You can and should create your own fresh Windows installer from Microsoft, a media creation tool

If you are paranoid, there are more things you can do (but these are very rare)

• check in the bios settings if something called lojack/absolute is activated (it is firmware-level antitheft and cannot be erased). It can only be deleted by the user account, loging into the web portal, and marking it to be deleted the next time it connects to the internet. If that is on, I would raise hell.

-run the SSD manufacturer’s wiping utility

-Factory defaults the motherboard settings

-You can update all firmware or overwrite the same version of firmware. Motherboard and SSD, etc…

-look for any ad on cards in the motherboard that do not have a known purpose.

Study 500 hours to become a cyber security analyst and monitor the computer for sus behavior like crazy /s

You can just fresh format if you’re concerned. There might be some hiccips with keys, I know nothing about 11 so far - so ultimately wait for better advice than mine.

You can wipe the entire partition and install the OS, that would remove any potential spyware/malware, but someone dedicated enough might have a hardware keylogger hidden on the motherboard. Probably not a big deal if all you’re doing on that device is just gaming and you don’t type your password to log in (some services have passkey and/or log in by tapping a link/notification on other devices nowadays)

Just reinstall windows and you’ll be fine if you are that worried

I mean… technically, sure. They had full access to the computer, they could put whatever software they wanted on it. Realistically, most people selling an old computer don’t give a crap about what you do with it.

If you’re worried, format and reinstall Windows. That’s what I do with secondhand computers, even when I know their history (I work in IT, so occasionally, I’m allowed to take home a machine we’ve decommissioned to play with). It’s always nice to start fresh.

The codex astartes does not recommend this action

Format and clean install the OS and you will be fine. That’s the general rule for any electronics you buy 2nd hand.

Or change the drive completely and flash the BIOS. Don’t know if keylogger would effect a virtual keyboard or a wireless keyboard. But good luck to you hope it was a good deal.

The ROG Ally has a factory reset function within its BIOS. It will do the whole wipe / download and install windows and reinstalls all the Ally software, etc. Just make sure the BIOS is up to date before you do it. Also it does take a while for the whole process to complete.

This can’t be real

lol your friend has worried you for nothing, but now that you’re entirely freaked out, look into a guide on reinstalling windows from a USB.

Well your friend is right because you should always clean something bought used but I think he’s just jelly

Whenever I get a second hand computer I always securely format the drive and do a clean install of the os

If the person you bought it from was frequently banned from certain multiplayer games, its entirely possible that they’ve been hwid/mac banned. If you find out you keep getting banned from multiplayer games with no reason why, this would be why.

I see it frequently in second hand computer buyers so i figured id warn ya.

Beyond that, reimage the machine, you don’t know what they’ve done with it, or what they’ve put on it. It’s your own fault if you use it bare as it is and get hacked without imaging.

do a clean install ffs