how many accounts are there?

As I go through this I am both asking questions and making statements. I'm hoping to get answers to questions and corrections or amplifications to statements if needed.<br><br>So there is a basic 'umbrella' microsoft account where the user name is an email.<br> this 'account' can be the 'user account' used to login to a windows 10 pc. when the pc is set up to use the ms account it is not an admin account and cannot be made to be recognized as an admin account.<br>I believe this is the default set up you get when installing or registering a new windows 10 pc<br>you can change the pc login to a local pc account<br><br><br>if you use skype you can use the basic microsoft account or you can create a separate skype account?<br>the separate skype account has its own pswd which is different from the basic ms account<br>if using the separate skype account method it will be somehow linked to the basic ms account?<br><br>then there is something called 'Windows Live ID login' <br>what is this? <br><img src="attachment.php?attachmentid=154456&amp;stc=1" attachmentid="154456" alt="" id="vbattach_154456" class="previewthumb" style="cursor: pointer; opacity: 0.5;"><br><br>embarrassed to say I can't remember when where how why i have this account, it has a pretty old email address that I don't use anymore. it came up oddly enuf in a visual basic forum account settings, see below<br>if I follow the link to change that live id password, I get this<br><br><img src="attachment.php?attachmentid=154457&amp;stc=1" attachmentid="154457" alt="" id="vbattach_154457" class="previewthumb" style="cursor: pointer; opacity: 0.5;"><br>now it looks like it wants me to login to the ms basic account, because its got the username/email I use for that, why do I need to login to that to change the windows live id account? not understanding this logic or pathway but <br> so I enter my ms basic account password and then get this<br><br><img src="attachment.php?attachmentid=154455&amp;stc=1" attachmentid="154455" alt="" id="vbattach_154455" class="previewthumb" style="cursor: pointer; opacity: 0.5;"><br><br>this perhaps looks like some two step verification thing but I never signed up for that, that I know of, anyway I check the "I sign in frequently" box and am just dead in the water, nothing happens, btw I am sure to have entered the correct pswd for my basic ms account, if that was a wrong pswd why not get a msg to that effect? there is no continue button, etc etc it all just sits there, looks like the only option is too click the link for "sign in another way" and now get this<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><img src="attachment.php?attachmentid=154454&amp;stc=1" attachmentid="154454" alt="" id="vbattach_154454" class="previewthumb">

I think I have to do a complete repost, all the images I attached in previous post somehow got lost
this is where I ended up after entering a good pswd


kinda looks like a 2 step verification it, nothing happens after hitting the check box? seemingly the only option left is to select the link to sign in another way? wtf? so I try anyway and then get this screen

Attachment 154465
so what is my ms authenticator app? never heard of such a thing where is this rabbit hole to hell going? I don't have a code, where would I get that anyway? so I try "I don't have any of these|"
which now brings me back to enter my password at the start again of this journey to nowhere
Attachment 154469
I'm sorry my bad for not having a pswd but this is just plain nuts

As I go through this I am both asking questions and making statements. I'm hoping to get answers to questions and corrections or amplifications to statements if needed

.So there is a basic 'umbrella' microsoft account where the user name is an email. this 'account' can be the 'user account' used to login to a windows 10 pc. it is not clear how to switch this, ie. I want a local account on my pc not my ms account, how do I make that change?

now another ms related account
if you use skype evidently you can use the basic ms account or you can create a separate skype account.the separate skype account has its own username/pswd which is different from the basic ms account. if using the separate skype account method it will be somehow linked to the basic ms account anyway?

then there is something called 'Windows Live ID login' what is this? I'm embarrassed to say I can't remember when where how why i have this account, it has a pretty old email address that I don't use anymore. it came up oddly enuf in a asp.net forum account settings, see below, but why would this windows live id account be somehow intermixed with a asp.net forums acct?
Attachment 154471
if I follow the link to change that live id password, it is a rabbit hole to hell
I know this is confusing but see previous post for that chain and what happens as I try to resolve that windows live id password change and hopefully acct id name change

I have never seen any of those login boxes either. I would suggest logging into your actual Microsoft account on the internet and look for security settings that require the use of the Authenticator App and change the setting there.

Sign in to your Microsoft account

Found it. On your Microsoft Account page, click on the Security Tab. At the bottom of the security settings page is this:
Done with the basics? Explore more security options to help keep your account secure.

Click on the link for "more security options".

thanks for the reply
went there and I don't know whether to laugh or cry, now don't forget I've already successfully logged in to my ms account when I click the more security options link guess what comes up......................the approve sign in request panel
they've got my number all right!!!
Attachment 154609
so there's a ms authenticator app I downloaded to my android phone. I got as far installing the app and adding my personal account to it. to do that they send an email with a code to your account id email address
so now I have that app on my phone not sure how that works, guessing it might be a way to get a code or generate a code when logging in somewhere and getting the infamous approve sign in request and getting asked for code?

so finally by following a trail to the alternate login, I got a code sent by email.
with that I was able to get into my preferences and get this screen see below, I unchecked the phone number option at this point not sure what keeping that checked would get me into. I certainly don't want to have depend on my phone to 2 step verify a login, way too many things can go wrong with that.


I'll see how everything goes logging in next day or 2 and if nothing of consequence comes up will close the thread then

btw, just logged out and signed back into my ms account and only a password was needed, yay! sticking with that for now for sure