Windows 8 Gremlins
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Short version: we got a Windows 8 laptop that did really weird things, the vendor has decided to swap it as a DOA but I'm curious to see if anyone has seen such things happen before.
Long version: we got a Windows 8 laptop for a new guy. I did the initial setup and then our service provider connected it to our domain, installed software and printers (Sharp & HP) etc. This is our first Windows 8 PC so I can't compare results to anything else. Basically everything appeared to work fine (apart from the logmein software was really jumpy and unreliable), except for the weird fact that the installed printers didn't show in Devices & Printers (which didn't allow me to adjust settings, show 4 trays etc). However in printing from a file, the printers appeared and even printed perfectly. When our technician tried to get into the Computer Settings it would start to load and then flash back onto the desktop without opening it properly.
The vendor tech worked on it, couldn't get anywhere regarding administrator permissions despite the fact this user had been set up as a local admin. So I logged into the local PC (non-domain account), which was the only 'user' on the computer. Same permissions warnings. I removed it from the domain and restarted. Logged into the same (only) user account, and tried to turn the firewall off. The PC wanted me to produce an admin account smart card (which I don't have, and as this user was the only user, they were the admin.. right?) Pretty much any setting on there it wanted this admin smart card, and as the vendor tech couldn't find a way around it, couldn't reproduce on one his end, in short had no idea what to do (and the PC would now not let us rejoin to the domain either), he said they'd swap as a DOA. There was definitely no other accounts created on the computer and no options to log in as another account when switching back on. We couldn't reset it to defaults because we needed admin access for this also.
Thoughts?
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Was this an enterprise vendor or was it a small, local shop? It sounds pretty fishy.
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Weird. Was the OS installed by the manufacturer? Like Dell or HP? Why would it be asking for an admin account smart card if it hadn't been set up that way?
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That's why in thinking that it might be a refurb through a small, local shop that didn't want to admit that it had already gone out to another customer.
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First off, it sounds like someone fed Windows 8 after midnight.
Have you tried a wipe and reload? It should be SOP for new computers, anyway.
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@scottalanmiller The laptop is an ASUS, but we buy it through a smaller vendor who also manages the support for them and some proprietary software.
However they come with Office pre-installed (but not activated) so maybe it would be the small vendor who does the OS installation? -
Could be. Or it could be them modifying it.
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@alexntg It wouldn't let us wipe it! I think that was the point where they decided just to replace it.
I was only wondering whether it was something with Windows 8 that would have been fine with 8.1,Just weird really... I was at the point of throwing the stupid thing out the window.
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Wow, how did it block wiping? Any error thrown?
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@scottalanmiller No, just the same user account control blocking I mean.
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@lillucia said:
@scottalanmiller No, just the same user account control blocking I mean.
Oh okay, so a full imaging would probably have worked. That's what we were saying as an SOP, always fully wipe a machine before using. Never trust the OS that comes from the OEM both because it shouldn't be trusted but also so that you can establish a consistent operating environment.
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@scottalanmiller said:
...Never trust the OS that comes from the OEM....
That, so that. Kind of a sign when there is a good & well known program to...**Decrap ** computers—
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Has anyone used Decrap?
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@RoguePacket mmm interesting. I have much to learn...
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@lillucia said:
@alexntg It wouldn't let us wipe it! I think that was the point where they decided just to replace it.
I was only wondering whether it was something with Windows 8 that would have been fine with 8.1,Just weird really... I was at the point of throwing the stupid thing out the window.
Was secure boot enabled? It's a BIOS setting that prevents other OSes from installing.
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@scottalanmiller said:
@technobabble said:
Has anyone used Decrap?
Hopefully not. Much better to do a clean image.
I do like that option when the client is on-board, however very small businesses (mom & pops) usually decline because of time and cost.
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@technobabble said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@technobabble said:
Has anyone used Decrap?
Hopefully not. Much better to do a clean image.
I do like that option when the client is on-board, however very small businesses (mom & pops) usually decline because of time and cost.
Saving money is never something that little shops like. That's why they stay little
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@scottalanmiller said:
@technobabble said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@technobabble said:
Has anyone used Decrap?
Hopefully not. Much better to do a clean image.
I do like that option when the client is on-board, however very small businesses (mom & pops) usually decline because of time and cost.
Saving money is never something that little shops like. That's why they stay little
Yep.
