Unable to sign in to PC. Error: You need a USB password recovery disk

ozzboy1 · 25 May 2019

Hi got hp laptop use Windows 10 M.E and chrome there are 3 of us using this laptop all with our own names and passwords .changed my password to a pin number now I cannot remember my letter password it won't let me reset it says I need a USB password recovery disc which I never did one. Still got my pin number is this going to be a problem can I fix this?.

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Hi just tried something from your tutorials page user accounts. first, let me say when I got my laptop I signed in with a Microsoft account with a password I then changed it to a pin number been using this for years forgot my normal password and cannot change it. Hi followed your instructions signed out signed back in with pin first no problem signed back into Microsoft web page with the new password no problem signed back out logged off this time signed in with the new password and I got this message

This feature requires recoverable media such as a USB flash drive and then try again. Have not done 1

Not sure what to do thank you

Caledon Ken · 25 May 2019

Hi ozzboy1. Welcome to the TenForums @ozzboy1

Could you please sign back in with your PIN and then

Start > Settings > Accounts > Your Info

In the Your Info panel on right does your information show Local Account or an email address.

Unable to sign in to PC. Error: You need a USB password recovery disk-image.png

Try3 · 25 May 2019

A password reset disk does not work for an MSAccount - only for a local account.

A password reset disk would have had to have been made in advance in any case. It is no more effective than writing a password down on a piece of paper.

I suggest that you follow Caledon Ken's guidance but do make sure you explain what you have already tried because
1 Your use of "followed your instructions" seems to refer to a tutorial that you have followed.
2 The error message you got is quite unusual for any account.

Denis

ozzboy1 · 25 May 2019

Hi, thanks for your help much appreciated. It says, local account administrator and, what I have done I found tutorials on how to reset the password on user account that's all, not to great at computer stuff

Caledon Ken · 25 May 2019

Thanks for the update.

So while you are changing MS account password (Online) that has nothing to do with your current account access. It is set to "Local".

I didn't realize you could use a PIN on a local account. I thought that was for MS accounts. Maybe Denis could comment. Not sure how / when you changed to local, do you remember doing so?

In any event you said there were three users on machine. Are they administrators as well? Thinking they could change your password. Then you change it again. Actually if you are all admins the security is already broken down.

You can't change your password as you said you forgot your password and that is the first question the OS asks. What is you current password.

How Do I Change Another User's Password in Windows?

You might also go back to using an MS account. You will see that a few lines down from "Local". It too might also ask you for current password. Been a long time since I've done it.

There is the elevated administrator however I would recommend using another admin user method.

If you can't get to them then ....

Enable or Disable Elevated Administrator account in Windows 10

Then log into Elevated Admin and change your password.

I also assume you have an off machine back up of your data. I always like to be extra safe. Changing passwords with encryption enabled has a nasty draw back when another user executes. If this is some sort of Windows error, your account changing to local without you doing it, I would want that backup. Backups are essential.

Ken

ozzboy1 · 25 May 2019

Hi, the other two users are not an admin and they would not tamper with the laptop they just use it and not that often. I saw something on youtube about Microsoft that you can log in with a pin number instead of a long password so I thought I make life easy for me that was a long time ago I have had not a lot of trouble until I log in with the password. What I don't understand is why I can use that password online for Microsoft but not for when I log in to the laptop something gone wrong? I don't want to start another account and lose all my work? So what next my laptop working fine

Caledon Ken · 26 May 2019

Not sure how to explain this.

Your PC from your own investigation is using a "Local" account. That is it is storing your credentials (password) on your device. It does not look to the MS servers for any kind of validation.

That is why you got the message about a reset disk / usb. By adding an MS account option MS was trying to resolve this issue where people forgot passwords and are locked out. No one, okay almost no one knew to make a rest disk / key.

When I set up a Local Admin account I always create a second Admin account to act as a second set of keys to device.

Your online MS is not being used in this process. It is being used for your online account, skpye, mail and store. (some you may or may not have.)

Really wish MS had done a better job of explaining this.

So since the other two are standard users that option is gone.

Have you done a backup of your data?

ozzboy1 · 27 May 2019

Hi, There's been some development, I've been getting error messages from Microsoft come up when I First log in to the internet saying some of your accounts require attention there's a link that sends you to the system control it let me change the Microsoft account password again the same outcome? still none the wiser

NavyLCDR · 27 May 2019

@ozzboy1,

Before you get locked out of your own computer permanently, you need to create a second administrator account that you know the password too! You can elevate one of the existing other users' account to administrator:
Change Account Type in Windows 10

or you can create an entirely new account:
Add Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10

Make sure the new account is administrator! Then you can log into the new administrator account (or the other user you made an administrator can log in), and that account can then change the password on your original user account.

You really need to do this or you are going to end up locking yourself out of the computer and there won't be any administrator account accessible.

ozzboy1 · 28 May 2019

Hi, opened another user account made it administrate and basically another Microsoft account and I can log in with a password no problem if my other account is damaged can I move everything over to my new account and delete the bad one thank you