They ask for a key and activate windows

[Guest]

Hello,
I am writting this for a friend who cannot use his PC right now.
Thank you for your help.

It started thursday with the clock going 3 times faster then it should.
Then he coudnt connect msn, and then he coudnt use Firefox. He ran every
program he got to scan for virus and adware or spyware. He found nothing. He
also scan for vundo and some dll but the prog he used didnt find anything bad.

Closed his PC and went to sleep,
The next day he was able to open it but, when they ask you for a user, the
PC was freezing.

Then i think he ran it into safe mode, he was able to go into windows, but
they ask him to activate it. And ask for a key.

He didnt install it or anything, he didnt format it either.
We don't know what to do from there.

Any advices on what to do?
I am not an expert with PC, he is better then me.

Thanks for your help with this problem.

 

[DatabaseBen]

Because you mentioned the clock was going 3 times faster seems to be an
issue related to the motherboard. Also, since windows makes mention that
hardware has changed, windows also seems to assure that there could be a
hardware malfunction.

Firstly, since he cannot connect to the net, then you should download
somesoftware for him that will help ascertain the product key. I think I
just read from another posting there is something called "magicjellybean".
If you can download this for your friend, then get it only the other pc, the
key can be found and jotted down.

Secondly, your friend should check out the cmos/bios settings. Depending on
the computer you can either press and hold down either the del key or f1 key
as you push in the power button and power up the pc. It might beep a whole
lot, meaning you can let the keys go and the cmos menu will appear. There
you can find settings that double the clock for the ram speed and maybe the
cpu. These settings may have to be changed back to normal settings. But I
recommend that instead of experimenting with the speed settings (if you have
them), use the automatic options to set everything on the motherboard. You
should have the ability to optimize the motherboard with a push of one key.
So look around carefully.

You will also see the regular clock too. If this is going 3 times faster
then something is diffently wrong. Sometimes I have seen clocks that speed
up when the battery is going to fail. Thus this may be a simple case of
replacing the motherboard battery. It is a little round watch battery that
can be replaced. And if this is the problem than it was easy to fix and
cheap. If not, then i maybe that the motherboard is going bad.... (Keep in
mind all the precautions to take when physically accessing the motherboard,
unplugging everything that is electrical, ensure your grounded and have no
static build up or wearing close that creates static. Also, be careful not
to touch anything else other that the battery holder) All if this paragraph
only applies if the bios clock is out of whack...

If none of the above apply, then get into safe mode, remove all of the
startups via msconfig and or restore to a previously functional date....