Solved Windows Activation Error Code: 0x44578

[Troll Hunter]

Thanks for helping me get beyond the "Please enter a valid message" error.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Hello,


Please download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool x64 and save it to a flash drive.

• Plug the flashdrive into the infected PC.
• Click Start and while holding Shift key on your keyboard click Power --> Restart.

Note: It is important that you keep Shift key pressed while doing this or it won't work.​

• Now you should get a window like this where you need to click Troubleshoot.

• In the next window, click Advanced options and select Command Prompt.
• Now you should log in into your account and after that Command Promptwindow.

Access the notepad and identify your USB drive

In the Command Prompt please type in:

notepad

and press Enter.

• When the notepad opens, go to File menu.
• Select Open.
• Go to Computer and search there for your USB drive letter.
• Note down the letter and close the notepad.

Scan with Farbar Recovery Scan Tool

Once back in the command prompt window, please do the following:

• Type in e:\frst64.exe and press Enter.
  You need to replace e with the letter of your USB drive taken from notepad!
• FRST will start to run. Give him a minute or so to load itself.
• Click Yes to Disclaimer.
• In the main console, please click Scan and wait.
• When finished it will produce a logfile named FRST.txt in the root of your pendrive and display it. Close that logfile.

Transfer it to your clean machine and include it in your next reply.

 

[Troll Hunter]

Hello,


Please download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool x64 and save it to a flash drive.

• Plug the flashdrive into the infected PC.
• Click Start and while holding Shift key on your keyboard click Power --> Restart.

Note: It is important that you keep Shift key pressed while doing this or it won't work.​

• Now you should get a window like this where you need to click Troubleshoot.

• In the next window, click Advanced options and select Command Prompt.
• Now you should log in into your account and after that Command Promptwindow.

Access the notepad and identify your USB drive

In the Command Prompt please type in:

notepad

and press Enter.

• When the notepad opens, go to File menu.
• Select Open.
• Go to Computer and search there for your USB drive letter.
• Note down the letter and close the notepad.

Scan with Farbar Recovery Scan Tool

Once back in the command prompt window, please do the following:

• Type in e:\frst64.exe and press Enter.
  You need to replace e with the letter of your USB drive taken from notepad!
• FRST will start to run. Give him a minute or so to load itself.
• Click Yes to Disclaimer.
• In the main console, please click Scan and wait.
• When finished it will produce a logfile named FRST.txt in the root of your pendrive and display it. Close that logfile.

Transfer it to your clean machine and include it in your next reply.

 

[Troll Hunter]

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, it didn't work. It seems that no matter what I do, the only way I can avoid the locked screen is to use F2 during start up. But how do I proceed from the Set up screen?

Mike

 

[Troll Hunter]

OK, progress. I was able to get to a screen with the Power button at bottom right by repeatedly pressing F6 while starting up. I then restarted while holding the Shift key down, and then followed the rest of your above procedure. I'm attaching the FRST.txt file created.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Download attached fixlist.txt and save it to your USB flashdrive as fixlist.txt

>> Boot into Recovery Environment


Start FRST in a similar manner to when you ran a scan earlier, but this time when it opens ....

• Press the Fix button once and wait.
• FRST will process fixlist.txt
• When finished, it will produce a log fixlog.txt on your USB flashdrive.

>> Exit out of Recovery Environment and post me the log please.



Try to boot Windows normally...

 

[Troll Hunter]

I ran the fixlist.txt and the resulting fixlog.txt file is attached.

I then tried to start up normally and got as far as entering my password, and after a few seconds the computer just shut down.

 

[Troll Hunter]

Sorry, I just gave you bum info. By the time I had sent the above reply my infected computer had progressed from a blank black screen to what appears to be my usual desktop with a plain black background.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Okay, I would like to see FRST reports from Normal mode.

Please download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool and save it to your desktop.

Note: You need to run the version compatible with your system. If you are not sure which version applies to your system download both of them and try to run them.
Only one of them will run on your system, that will be the right version.

• Double-click to run it. When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
• Press Scan button.
  
  
  
  
  
• It will make a log (FRST.txt) in the same directory the tool is run. Please attach it to your reply.
• The first time the tool is run, it makes also another log (Addition.txt). Please attach it to your reply.

 

[Troll Hunter]

I first deleted and then downloaded a fresh copy of FRST.EXE on an uninfected computer to my thumb drive, transferred the drive to my infected computer and double clicked on FRST.EXE. The first message up was Farbar Recovery Scan Tool 31-08-2016 Failed to update (1). At the same time the action options panel containing Scan came up behind it. I clicked OK on the Failed to update panel and then clicked Scan on the action options panel. No Disclaimer panel came up.

the Scan seemed to go OK, and both the files created are attached.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Please download Zemana AntiMalware and save it to your Desktop.

• Install the program and once the installation is complete it will start automatically.
• Without changing any options, press Scan to begin.
• After the short scan is finished, if threats are detected press Next to remove them.

Note: If restart is required to finish the cleaning process, you should click Reboot. If reboot isn't required, please restart your computer manually.​

• Open Zemana AntiMalware again.
• Click on
  
  icon and double click the latest report.
• Now click File > Save As and choose your Desktop before pressing Save.
• The only left thing is to attach saved report in your next message.

Fix with AdwCleaner

Please download AdwCleaner by Xplode and save the file to your Desktop.

• Right-click on
  
  icon and select
  
  Run as Administrator to start the tool.
• Accept the Terms of use.
• Wait until the database is updated.
• Click Scan.
• When finished, please click Clean.
• Your PC should reboot now.
• After reboot, logfile will be opened. Copy its content into your next reply.

Note: Reports will be saved in your system partition, usually at C:\Adwcleaner

 

[Troll Hunter]

All actions seem to have gone OK. During one restart there was an automatic Windows update.

Both output files are attached.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

How is your PC behaving now?

 

[Troll Hunter]

I've been waiting until you give me the OK to proceed, and have not done anything other than follow your instructions. If you give the OK I'll try, for example, connecting to my e-mail, BBC.com, Google.com and Wikipedia.com, which are my most frequently visited sites.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Please try and let me know if you have any problems with normal usage.

 

[Troll Hunter]

Internet, Excel and MSWord all seem to be working fine. Thank you, thank you, thank you for cleaning my computer. I'm now a MalwareTips devotee for life!

Finally, can you recommend an appropriate anti-virus and anti-malware regime or combination of programs for my computer to guard against reinfection, please?

Mike

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Avast/Avira/Bitdefender/AVG in free variant, ESET in paid variant.

I highly recommend Zemana AntiMalware as cheap, but very effective protection that you must have on your computer. Antivirus products are not enough these days.

 

[Troll Hunter]

Consider it done. I'll also be installing BitDefender anti-virus software, as that seems to have an excellent review in a number of publications and web sites.

Again, many thanks for your help.

Mike

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Since there are no more problems, we can declare this PC clean

Now, we can proceed with post-cleanup procedures. Let's remove my tools and create a new, non infected restore point concurrently deleting old ones.


Step 1. - Creation of system restore point and tools removal.


Download DelFix by Xplode and save it to your desktop.

• Run the tool by right click on the
  
  icon and Run as administrator option.
• Make sure that these ones are checked:
  • Remove disinfection tools
  • Purge system restore
  • Reset system settings
• Push Run and wait until the tool completes his work.
• All tools we used should be gone. Tool will create an report for you (C:\DelFix.txt). I don't need it for review.

Tool deletes old system restore points and creates a fresh system restore point after cleaning.


Step 2. - Tips and tricks to keep your computer clean, safe and in a good shape.


Security tips - highly recommended reading:

• Simple and easy ways to keep your computer safe and secure on the Internet

Maintenance tips:

• Optimize Windows for better performance

Additional software that I personally use and install on all my clients devices:

• Zemana AntiMalware (paid version highly recommended) - to work as a supplement for your antivirus but with excellent remediation and protection
• Zemana AntiLogger - keep everything you type on keyboard out of sight of bad guys trying to steal your credantials
• Malwarebytes' Anti-Exploit - to prevent plenty of mostly exploited vulnerabilities.
• McShield - to prevent infections spread by removable media.
• Unchecky - to prevent from installing additional foistware, implemented in legitimate installations.
• CryptoPrevent - tool for protection against Cryptolocker and similar ransomware infections.
• Adblock - to surf the web without annoying ads!
• Qualys BrowserCheck - cloud service that scans your browsers and plugins to see if they’re all up-to-date.

My help is free for everybody.
If you're happy with the help provided and/or wish to show your appreciaton, please consider a donation:
Thank you!​

Stay safe,
TwinHeadedEagle