Locked out of computer after creating Microsoft account

I am not computer savvy but I downloaded Windows 10 and created a Microsoft account. I wrote down the password. The next day a log in screen appeared (which I never had before) so I tried to log in. My password didn't work. I tried everything. I called the Help desk and filled out a form and emailed it in. They are not able to help me at all!!! Told me I have two step verification and they would have to download a program to my computer and I will lose all my software.
I cant afford this. There must be another way. Like I said, I am not a technical minded person at all but this seems to be a bit absurd. Does anybody out there have an answer and why is this such a problem. Thanks !!

my Win10 went very bad with the install 2 months after my free upgrade form Win8. it started to lose programs and then lose accounts... I had no choice but to dump Win10 and go back to Win 8.1 Win10 is a total screw up, and if it hasn't gone bad it will. Totally buggy! IMHO

retiredat44 said:

my Win10 went very bad with the install 2 months after my free upgrade form Win8. it started to lose programs and then lose accounts... I had no choice but to dump Win10 and go back to Win 8.1 Win10 is a total screw up, and if it hasn't gone bad it will. Totally buggy! IMHO

I can't even do that ...locked !!! Can't do anything but fume!!!

hTconeM9user said:

Hi see if this will work log in with the account you set up.
Click where it comes up forgot my password
use the e-mail address you set up with
They will send you a link to reset your password.
Put in your old one then make a new one
you will be asked to confirm it
click yes
Then use you e-mail address and new password and you should be able to log in

When the login screen comes up, it has my email address and on the box underneath is where I put my password. I do that and it doesn't work. I have spent many hours with the help desk of Microsoft and they tell me there is no way they can prove ownership of this email. I downloaded windows 10 from Microsoft and I set up an account with Microsoft but because I didn't utilize outlook email program they can't verify my email address. Craziest thing I ever heard of. So now they tell me the only way to fix this is to lose all my software By consenting them to download program on my computer. I can't get into the computer to delete windows 10 if I wanted to. Thanks for trying to,help me.

alphanumeric said:

Did you do the free upgrade? If yes from what OS? Where did you create the Microsoft Account? It needs to be setup online with Microsoft first, then it can be used for login on a PC.

I have a Dell computer and I downloaded Windows 10 free upgrade. Everything was working ok for weeks but to utilize all the features it seemed advantageous to setup a Microsoft account. I did and everything seems ok BUT then I got a log in screen which I never ever had before. It someday up with my email address and asks for my password. When I put it I. It doesn't work. I called the help desk and I was guided to fill out a form with all my personal info and it asks for the email addresses and topics of recent emails I had sent (I guess to verify ownership) well I never set up Outlook and my info never synced with windows 10 so they are telling me they can't help me. The only thing they can offer is to download a program to my machine BUT I will loose all my software. For real!! I can't allow that and to me this is just,not right. I have spent hours on the phone with them to no avail. Thanks for trying to help me.

I don't understand the problem.

You don't need to have an outlook.com account to register a Microsoft account. I'm using gmail. I haven't had to reset my password, but I have needed to verify the account. That sent a code to my email address. (I needed to use another PC to receive it.)

Didn't you set up an alternate means of contacting you when you registered the account? (Other email address, cell phone number?) I suppose that MS would have talked you through that by now. (I admit that I don't recall what I specified when I set up my account. It probably wasn't a cell number.)

I suppose that you've been through the process for resetting the Microsoft account password, and that it didn't work.

Reset your password

Can you tell us what happened during that?

bobkn said:

I don't understand the problem.

You don't need to have an outlook.com account to register a Microsoft account. I'm using gmail. I haven't had to reset my password, but I have needed to verify the account. That sent a code to my email address. (I needed to use another PC to receive it.)

Didn't you set up an alternate means of contacting you when you registered the account? (Other email address, cell phone number?) I suppose that MS would have talked you through that by now. (I admit that I don't recall what I specified when I set up my account. It probably wasn't a cell number.)

I suppose that you've been through the process for resetting the Microsoft account password, and that it didn't work.

Reset your password

Can you tell us what happened during that?

When I set up the Microsoft account I put in whatever was requested to obtain an account along with a password. Afterward was when I came in to see a log in screen. It had my name and underneath my email address and a blank space for password ...I entered the password and it didn't work. Directs me to go to account.live.com. Went there and followed instructions along with another email address for communications with them. They asked me if I had any security questions....I don't recall but I am sure I could answer them if there were any. I spoke to a rep who,has me fill out a form stating the last few emails I sent and to,whom. I filled it out but she said because I didn't do it thru Outlook it could not be verified. Also I was told something about double security I had set up ?? Like I said, I am not really computer literate .... I just followed the directions. I have had the same email for at least 10 years and I really don't understand why they can't verify ownership. I have done everything possible ....still locked out and they said they can't help...except to download a program which will wipe out my software. Don't make sense to me. Thanks again!!

Bobbie said:

When I set up the Microsoft account I put in whatever was requested to obtain an account along with a password. Afterward was when I came in to see a log in screen. It had my name and underneath my email address and a blank space for password ...I entered the password and it didn't work. Directs me to go to account.live.com. Went there and followed instructions along with another email address for communications with them. They asked me if I had any security questions....I don't recall but I am sure I could answer them if there were any. I spoke to a rep who,has me fill out a form stating the last few emails I sent and to,whom. I filled it out but she said because I didn't do it thru Outlook it could not be verified. Also I was told something about double security I had set up ?? Like I said, I am not really computer literate .... I just followed the directions. I have had the same email for at least 10 years and I really don't understand why they can't verify ownership. I have done everything possible ....still locked out and they said they can't help...except to download a program which will wipe out my software. Don't make sense to me. Thanks again!!

I guess that they can only look at your email if it's in a Microsoft account (outlook.com).

Does the automated password reset process fail? (The link I posted, which I imagine you've already been through.) If so, can you supply more information about how it fails?

I did a little Googling on this, and one thing is clear: only Microsoft, or their automated systems, can reset a Microsoft account password. There are ways to create a local account, which might permit you to save files, but that may not help you to save installed programs.