Revert Windows 10 from MS Account Login UNKNOWN PASSWORD!

[LordX]

I have a Granny Customer who called me the other day - saying that Windows 10 had all of a sudden changed her login to a Microsoft Account login.

She doesn't know the password and said she tried everything (she has spent 3 days trying).

She doesn't know her gmail password either - so resetting the MS account using traditional methods is off the table.

Her old login was a local login with no password.

Is there a way to get in there OFFLINE and switch the account back to a local account WITHOUT knowing the MS Account password?

 

[Larry Sabo]

Others have claimed PCUnlocker will do that, but I couldn't find that feature. Start without logging into a MS account, sure, but that doesn't let you change from MS account login to local account login.

 

[nlinecomputers]

PCunlocker will not change an account but it will let you log into the system and then you can run fabs and get all of her stuff out, create a NEW log in and reset her up with a local account. Also while you are in you can check stored browser passwords and probably get her M$ or Gmail account info. Also likely she linked her account to her cell phone as the sign up process walks you through that and it is really hard to get out of it. Most people i can recover the M$ accounts on if you use a little logic.

 

[Larry Sabo]

Thanks, @nlinecomputers . I've taken note and will try that next time.

 

[frase]

You could try this http://www.ghacks.net/2014/11/12/how-to-enable-the-hidden-windows-10-administrator-account/
Will help you to enable the hidden admin account to logon and change account type of the other user, I have used this method numerous times.

 

[LordX]

Is PC Unlocker freeware? And what is fabs?

 

[Larry Sabo]

Is PC Unlocker freeware?

No, but it's fairly priced; check features and prices here.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Fabs autobackup. Search the forum. It is a tool to automatically backup files and settings from a Windows Profile. If you don't have FABS in your toolkit you are just a pizza tech. It is that much of a difference.

 

[NJW]

Having set the password to a known value with PCUnlocker, you can go in and change the account to Local. No need to recover data or set up a new account. This from first-hand experience.

The only complication is if other services are associated with the MS account (e.g., mail, calendar) because that association cannot be removed without knowing the MS account password. I have not found a way around this, other than to migrate personal data to a new Local account.

 

[LordX]

Ok - here was my experience:

Booted the system with PC Unlocker - selected the appropriate user account - and selected Bypass Account - rebooted - wouldn't let me in... either with no password - or any random password that the program said would work for one login.

I tried this process TWICE thinking maybe something didn't work right the first time. No Go....

So I booted in a third time, and this time I selected RESET PASSWORD. Came up as: Success.

Rebooted - and lo and behold it logged back in as a LOCAL account!

So RESETTING the Ms Account password reverted the account to a local account - exactly what I was looking to accomplish!

I wonder if this worked that way since the account was a local account FIRST, and then moved to a MS account.

Wonder what would have happened had the system been originally setup with a MS account.

 

[cypress]

Ok - here was my experience:

Booted the system with PC Unlocker - selected the appropriate user account - and selected Bypass Account - rebooted - wouldn't let me in... either with no password - or any random password that the program said would work for one login.

I tried this process TWICE thinking maybe something didn't work right the first time. No Go....

So I booted in a third time, and this time I selected RESET PASSWORD. Came up as: Success.

Rebooted - and lo and behold it logged back in as a LOCAL account!

So RESETTING the Ms Account password reverted the account to a local account - exactly what I was looking to accomplish!

I wonder if this worked that way since the account was a local account FIRST, and then moved to a MS account.

Wonder what would have happened had the system been originally setup with a MS account.

Great that it worked out for you. What version of PC Unlocker did you end up purchasing?

 

[phaZed]

Yes, PCUnlocker will revert a MS account to a Local and remove password.

 

[Larry Sabo]

Yes, PCUnlocker will revert a MS account to a Local and remove password.

Could you please provide step-by-step guidance on this. The one and only time I tried it, I cleared the user password and rebooted but the MS account prompt still came up.

 

[johnrobert]

I learned something today I thought there was no way you could get around an M$ password other than online

 

[phaZed]

Could you please provide step-by-step guidance on this. The one and only time I tried it, I cleared the user password and rebooted but the MS account prompt still came up.

Here ya go!

 

[Larry Sabo]

Thanks, Aaron. That's what I did but never got the "This will change your account to a local account" dialogue. After successfully resetting the password, Windows still prompted for the MS account password on reboot and didn't accept a blank one/null. I'm going to experiment with this, as it's the only reason I bought the program (Pro version).

 

[Your PCMD]

And what is fabs?

@fabs is one of THE most important software for your toolkit. As @nlinecomputers said, not having it keeps you in the pizza tech category. Sure, it costs, like $50. Honestly, that's small beans as I have made that 100 times over using it. Money well spent.

And damn. I bought PCUnlocker just now. But screwed up and got the Pro version instead of the Enterprise. Hopefully my email to them can resolve this with me just paying the difference.

I have and have been using PassScape, but it doesnt do everything PCUnlocker does.

 

[LordX]

I certainly appreciate a tool that can make my job easier - although I would argue that doing things the hard way certainly doesn't make me a 'pizza tech' - but just uninformed.

Also - I know the jist behind the term 'pizza tech' - but I think it is a poor choice in name... think about it - people call a pizza company for service - and the pizza company delivers said product/service directly to their door (uuuusually quickly).

I do a lot of house calls for customers - and the pizza business style is actually a nice comparison for what we do (those of us who make house calls). Plus Pizza is AMAZING.... and I don't think I will get any arguments there.

I think something sub par would have made a better saying, like: Taco Bell Tech - or Taco Tech for a shorter better ring.

Thoughts?

 

[brandonkick]

First of all..... I LOVE Taco bell... so what your burritos there brutha...

I agree that not having FABS doesn't make you a craigslist wannabe, but
it is a very useful piece of software. It can save you a lot of time, and make
the profess of file transfer / backup a lot easier. I got it at a discounted rate
for some reason when I bought it, and it was well worth the $35 or so I paid
for the pro version (version that lets you use it on as many machines as you
want).

It will quickly pay for itself in how much faster your data transfers go, and
it will make life a lot easier. But yea, your not a rookie if you don't have it.

Now I want Taco Bell...

 

[Porthos]

or Taco Tech for a shorter better ring

That would be considered as racist by some.