What is Fake Windows Product Key Screen?
Fake Windows Product Key Screen is a malicious program that might be trying to steal your Windows product key. Once the malware enters your system, it displays a fake Windows Product Key verification prompt that replaces your usual desktop. What’s more, it shows you a telephone number that is supposed to connect you with the Microsoft customer support services. However, the people that answer the phone do not work for Microsoft. Their main goal is to convince you that your computer is infected with malware and that you need a remote tech support. This tech support might be quite expensive, not to mention that it is completely unnecessary. The only thing that is wrong with your computer is this malware itself. Therefore, you should eliminate Fake Windows Product Key Screen from your system with no hesitation, and if you slide below the article, you will find the removal instructions.
Where does Fake Windows Product Key Screen come from?
Fake Windows Product Key Screen might be distributed through bundled software. The malware could be installed with suspicious freeware applications that come from untrustworthy file-sharing web pages. You may think that you are installing only your selected freeware, but malware such as Fake Windows Product Key Screen might settle in as well. Therefore, you should download applications from reliable sources and determine if they are safe to use before the installation.
How does Fake Windows Product Key Screen work?
Firstly, the malware creates a few Registry keys, and one of it changes the Windows Shell configuration. This modification allows the malicious program to execute itself instead of your usual desktop. Thus, when Fake Windows Product Key Screen restarts your computer, you will see a fake Windows Activation Pro Window. The pop-up is displayed on a black background that shows computer’s name on the top-left corner and four buttons on the opposite side. The first three buttons should launch a browser and redirect you to legitimate software’s official web pages. The other one allows you to open the Command Prompt (CMD) window.
The Windows Activation Pro window will say that “your computer is suspected of malicious software, for the purpose of verification enter your windows product key.” Also, it will display a telephone number, but we do not recommend calling to this fictitious customer support or submitting your product key. We cannot be a hundred percent sure what could happen, but based on similar malware and user experience; it is never a good idea. You could waste your money on expensive “tech support” or software that you do not need. The fact is that this is a malicious program that was installed without your permission, and you do not have to do anything it says.
How to remove Fake Windows Product Key Screen?
The malware’s removal might be rather complicated, but we have a couple of solutions to offer you. The first one is a manual removal with the instructions provided below this text. Mainly, you will have to launch the CMD and kill the main process that is responsible for the fake verification prompt screen. Then you should access Registry Editor and delete the malware’s entries. The second option is an automatic removal with the help of a legitimate antimalware tool. To be able to download it, you must launch your browser, and you can do that if you click one of the tree buttons that redirect to official sites of TeamViewer, Supremo, and Logmein. Just insert the following address in your browser anti-spyware-101.com/download-sph.
Eliminate Fake Windows Product Key Screen
- Click the CMD button on the top-right corner of Windows Activation Pro window.
- Type command tasmgr.
- Find a process called Productkeyupdate.
- Mark the process and kill it by clicking End Task button.
- Close the Task Manager and type start regedit in the CMD window.
- Navigate to: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
- Locate Value Name Shell, it must have the following Value data C:\Program Files (x86)\Productkeyupdate\Productkeyupdate.exe
- Right-click the Shell Value Name and select Delete.
- Go to: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
- Find another Value Name titled as Shell that has the following Value data C:\Program Files (x86)\Productkeyupdate\Productkeyupdate.exe and delete it.
- Navigate to the following paths separately:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node - Find keys named as Productkeyupdate, right-click them separately and select delete.
- Open the Explorer and insert the given location: C:\Program Files (x86)
- Find a folder titled as Productkeyupdate and erase it.
- Empty your Recycle bin.
tested removal of Fake Windows Product Key Screen*
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