So last night my Dad click on or downloaded something he shouldn't have and someone took over his computer (Window 8.1 desktop. They downloaded some sort of software on his system. What is really bad is that my Dad then got a phone call from someone claiming to be Microsoft( caller id says: Skype#) and they wanted money to fix the computer. Some crazy amount too like 300 dollars. Luckily my Dad hung up on them and shut his computer off. The only problem is now when we start the computer it goes to a random log in screen asking for a password that the scammers want to get paid for. Now I can get into Windows recovery mode but every time I tried to do something Windows says that there is no Admin account.So the hackers must of deleted that account. They won't even let me get into safe mode either. I do have a windows 8 disc that I can install if I can find to get it to run.
My question is what are my options? Replace the HD? Throw the computer away? Is there a way I can crash the system completely so I can reload the OS? Any advice would be helpful.
My question is what are my options? Replace the HD? Throw the computer away? Is there a way I can crash the system completely so I can reload the OS? Any advice would be helpful.