Password doesn't work to get into laptop

I was running "The Security Tango" (Security Tango℠) on my windows 10 machine from Safe Mode. When I entered safe mode and put in my password it started a check-disc which took over five minutes to run. I completed my scans and restarted normally. The boot to the sign-in screen took about five times longer than normal (but is back to normal now) and I entered my KNOWN password. I get a wrong password message and nothing I have tried will let me in. I have logged onto the MS site and can see my laptop listed, but nothing I can find will let me change the password from there. My attempts to get back into safe mode now fail because the password doesn't work.

Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Your system specs show you use Norton Professional.
--- Consider using Microsoft Defender.
Why were you using The Security Tango especially in Safe Mode?
--- Were there problems that needed to be addressed?

Once you get the laptop back in order, please use Imaging/Clone software at appropriate times.
--- Since this is your first post, you probably are not aware of how we promote using Imaging/Clone software at appropriate times.

What bothers me is when y'all tell us to "do this or that" and don't give better instructions. There may be more than one solution to a problem and to say "go here or there" is not always easy for a novice. Why not give us a link? Or better yet, step by step instructions on how to "clone". ?? Whatever that means? I don't even understand how a "clone" can solve a problem. Just because something is so simple to you don't mean it is to us novices. K.I.S.S.

Ok, step by step...

The first thing to assess is.

Are you are using a MS account or a Local Account to log in your Windows ?

MaloK said:

Ok, step by step...

The first thing to assess is.

Are you are using a MS account or a Local Account to log in your Windows ?

I have no idea. How can I tell that? All I know is that I sign on as me, or as administrator. Why they are different has always escaped me. But seriously. How can I determine if it's MS or local?

MorganBilbo said:

I have no idea. How can I tell that? All I know is that I sign on as me, or as administrator. Why they are different has always escaped me. But seriously. How can I determine if it's MS or local?

Try to login on the account when you fail entering your PW, click ok, then click reset password

If it ask you for your security questions it is a local account. If you remember them you can reset from there.

If you have a secondary Admin account enabled, you can use it to reset your other user password (first thing to try).

MaloK said:

Try to login on the account when you fail entering your PW, click ok, then click reset password
If it ask you for your security questions it is a local account. If you remember them you can reset from there.
If you have a secondary Admin account enabled, you can use it to reset your other user password (first thing to try).

Forgive me. Why am I changing my password? Let me back up for a minute. When I first log on my PC, I do not need a password. I have it set for a PIN. So, that's all I need to get my PC to start working. And I know it's just me, not the Administrator. If I want to be the Administrator, I click Start and click on my name and it shows "admin". And then, if I want that, I sign in with the password. And that password is the same as I would have needed for "me"; but as I said, I don't need it for the original sign on. So I'm confused. I am merely wanting to know how to access or use "Imaging/Clone software" or "Macrium Reflect - free/paid + external disks for image files" or "created disk images routinely and regularly" or whatever it is to do whatever it is that these products do? Or protect? Or what? This thread is what is confusing me. You mention cures, and I don't even know what these cures are or what they do?

MorganBilbo said:

What bothers me is when y'all tell us to "do this or that" and don't give better instructions. There may be more than one solution to a problem and to say "go here or there" is not always easy for a novice. Why not give us a link? Or better yet, step by step instructions on how to "clone". ?? Whatever that means? I don't even understand how a "clone" can solve a problem. Just because something is so simple to you don't mean it is to us novices. K.I.S.S.

On the K.I.S.S., that’s inappropriate.

elof69, you are the original poster: your join date is 14 Nov 2021 and your system specs show you have a laptop,
MorganBilbo, it seems now you are the poster to follow: your join date is is 29 Aug 2021: your system specs show you have a PC/Desktop.

It would have been good to know that you are a novice up-front. You have asked some questions such as "what is that" and that's fine.

In my post #4
"Your system specs show you use Norton Professional.
--- Consider using Microsoft Defender.
Why were you using The Security Tango especially in Safe Mode?
--- Were there problems that needed to be addressed?

Once you get the laptop back in order, please use Imaging/Clone software at appropriate times.
--- Since this is your first post, you probably are not aware of how we promote using Imaging/Clone software at appropriate times."

If I had known you are a novice, I would have added, is there a root problem when I included “Why were you using The Security Tango especially in Safe Mode?
--- Were there problems that needed to be addressed?” or something like that.
--- Either way, that question wasn’t answered.

And then on “Once you get the laptop back in order, please use Imaging/Clone software at appropriate times.
--- Since this is your first post, you probably are not aware of how we promote using Imaging/Clone software at appropriate times.", I would have added, when the time comes, we can help on that.
--- Did you notice I mentioned “Since this is your first post”, can you tell I’m trying to be polite on how to accommodate that?

Bottom line is you have a KNOWN password that doesn’t work now, but it appears to me there’s an underlying issue involved somehow on why were you using “The Security Tango especially in Safe Mode?” Naturally I could be wrong but that can be determined on proper troubleshooting as we can’t see elof69's laptop.

However, right or wrong, it might make sense to double check spunk’s advice post #3 with the possibility for a step-by-step process.

BTW, do you have data that needs to be saved if possible?