Question Winload.exe – 0xc0000428

[Archangel_M]

Okay, so, a couple of weeks ago I returned home from being out of town. My computer needed to restart to install an Avast update, but upon rebooting I ran into this issue as pictured below:

A recent hardware or software change might have installed a file that is signed incorrectly or damaged, or that might be malicious software from an unknown source.
If you have a Windows installation disc, insert the disc and restart your computer. Click "Repair You Computer," and then choose a recovery tool.

Otherwise, to start Windows so you can investigate further, press the ENTER key to display the boot menu, press F8 for Advanced Boot Options, and select Last Known Good. If you understand why the digital signature cannot be verified and want to start Windows without this file, temporarily disable driver sginature enforcement.

File: \Windows\System32\Winload.exe
Status: 0xc0000428
Info: Windows cannot verify the digital signature for this file.

I managed to get into the BIOS screen here, as shown below:





The problem is that I no longer have the installation disk (it's Windows 7 Ultimate x64 version), because it along with half my belongings was stolen by a former roommate who is now in prison on unrelated charges. It's unrecoverable. As well, the product key that I had written down is also gone. I'm at a loss for what to do. I sent away for a 1Tb flash drive so I could at least try to recover my files from the main hard drive, but I have no idea how to do that. I know absolutely nothing about Linux, Ubuntu, or any other non-Windows system, and I really don't know anything about Windows except how to use it. Obviously I'm in a real bind. Windows 7 was discontinued and is no longer supported, so I have no way to buy a legal copy. I just want to be able to boot up my computer and retrieve my files. What can be done?

 

[Steltek]

Once you are back to the desktop, leave the machine alone for now.

Go back to your laptop. Go to the following Internet link:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7

In the "Product Key" box at the bottom of the screen on that page, enter your keycode exactly as you recorded it and hit the "Verify" button. Tell me what it says.

 

[Archangel_M]

So, you have the product key (please don't post it here)? It should have said the product key was for Windows 7 Ultimate?

If so, close Produkey and all the other windows until you are back on the desktop.

Maybe not. Here's what it's showing me, and I seriously don't think it's the product key I'm looking for.



When I closed it out and went back to Produkey, it gave me a product key for Windows 10 Pro, which I never had.

 

[Steltek]

Close all the windows and go back to the desktop. Double click on the "This PC" icon on the desktop. Post me a picture of what pops up.

 

[Archangel_M]

Once you are back to the desktop, leave the machine alone for now.

Go back to your laptop. Go to the following Internet link:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7

In the "Product Key" box at the bottom of the screen on that page, enter your keycode exactly as you recorded it and hit the "Verify" button. Tell me what it says.

This is what happens when I put in that Windows 10 Pro product key:

We encountered a problem with your request. Please visit Microsoft Support Contact Us page for assistance. Refer to Message Code 715-123130 and Transaction ID 30b9812a-4c05-415d-b31b-aed03c491330.

 

[Steltek]

Sorry, no, I've confused you. Go back to the desktop machine. Close all the windows so you are back on the desktop. Then, double click on the "This PC" icon on the desktop. Post me a picture of what it displays.

That product key isn't valid. I need the picture to see why it didn't work.

 

[Archangel_M]

Sorry, no, I've confused you. Go back to the desktop machine. Close all the windows so you are back on the desktop. Then, double click on the "This PC" icon on the desktop. Post me a picture of what it displays.

That product key isn't valid. I need the picture to see why it didn't work.

Here it is:



Maybe because the USB ISO is based on Windows 10 instead of Windows 7?

 

[Steltek]

How many hard drives do you have in this system? It has nothing to do with the USB using Win10. It isn't actually using Windows 10, but a recovery environment. Can you tell me which one of the displayed drives should be your boot drive?

 

[Archangel_M]

How many hard drives do you have in this system?

Some external hard drives for photo and video files—three total, though one became disconnected while trying to secure it via BitLocker and is inaccessible. The desktop computer itself has its main hard drive and a secondary hard drive.

 

[Steltek]

Are those external drives still plugged in to the desktop? And, is your system drive encrypted?

 

[Archangel_M]

Are those external drives still plugged in to the desktop? And, is your system drive encrypted?

I just disconnected them and restarted the computer. My system drive isn't encrypted.

 

[Steltek]

Is the only drive still hooked up the old boot drive, or are both hard drives still in the system?

 

[Steltek]

Tell me when you are back to the Hiren desktop.

 

[Archangel_M]

Is the only drive still hooked up the old boot drive, or are both hard drives still in the system?

If you mean the internal hard drives, the C drive was the only one with anything remaining on it that could be booted as-is. I wiped the other one so I could use it as extra internal storage.

 

[Steltek]

Okay. Get the system booted back into Hiren to the desktop and let me know when you are there.

 

[Archangel_M]

I'm there.

 

[Steltek]

Double click on the 'This PC' icon. Tell me what local disks are there and their drive letters. The two hard drives will be the ones which are 931GB in size. Of those two, (the one that is almost full or the one that is half full), which one is the boot drive?

 

[Archangel_M]

Double click on the 'This PC' icon. Tell me what local disks are there and their drive letters. The two hard drives will be the ones which are 931GB in size. Of those two, (the one that is almost full or the one that is half full), which one is the boot drive?

Looks like my main hard drive is listed as the G drive (although it should be C; weird).

 

[Steltek]

No, that is just how the drives are enumerated by the Hiren disk. If you double click on the G drive, do you see boot drive folders (i.e. Documents and Settings, Users, Windows, etc)?

 

[Archangel_M]

No, that is just how the drives are enumerated by the Hiren disk. If you double click on the G drive, do you see boot drive folders (i.e. Documents and Settings, Users, Windows, etc)?

Yep.

 

[Steltek]

Great. Now, close that window. Go back to the desktop. Double click on the 'Utilities' folder. In the window that pops up, double click on the "Security" folder, followed by the "Keyfinders" folder. Again double click on Produkey.


When it runs, press F9. We are going to do it different this time.

Choose the 4th option, "Load the product keys from external Software Registry Hive". In the box below that option, hit the Browse button. Browse to G:/Windows/System32/config and click on the file shown as SOFTWARE. Hit the OK button at the bottom of the screen.

Does this give you a Windows 7 Ultimate product key?

 

[Archangel_M]

Great. Now, close that window. Go back to the desktop. Double click on the 'Utilities' folder. In the window that pops up, double click on the "Security" folder, followed by the "Keyfinders" folder. Again double click on Produkey.


When it runs, press F9. We are going to do it different this time.

Choose the 4th option, "Load the product keys from external Software Registry Hive". In the box below that option, hit the Browse button. Browse to G:/Windows/System32/config and click on the file shown as SOFTWARE. Hit the OK button at the bottom of the screen.

Does this give you a Windows 7 Ultimate product key?

Nope. It says 'Product key was not found.' It does give me the Product ID, though.

 

[Steltek]

Okay, I have to ask this. Where did you purchase your copy of Windows 7 Ultimate from?

What is the product ID?

 

[Archangel_M]

Okay, I have to ask this. Where did you purchase your copy of Windows 7 Ultimate from?

What is the product ID?

I bought it off of Amazon years ago. Here's the Product ID.

 

[Steltek]

Edit your prior post and delete that picture. With a little work, somebody could figure out those Microsoft Office keys. If you still use either one of them, write down those product keys as you would need them to reinstall (if you still have the reinstallation CDs).

Was the seller Amazon or a 3rd party?

 

[Archangel_M]

Edit your prior post and delete that picture. With a little work, somebody could figure out those Microsoft Office keys. If you still use either one of them, write down those product keys as you would need them to reinstall (if you still have the reinstallation CDs).

Was the seller Amazon or a 3rd party?

I don't remember, honestly. I know it was a legit copy because it came in the physical package from Microsoft.