Windows 10 Login - I have to Disconnect WiFi

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Do you have the operating software disk/license number?
If you do, a full reformat would solve everything.
Obvsiouly being a work supplied device, many of the permissions have been diminished to stop an employee screwing it up

That’s certainly the case.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Much will depend on how good (or bad) the IT function is at your old place of work. A good IT function will have the laptop isolated as an endpoint access only. ZScaler is indeed your issue, it's gateway access security and means it will prevent your laptop from becoming a "general end point access device" for want of a better phrase.

There are two probable hurdles, boot from USB is almost certainly disabled if they had the foresight to install a gateway patrol, and (if there is a DVD drive) it will almost certainly be either removed as a bootable device or moved down the priority list of boot devices in BIOS. Second hurdle is that the BIOS will probably be locked out as well. You will maybe have access to change to a network boot.

If the IT function is poor then there is a possibility that BIOS isn't completely locked out and you can get access enough to change the boot order (it may still not allow you to boot from USB though).

Personally, I'd open the back up, swap out the hard drive for a fresh SSD or NVMe drive and reset the CMOS (which in turn should default the BIOS). But I'd only do that if the spec of the laptop made it worth keeping.

They don't spend as much on laptop security to make it simple to repurpose machines. (I say that as a general statement as I don't know who you worked for but with my current client, they are very, very good at IT security).

I worked for a major global IT company that was very hot on the security side, it delivers a lot of major government and NHS Health trust services and even apparently quite minor IT security breaches at the user level were treated very seriously.

Many moons ago one of the guys I worked with on one of HMRCs main systems dropped a USB stick relating to the service in a pub car park. There was nothing on it that presented any actual security risk to the service but the threat of dismissal was actual and the guy was moved off the service team.

As it happens when I disconnect WiFi access i can log in to windows, once on I connect to my wifi and can get onto the internet - and that does me fine. But if doing this triggers security alarms at my ex-company, because my access has been revoked and it could look like a ‘security attack’ then maybe I just won’t bother.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I have no idea what you are on about. I said above that they don’t spend as much money as they do to make it easy. That is to say that spending heavily on zscaler, bit lockers and boot safe is designed to make it difficult to repurpose a machine.

I think @foxholder simply misunderstood your slightly ambiguous statement…I read it as you intended but on re-reading I can see how @Foxholer took it as sounding counter-intuitive ?

 

[jim8flog]

From my dim and distant memory-

If you have been locked out of the bios settings I think it may be possible to overcome this by removing the battery on the motherboard, with desktops many motherboards used to have a bios reset jumper.

 

[Foxholer]

I think @foxholder simply misunderstood your slightly ambiguous statement…I read it as you intended but on re-reading I can see how @Foxholer took it as sounding counter-intuitive ?

Indeed I did! A judicious comma would have helped!
As the Yanks might say, My bad!

 

[GreiginFife]

From my dim and distant memory-

If you have been locked out of the bios settings I think it may be possible to overcome this by removing the battery on the motherboard, with desktops many motherboards used to have a bios reset jumper.

All motherboards still have clear CMOS jumper (JBATT) as in many cases it’s the only way to restore a corrupt BIOS (or if there are POST issues that cause a boot fail).

Many boards now come with “one button” BIOS flashing and rollback but I’d personally still want to have a JBATT back up to that.

Some high end laptop boards have a JBATT of sorts (two solder pin ridges right next to the CMOS battery) but it’s rare.

If taking the battery out, leave it out for 25-30 minutes (taking it out and putting it straight back in seldom works).

 

[GreiginFife]

I think @foxholder simply misunderstood your slightly ambiguous statement…I read it as you intended but on re-reading I can see how @Foxholer took it as sounding counter-intuitive ?

Possibly but with his history he may well have just been being a bell end.

 

[bobmac]

Rather than switching off the laptop, could you not just put it in ''sleep mode'' or would you still have to log in?

 

[jim8flog]

All motherboards still have clear CMOS jumper (JBATT) as in many cases it’s the only way to restore a corrupt BIOS (or if there are POST issues that cause a boot fail).

Many boards now come with “one button” BIOS flashing and rollback but I’d personally still want to have a JBATT back up to that.

Some high end laptop boards have a JBATT of sorts (two solder pin ridges right next to the CMOS battery) but it’s rare.

If taking the battery out, leave it out for 25-30 minutes (taking it out and putting it straight back in seldom works).

Thanks. Probably over 10 years since I did any comp assembly

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Rather than switching off the laptop, could you not just put it in ''sleep mode'' or would you still have to log in?

Still have to log in I think but will check. I do if it does it itself.

 

[bobmac]

Still have to log in I think but will check. I do if it does it itself.

I have the password screen by-passed so it logs in automatically without me having to input my pin, although you may need admin permission to do that.

 

[rulefan]

My company seems to have decided I might as well keep my old work laptop - having left the company 9months ago and had all access to company networks and resources removed.

However when I go to login to Windows (Windows 10) - I have to Disconnect WiFi otherwise I get an Incorrect Password message. If I disconnect WiFi before entering my Windows password I login successfully - and then connect my WiFi.

I am assuming that this is because something on the laptop is attempting to connect to the company network and is being rejected or there is a company policy set up om the laptop that requires some form of wifi check. I have no idea - but it may be associated with zscaler which I believe my company has installed on the laptop to monitor network and internet usage to be in accordance with company policy

But clearly there is something associated with WiFi connectivity that blocks my Windows login that goes away when I disconnect prior to login...

It's not a big hassle but would be handy if I didn't have to do it.

My top IT tech at the company where I was the overall IT manager put a note with all ex-company computers we disposed of.
"Wipe and re-install Windows from scratch as this removes any references to the old company and is then personalised to the person"

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

My top IT tech at the company where I was the overall IT manager put a note with all ex-company computers we disposed of.
"Wipe and re-install Windows from scratch as this removes any references to the old company and is then personalised to the person"

I‘ll consider this but I’d have to purchase windows 10, and I don’t know if the laptop is worth it - quite possibly not.

Its a Lenovo ThinkPad
i5-6300U CPU @ 2.40GHz
RAM 8GB
Storage on C: 237GB

 

[GreiginFife]

I‘ll consider this but I’d have to purchase windows 10, and I don’t know if the laptop is worth it - quite possibly not.

Its a Lenovo ThinkPad
i5-6300U CPU @ 2.40GHz
RAM 8GB
Storage on C: 237GB

6th gen i5 is still a very capable CPU. RAM is a bit on the lean side as it’s likely DDR3L but at zero cost it’s definitely worth getting it in a useable state.

 

[PJ87]

I‘ll consider this but I’d have to purchase windows 10, and I don’t know if the laptop is worth it - quite possibly not.

Its a Lenovo ThinkPad
i5-6300U CPU @ 2.40GHz
RAM 8GB
Storage on C: 237GB

Wowcher had windows 10 key for £11