scheme,format the partitions as required and just get on with it.

philip · « **Reply #10 on:** 23 January, 2018, 03:33:10 pm »

The BIOS may also be password protected. I think Dell allow you to transfer ownership:
https://www.dell.com/support/assets-transfer/uk/en/ukbsdt1#/Identify
and then request an unlock password (for which there may be a fee):
http://www.dell.com/support/article/uk/en/ukbsdt1/sln142655/dell-system-prompts-for-a-hard-drive-hdd-or-bios-password?lang=en

rafletcher · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 January, 2018, 03:33:19 pm »

Quote from: Ham on 23 January, 2018, 02:58:20 pm

You may need to get into the BIOS to change the boot order to start from CD, first

That seems likely - I’ve put the windows disk in the CD drive but it still boots from the hard drive $:-\$ . And When I start the machine I get the Dell logo, then a - for a few seconds then the Windows’s 4 squares thing. No “press Fx” option to access bios.

rafletcher · « **Reply #12 on:** 23 January, 2018, 03:34:12 pm »

Quote from: philip on 23 January, 2018, 03:33:10 pm

The BIOS may also be password protected. I think Dell allow you to transfer ownership:
https://www.dell.com/support/assets-transfer/uk/en/ukbsdt1#/Identify
and then request an unlock password (for which there may be a fee):
http://www.dell.com/support/article/uk/en/ukbsdt1/sln142655/dell-system-prompts-for-a-hard-drive-hdd-or-bios-password?lang=en

But not for used machines I think.

rafletcher · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 January, 2018, 03:41:50 pm »

Well I’ve done something.... On startup I tried F1, then F2, then F3.... and I’ve got the Widows repair settings. I’ve got as far as “Reset this PC” and have the option to “remove my files” - for if you’re keeping the pc, or “fully clean the drive” if recycling. Which should I opt for? Option 1 may leave me with Win10 - but also the corporate stuff.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 January, 2018, 03:54:29 pm »

Go for the lightweight one first, see how far you get. You can always try the heavy option if that doesn't work.

rafletcher · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 January, 2018, 04:06:24 pm »

Quote from: mrcharly-YHT on 23 January, 2018, 03:54:29 pm

Go for the lightweight one first, see how far you get. You can always try the heavy option if that doesn't work.

Thats what I decided, so it's now underway ...

Morat · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 January, 2018, 04:31:56 pm »

It's a bit strange that the IT dept let it out of their domain with the HD intact. They might appreciate you asking them to reformat it so they can tick it off their asset register with a clear conscience.

rafletcher · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 January, 2018, 04:48:36 pm »

Yep, but as I said their jobs (the local guys) got offshored. Having said that they were always a bit blase about the old machines - probably because the way the machines were set up means having to reformat. Plus as engineering we didn't have access to anything company confidential anyway, just project folders if we wanted to work offline.

Anyway the "light" format is done, and surprisingly it's let me set it up as a single user (there were questions about which domain I was going to connect to), so seems to be working as a nice clean Win10 machine. Thanks for the help and suggestions.

rafletcher · « **Reply #18 on:** 23 January, 2018, 05:11:34 pm »

Well the only glitch is that the Win10 can't be activated - it's an enterprise install. Not sure what will happen with that?

TigaSefi · « **Reply #19 on:** 23 January, 2018, 06:29:05 pm »

Probably will need to use a legit copy of win 7 or 10 then. Not sure if Win10 is still free.

Gattopardo · « **Reply #20 on:** 23 January, 2018, 09:35:20 pm »

Hello

Where are you?

rafletcher · « **Reply #21 on:** 23 January, 2018, 09:38:47 pm »

A bit far from you I think - Aylesbury. I’ve decided - and carried out - a fresh install of my win7, but started another topic on that - stuck for wireless adaptor drivers now

but I’ll follow Feanors advice on trying to sort that tomorrow!

Ham · « **Reply #22 on:** 23 January, 2018, 10:21:53 pm »

Quote from: rafletcher on 23 January, 2018, 05:11:34 pm

Well the only glitch is that the Win10 can't be activated - it's an enterprise install. Not sure what will happen with that?

FTR, not much. It will keep whinging, after a while it will stop updating. Or you can buy a legit license from somewhere like https://softwaregeeks.co.uk/product/windows-10-pro/

Gattopardo · « **Reply #23 on:** 23 January, 2018, 11:21:29 pm »

Quote from: rafletcher on 23 January, 2018, 09:38:47 pm

A bit far from you I think - Aylesbury. I’ve decided - and carried out - a fresh install of my win7, but started another topic on that - stuck for wireless adaptor drivers now but I’ll follow Feanors advice on trying to sort that tomorrow!

Norf Lahndahn innit

10 should not need authentication, should be in the bios already.

rafletcher · « **Reply #24 on:** 24 January, 2018, 04:29:41 pm »

In the end I shelled out for a win 19 licence and update pulled in all the necessary drivers as well