windows accounts, login credentials and skype

Well I'm game to try.

1) stating facts, no answer required.

2) Microsoft is moving people to have a Microsoft account, pro's and con's which the web will debate. When you did the upgrade there were likely options to select keep local but not obvious. One trick is to update offline. Then Microsoft also prompts you to switch to MS when you use Store. Again, people miss the subtle hints and bang they are switched.

3) Yes you can go back to Local account. Settings => Accounts, "Sign in with local account instead". I would first create a Local admin and test it. Sign in, do something an admin can do. You should always have two admin accounts on device in case your sign in gets corrupted. With Microsoft account you can fix on web.

4) Your ms account and 365 account should be same if you used same info to sign in. (Below I will show you how to sign into account and you should see info.)

4) Created Skype account, info.

5) Microsoft wants to combine all services under one account. Like Apple or Google. One account, one password, all services. They want to combine your Skype account and its contacts into one place. While on the surface sounds reasonable, I don't like it. I want to keep separation of contacts for my own reasons. When you start Skype it starts it as your MS account, usually. Now you created separate account. Again I think there is option to choose different sign in account but again, it is not obvious.

Now if you want to get to Skype (MS account) here is how to do it. In your browser type Microsoft Account

Click sign in with microsoft account. It will likely sign in with no passworrd. Check which account you are in, on left. If not your Skype account,, click on user icon, upper right and then click Sign in with another account. Enter Skype MS account and go through password reset.

When you come back to Skype I can't remember panels, just watch you are on Skype MS account.