# Locked out of Windows 10 account



## Chester4 (Jul 4, 2017)

About 6 weeks ago I was denied access to my Windows 10 MS account although my username and password had not changed. I have tried on many occasions to get into my account by entering security codes sent to me by MS and filling out forms. On a number of occasions I was sent a 4 digit code and was told that this was incorrect as I needed a 7 digit code ?!! On the form I was told that I would able to add information on my email correspondence to help verify my identity - this option was not made available to me. I have now been informed that insufficient information has been provided by me to verify my identity - but I was not given the opportunity to enter more information. Subsequently I have been told that the matter is now closed due to my countless attempts to access my account and I have to open a new account. Will this give me access to all my documents locked into my original account? Any advice will be appreciated.

Tech Support Guy System Info Utility version 1.0.0.4
OS Version: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro, 64 bit
Processor: Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU W3550 @ 3.07GHz, Intel64 Family 6 Model 26 Stepping 5
Processor Count: 4
RAM: 8175 Mb
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GT 610, 1024 Mb
Hard Drives: C: 930 GB (855 GB Free);
Motherboard: Hewlett-Packard, 0B4Ch
Antivirus: Windows Defender, Enabled and Updated


----------



## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

You appear to have a *HP Z400 WorkStation* which originally came with Windows Vista Business. Is that correct?
What's the exact serial number(S/N) and product number(P/N) on yours?

We don't usually provide help here with a password-protected computer because we have no way to confirm its true owner or the real intent for wanting to access it.
One of the Administrators/Moderators here can make that decision.

---------------------------------------------------------------


----------



## Chester4 (Jul 4, 2017)

Thank you Frank for your prompt response. I bought the computer when it was approx. 3 years old and already had Windows 10 installed. The product ID is 00330-80000-00000-AA086.

I value the security precautions taken by MS but I cannot understand why my account was locked in the first place. I would just like the opportunity to confirm that I am indeed the true owner. I was told that I would be asked questions about my email correspondence - subject lines - contact email addresses etc. but this has not been forthcoming and the questions asked have been very limited making it difficult to verify my status.

My username / email address for the account is [email protected] - this email address has been giving me problems for the last 6 months and is no longer my primary email address ( I have changed to a [email protected] address) I don't know if this can be the source of the problem.


----------



## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

> I bought the computer when it was approx. 3 years old and already had Windows 10 installed. The product ID is *00330-80000-00000-AA086*.


That's not the serial number or product number. If you examine the labels/stickers on the case, you'll find that information.

--------------------------------------------------------------


----------



## Chester4 (Jul 4, 2017)

Thank you - I have found the numbers that you have requested.
HP Serial Number - CZC2290NWX
Product Number - KK642EA#ABB


----------



## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

> HP Serial Number - CZC2290NWX
> Product Number - KK642EA#ABB


That serial number confirms you have a *HP Z400 Workstation* which appears to have been purchased in July 2012 with a 3-year warranty.

It appears it came with one of these operating systems:









What's the exact Windows version on the Certificate-Of-Authenticity sticker on yours?

---------------------------------------------------------------


----------



## Chester4 (Jul 4, 2017)

The following appears on the Certificate of Authenticity Sticker
Windows 7 Pro OA
584048-001
Product Key xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

It has been upgraded to Windows 10 Pro 64bit


----------



## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

The only way we can assist is to advise you to do things that you could only accomplish through an account that has Administrator privileges and that you know the password for but I don't know if any such solution exists.

However, to answer your initial question, it stands to reason that if you open a new account you will not have access to anything created and/or stored under the old one. That would be a serious breach of security.

Do you not have any backups of those documents on external media?

I really think the only course of action is to try contacting Microsoft again perhaps by telephone this time if you haven't already tried that method and fully explain the problems you are encountering.

P.S. I edited out the product key number as that can be used by someone else to install Windows 7 Pro on their machines.


----------



## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

> The following appears on the Certificate of Authenticity Sticker
> Windows 7 Pro OA
> It has been upgraded to Windows 10 Pro 64bit


Quite a few *HP Z400 Workstation* desktops are selling refurbished with Windows 10 Pro 64-bit, so yours should be fine running it.

HERE are some at a very cheap price at the Newegg site.

-----------------------------------------------------------------


----------



## Chester4 (Jul 4, 2017)

Thank you for your advise and suggestions. I have had this PC for about a year and have had no previous problems with Windows 10 and so I don't think there are any compatibility issues with the HP Z400. My main concern is to access my account so that I can access my files and documents. I have phoned Microsoft on several occasions and constantly get directed to the on-line process (computer assistance) I have entered the required security codes and filled out the standard questionnaires but it is always the same result - insufficient information is available to verify that I am the legitimate user and that is because the questionnaire is very limiting and does not allow me to add more information.
Yesterday I managed to talk to an agent at the MS account Global Escalation Team and a solution seemed to be at hand and I was issued with an Escalation Reference number. I was told to answer questions on other passwords used (but I have only used one password for this account - the one that is not giving me access) - I was also asked to answer other security questions and quote the reference number.
However when I clicked on the link for the questionnaire I was directed back to the standard questions that have not worked in the past and there was no option to enter the reference number before submitting. Same questions - same answers - same result. A constant loop and I am getting nowhere !!
Any further suggestions will be most welcome.


----------



## Chester4 (Jul 4, 2017)

I am the administrator of the account.


----------



## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

I personally set up Windows 7 and Windows 10 to automatically load without having to log in with a username and password.

I'll leave you with our Administrator, *Cookiegal*.

--------------------------------------------------------------


----------



## Chester4 (Jul 4, 2017)

Thank you for your help Frank - yes an automatic load seems to make sense to avoid this problem in the future.


----------



## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

You're welcome. 

---------------------------------------------------------------


----------



## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

I don't think I can be of any help really as I'm not that up on Windows 10 and I don't use an MS account I use a local one.

However, as a last ditch effort, what browser are you using? 

If you've made some modifications to the browser settings or have added some add-ons or extensions (i.e. ad blockers, etc.) it's possible they are interfering with the display of the questionnaires so you're not seeing where to enter the additional information they require.

Perhaps resetting the browser or running it without add-ons might work.


----------



## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

As you know a Microsoft account is blocked from entry by Microsoft if they feel they have detected suspicious activity
This may include numerous attempts to sign in or indeed just a few attempts with what Microsoft consider to be the wrong email
More leeway is given to the wrong password than to an apparent wrong email
Maybe that is the answer to your problem.
You will know if either of those may apply

The other point to bear in mind is that people often try to use the code on the header of the message sent by text or email
That is not the code the code is in the message body
I apologise if that sounds too obvious

What I am a little perplexed about is the sequence of events you list
When you changed your email from mweb etc - to the gmail address as the mweb.co.za was giving you problems - if it was presenting problems why did you not change the Microsoft account email

When you sign in with a Microsoft account I am sure you know that it uses the microsoft servers to verify the details
The procedure usually is quite troublefree
Even in the position you currently find yourself and indeed the one to have adopted when you were first notified that access was denied is here
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/13956/microsoft-account-temporarily-suspended
that deals as well with the code mistake

Alternatively until you were actually notified it was blocked this was the one to use
https://account.live.com/ACSR

and then the final approach is here

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/17875

which I presume is the latter one you refer to with reference to this


> If your request was denied, you can keep trying up to two times per day. If you don't remember enough information to successfully recover your account, you'll have to create a new one. To protect everyone's privacy, our support agents can't see your account details or unlock accounts.


I suspect from what I have read in your posts, the problem is either mistakes in entering code or possibly you have used the new email on another device having registered the new on as a Microsoft account under a different name. It does not have to be that much different.

Microsoft when you then approached them would clearly not be satisfied.

Please do not be offended but I have a feeling there is some detail which you may consider only minor, but may be the answer to the cause of the problem, missing from your posts.

The form I was presented with for a problem a colleague had most certainly had the information to provide details of the two most recent emails sent and received on the account

*To answer the actual question the information in your existing Microsoft account will still be on your computer but you will not be able to access it, by any method I advise on this site, as that would of course be similar to helping you to overcome a forgotten password and not being able to verify the circumstances, this site does not help with such matters.
I feel certain that if your computer was accessed by an unauthorised person or stolen indeed and then we helped someone to circumvent your password you would not be very pleased*

My recommendation is that you try once more with the steps I have posted and if they all fail you establish a new account and then take your computer to te local repair shop not one of the giant multiples and for a relatively small number of rands I think it maybe, they should be able to access your data.
OR give Microsoft one last try by phone to issue code

There is of course the slight chance that the problem exists not because of anything you have done, but because of your email account - anything suspicious there.? the za one

Have you checked recent activity on the existing Microsoft account
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/13782/microsoft-account-what-is-the-recent-activity-page


----------



## WoodsonMatt11 (Aug 3, 2017)

Macboatmaster said:


> As you know a Microsoft account is blocked from entry by Microsoft if they feel they have detected suspicious activity
> This may include numerous attempts to sign in or indeed just a few attempts with what Microsoft consider to be the wrong email
> More leeway is given to the wrong password than to an apparent wrong email
> Maybe that is the answer to your problem.
> ...


What happened to me, I got to the enter password and no password I ever used with Windows or Microsoft would work. I could get to the Restore -Trouble shoot page and did a clean install . That got it working again, luckily I backed up all my programs on a USB Flash drive, reinstall was purity easy. Except the game I was playing had to be reloaded from disk. I might add that if you do a clean install you lose the ability to go back to your old OS, if you have your old OS disk the point is moot. Seance then I read that clearing your CMOS will clear your passwords. I never tried so I don't know if that is really true. (I've cleared my CMOS but not to delete passwords) If you try this consult your owners manual for your motherboard. If you don't have one you can find one online.


----------



## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Passwords for windows have absolutely nothing to do with clearing CMOS
Windows passwords are stored ether in the case of a Microsoft account on the Microsoft servers or in the case of a local account on the hard drive not in the firmware

Passwords stored in the firmware are not windows OS passwords but ones used to access the computer before control is handed from the firmware to the windows boot manager from which windows then commences its loading process to the point where it requires a OS password be that a Microsoft account or a local account

This will explain it


> *Local Account vs. Microsoft Account*
> 
> A local account is just what we always used to log on to a Windows machine (if the computer is not a member of a Windows domain). All credentials for this account are stored only on the local computer. Your user profile is stored on your local computer only. This type of account has been around since the time of Windows 98.
> 
> A Microsoft account is a new logon option introduced in Windows 8, which allows you to sign in to your PC using an email account. The email account can be a hotmail/Microsoft live account or any other email account that you registered in Microsoft's website. The credentials of Microsoft account are stored in Microsoft's cloud and are locally cached, so you can also log on without an Internet connection. The user profile is accessible to other computers running Windows 8, provided you've logged on with your Microsoft account.


Next time you post on a topic please simply type in the box that appears, not by clicking reply on the last post, that as you can see quotes back all that has been typed in that last post.

Finally - welcome to Tech Support Guy


----------

