# "Your PC is offline. Please sign in with the last password used on this PC"



## Ferrety

(Sorry if this was posted in the wrong forum, this place is confusing!)

Hey, I keep running into this message whenever I try to log into my PC: *"Your PC is offline. Please sign in with the last password used on this PC"*. It's a total nightmare, I've tried _all_ the fixes I could find and none of them have worked so far...


I've changed my Windows Live password (several times in one night) and it still gives me that same message.
Yeah, I sign into Windows 8 with my Live account... at least, I think so?
The actual computer is connected to the Internet. I've tried disconnecting and reconnecting, it makes no difference. 
I _don't know what my last password was_, that's why I changed it!
I've tried typing the password out in lower case letters, but it just isn't budging.

As I'd expect with this kind of stuff there's no straight-up answers or quick fixes. I've Googled this problem a few times and most of the results talk about a total re-installation or using some kind of third party software. Though a few posts mentioned something about the servers blocking the PC if the wrong password is used too many times, and I think that might be my issue right now?

If it makes any difference, I dual boot on this machine and I use Ubuntu 99% of the time. Ubuntu is set to French and so are all my Microsoft things, but Windows 8 is set to English, and it's been several months since I last used Windows 8. I'm not really sure what the exact version is, sorry.


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## davehc

Which path did you follow to "I've changed my Windows Live password (several times in one night)"?


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## Ferrety

davehc said:


> Which path did you follow to "I've changed my Windows Live password (several times in one night)"?


This, and this path in Microsoft account management


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## TerryNet

> The actual computer is connected to the Internet. I've tried disconnecting and reconnecting, it makes no difference.


How do you know that the "computer is connected to the Internet" when you cannot login to your Windows account?

Exactly what steps did you take when you "tried disconnecting and reconnecting"?


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## DaveA

I get this on my laptop, when I have moved it from the home network (cat5) to a Wifi and have not selected a connection as of yet as the login is faster than the auto connect of the WiFi.

Just wait a few seconds longer and then your MS account should be able to login.


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## Ferrety

TerryNet said:


> How do you know that the "computer is connected to the Internet" when you cannot login to your Windows account?
> 
> Exactly what steps did you take when you "tried disconnecting and reconnecting"?


There's a key for the wireless, orange for offline and white for online. I've tried that a few times.


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## TerryNet

Thanks, but I don't recall seeing this "key" on the login page of my Windows 8.1 systems. Guess I'd better look more closely next time.


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## Ferrety

TerryNet said:


> Thanks, but I don't recall seeing this "key" on the login page of my Windows 8.1 systems. Guess I'd better look more closely next time.


Oh, it's the F12 key on the physical keyboard with the Pavilion G6.


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## TerryNet

That just toggles the wireless adapter on/off! Based on Dave's post I'm guessing that it is possible for Windows 8/8.1 to connect to a wireless network before login, but yours apparently is not doing so. I'd try an ethernet connection.

(Actually, I wouldn't have this problem since I refuse to use a Microsoft Account for my computer account.)


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## DaveA

Sometimes my problem is that I forget to slide the WiFi switch that is on the front of my Sony to turn it ON.

Yes, most laptops will auto connect before a login is made. The auto connect is part of the "Start up" and will connect even if someone does not login for a while.


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## davehc

I think you have a problem, with some misunderstanding here. It does seem, reading the suggestions, that you are , indeed, off line. The login problem is confusing the issue.

I would suggest that you garb a live CD and boot up, and see if you are, indeed, having a viable internet connection.


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## Macboatmaster

In addition to the other suggestions - try these

1. Is caps locks on by any chance

2. If the password is from Outlook, Hotmail - and contains upper case - try all lower case - there has been occasions when the reset of the password = for some unknown reason has not detected the upper case

3. I know you provided the links but I am unsure if you actually went as far as reset on this link
https://account.live.com/resetpassword.aspx

4. The problem can be caused when the language of the keyboard is changed and not changed back before attempting log-in - but that is a long shot

5. Also if you change the password on your Microsoft account, that also changes the password on a Microsoft based email account eg. Hotmail, Outlook etc. 
HOWEVER as I understand the situation IF you change the password ON the email account - it will not then recognise your log-in to Windows UNLESS as my colleague has said you are connected to the internet. The same applies to the change using the link you sent.

In otherwords you do NOT have to be connected to the internet to sign in with a Microsoft account - unless the account has been changed since last been used. THEN the computer MUST be connected to the internet when the password is changed USING the link you sent OR changed on another device - if it is synced - otherwise the Windows computer will not recognise the new password

6. If none of those work go here
https://account.live.com/acsr

and complete the online recovery procedure - ensuring the computer with the problem is connected to the internet and of course powered on. That should work unless as you will see on the link you have double verification turned on
Note: If you've turned on two-step verification, you can't recover your account this way
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/two-step-verification-faq


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