used PC blocked with passwords

bobkn said:

Will there be a problem if the digital license is associated with a specific Microsoft account?

No.

bobkn said:

Will there be a problem if the digital license is associated with a specific Microsoft account?

No. The digital license is linked to the hardware ID of the PC and that is what will be sent to the activation servers when checking for activation. Linking it to a Microsoft Account is an optional extra, primarily of use after a significant hardware change, like a motherboard swap.

collieman said:

I bought a used HP PC at a flea market. The seller showed me that it worked OK. I used it and it did work OK. But after I brought it home and tried to set it up the way I wanted it I found that I couldn't do anything without entering a password. I tried to install ccleaner, bit defender, malwarebytes but had to enter a password to do it. Can't open system restore without a password. Can't open computer management, user accounts in control panel, or change any settings at all. I can't uninstall some of the things I don't want either without a password. Everything I try to do I have to enter a password. I don't know who the seller was to get the password from him. It boots OK and then asks for a password. I press enter and it then continues to desktop. The computer works fine otherwise. How can I turn off this asking for a password for EVERYTHING I do? In a way I feel like I'm locked out of my computer. Thank you.

I would recommend you to do a reformat, wipe and clean the current OS, so you won't have any issue with regarding to the saved credentials on your used HP PC.

Guys, thanks for all your advice!! I have a lot to think about here. I can't use settings/update security/ recover to reset the computer because it needs the password. The computer has a local account not a microsoft account installed on it and I can't change it to a microsoft account because of the needed password. I agree that I'm going to have to do a reinstall of win10. I'll be way ahead that way. I found on the net that you can remove or change passwords with the "netplwiz" command in run but can't do because it wants a password. Somebody set up a pretty secure system but you can't do much with it. I'm going to see about downloading the setup files from microsoft.....Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10. Wish me luck as I've never done this before.

collieman said:

Wish me luck as I've never done this before.

Good luck, it's quite straight forward. There's a tutorial....

Clean Install Windows 10

And one tip if you are installing Home and want to set it up with a local account. Do not let it connect to the internet when you install Windows and set up the first account, else Home will only offer the MS account as a sign in option. Or see step 24 in the tutorial.

Bree said:

No. The digital license is linked to the hardware ID of the PC and that is what will be sent to the activation servers when checking for activation. Linking it to a Microsoft Account is an optional extra, primarily of use after a significant hardware change, like a motherboard swap.

It's OK even if the license is linked to an MS account?

I have done that, and I have also done motherboard swaps. (Worked fine, except when I did a second MB swap after a short time because the first was defective. I had to go 'round for a while with MS support to Windows activated with new board #2.)

bobkn said:

It's OK even if the license is linked to an MS account?

Yes, to check for activation Windows generates the hardware ID for the PC and sends a query to the activation servers.

everytime you buy a second hand PC, format it. Even if the vendor has already done it. It is now yours, you don´t need to see other people's garbage!