Solved Can't activate Win 11 Pro because of forgotten MS password

I was upgrading my wife's Win 10 Pro PC to Win 11 Pro when her C: drive went belly up, no way to recover it. Bought a new ssd and proceeded to install Win 11 Pro from an ISO.

During the installation, at the screen where is asks for a key, I selected 'skip' and proceeded with the installation. Further on, it asked for a user ID and I entered my wife's MS email address and completed the installation.

The problem here is that the email address is valid but she has completely forgotten her MS password. I've tried to sign on to MS from EDGE with her ID and where it says 'Forgot password?' I select YES and put in her email for a reset response. MS has never responded to her email. I even tried putting in my email but get nothing back from them either.

So now I can't activate her PC. I even bought a Win 11 Pro key but whenever I enter it I get a 0x87e10bcf error.

Do I completely wipe the ssd and re-install from the ISO using the key and my email? She is Admin on the PC and I also have myself as Admin. Can I delete her ID and try to activate from my ID or is the install still coded with her ID?

I did a clean install yesterday on a Win11 Notebook I was given [for parts but rehabbed instead] and had to use an E-Mail account, chose I had forgotten the Microsoft Account password. I was sent the necessary code and it worked, set a PIN for log-on, when finished setting up I created a second User as Local Account with Administrator rights, rebooted into the new user and removed the Microsoft Account, no issue. Caveat: the second or additional account names have to be at least one character different from any other or all files will go to the same folders in C:\Users\USERNAMEHERE\ [had to fix such a problem once].

You do not need MS Account if you choose the Option - Work or School
It allows you to create a Local Account - just enter bogus "work / School" information

KYHI said:

You do not need MS Account if you choose the Option - Work or School
It allows you to create a Local Account - just enter bogus "work / School" information

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That never showed as an option on the clean install of Home.

It is possible to create a local account, but requires some manual intervention. Disconnect PC from network/internet, enter a invalid user/pw combo to get an error, and then you should be able to enter a local account details.
See How to set up Windows 11 without a Microsoft account

Read your local account info. I remember getting the screen below when I set up her PC with her email. Just assumed that things would go better later on. So at this point, do I reinstall following your guidelines? Will doing this compound getting her MS 365 suite installed?

rzn6jw said:

Read your local account info. I remember getting the screen below when I set up her PC with her email. Just assumed that things would go better later on. So at this point, do I reinstall following your guidelines? Will doing this compound getting her MS 365 suite installed?

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First people are automatically "assuming" you want a local account. Be aware a local account will not provide the same features and services a Microsoft account will. Also, a Local account requires a bit of manual labor, so if you're not PC savvy, that could be a challenge.

While that may not be difficult for you, if this is your wife's PC, she may have a different opinion, especially if she's use to the features/services a Microsoft account provides, and especially, if you or she uses Office 365.

In short, if she (or you) is comfortable with the PC using a Microsoft Account, stay there. Many have their opinions, but you're the one that has to use the PC. Just something to think about. Local account vs. Microsoft account: Which one should I use?

That said, before reinstall stuff, you should try resetting your password if you've lost/forgot it - Reset a forgotten Microsoft account password - Microsoft Support

Dru2 said:

First people are automatically "assuming" you want a local account. Be aware a local account will not provide the same features and services a Microsoft account will. Also, a Local account requires a bit of manual labor, so if you're not PC savvy, that could be a challenge.

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Perzactly which is why I related what I did, wasn't intended to suggest other than a possible solution.

How many separate PCs can one have using only 1 MS email ID for each?

Some

rzn6jw said:

How many separate PCs can one have using only 1 MS email ID for each?

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Some time I read that the number was 10. There was also a mention of how to un-register machines but I don't have the link any longer.

rzn6jw said:

How many separate PCs can one have using only 1 MS email ID for each?

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I use one Microsoft Account to log into 4 different PCs. All my email accounts work on all my PCs.

Microsoft Account listing my 4 connected PCs...

I assume that when you boot into Windows, the first sign on screen after boot is the ID of the user that installed the OS. How can I install the OS with my email but have it boot to my wife's ID?

It should work to be logged in then just add her as a second User with the same rights and her password then rebooting should show 2 Users bottom left on the log-in screen, pick which to use. It actually works if the one with the Microsoft Account has to use a password or associated PIN and the other with a Local Account doesn't have to.

One other quick question. If I do the 2 user thing, can I install MS 365 on her desktop with my associated MS 365 ID? And then I would like to be able to share her Public folder with my PC, in other words, be able to have her 'desktop' be discoverable on my network.

rzn6jw said:

I assume that when you boot into Windows, the first sign on screen after boot is the ID of the user that installed the OS. How can I install the OS with my email but have it boot to my wife's ID?

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When the PC boots, just choose the user.

rzn6jw said:

One other quick question. If I do the 2 user thing, can I install MS 365 on her desktop with my associated MS 365 ID?

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Each user will only be able to access their account content under their user profile. So no, you can't see each other's information. You can share a folder, but you'd have to set up a share.

rzn6jw said:

And then I would like to be able to share her Public folder with my PC, in other words, be able to have her 'desktop' be discoverable on my network.

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Now you're getting a bit technical where the answer isn't quite so easy.

And "be able to have her 'desktop' be discoverable on my network." is a bit misleading and confusing as your "network" will only see the one PC, no matter how many users on it. Now if you setup "shares" you'll be able to see those on the network.

OK, like you said, this getting technical. What I think I will do is re-install the ISO. I have created a new email ID for her and registered it with MS. I think now all I have to do is use the purchased key (hopefully it's still valid after trying so many activations) and her new email and she should be up and running.

Now all I have to do is figure out how I can get my subscription to MS 365 under her ID.

Does the subscription allow more than 1 install and if so, have they all been used? If not should be able to just install again. Also, could log into your Microsoft Account and check on it.

rzn6jw said:

Now all I have to do is figure out how I can get my subscription to MS 365 under her ID.

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If you have the family subscription to Office365, you can add up to 5 family members, The subscription is under your ms account, but you can add others, where they can use their MS account to access it.

Hey, just thought of this.....the email (the problem email) that I used when installing the OS is the 'registered owner' of the OS isn't it? If I can delete the current email and change the email of the registered owner to the new email, shouldn't that work for activation?

Wait a minute. I just searched her registry and did not come with any entry referencing her email. Back to square one.