Solved Phantom account on boot screen and wrong password message

Buddy · Feb 4, 2023

Shortly after I got my new Lenovo laptop, I was doing some ill-informed poking around trying to eliminate the need to enter my email account and password to log in. What I wanted was to go straight to the desktop on boot. I didn't succeed at that, but did eventually get my user account (the only one on the computer) to ask for a PIN, which is OK by me.

But..

Somehow, it still boots into wanting email and password, and immediately gives me a message that the wrong password was entered, even though I didn't enter anything. At the left of the login screen, it shows two accounts with my name. If I select the one I actually use, it then goes to the PIN input. But that's an extra step and a PITA.

How do I get rid of the "wrong password" message, which I assume will mean getting rid of the phantom account?

Or bypass the whole mess and boot straight to the desktop, which was my original intent?

Archigos · Feb 4, 2023

You probably just need to go into the old Control Panel -> User Accounts. Click "Manage another account" and delete that phantom account.

Buddy · Feb 4, 2023

@Archigos BTDT.

The "phantom account" doesn't show on Control Panel/User Accounts. There is only one account showing and it's the one I boot into with the PIN.

Brink · Feb 4, 2023

Hello Buddy,

If you set up netplwiz with incorrect information by mistake, it can cause this type of message at startup.

If so, you can just use option one below to set up netplwiz again, but with the correct password (not PIN) instead to fix it.

Enable or Disable Automatically Sign in Account at Startup in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable automatically sign in to a specific account at startup to boot directly to the desktop in Windows 11. By default at the startup of Windows 11, you need to dismiss the Lock screen, select the account you want to sign in to on the Sign-in...

www.elevenforum.com

Winuser · Feb 4, 2023

Buddy said:
Shortly after I got my new Lenovo laptop, I was doing some ill-informed poking around trying to eliminate the need to enter my email account and password to log in. What I wanted was to go straight to the desktop on boot. I didn't succeed at that, but did eventually get my user account (the only one on the computer) to ask for a PIN, which is OK by me.

But..

Somehow, it still boots into wanting email and password, and immediately gives me a message that the wrong password was entered, even though I didn't enter anything. At the left of the login screen, it shows two accounts with my name. If I select the one I actually use, it then goes to the PIN input. But that's an extra step and a PITA.

How do I get rid of the "wrong password" message, which I assume will mean getting rid of the phantom account?

Or bypass the whole mess and boot straight to the desktop, which was my original intent?

One way would be to do a Factory Resore and start over. I would go ahead and setup Windows with the MS acount. Once setup you can create a new user with a local account. If you don't want the user with the MS account, first make sure the user with the local account has admin privileged. If it does, you can delete the user that was created with the MS account.

Buddy · Feb 4, 2023

Winuser said:
One way would be to do a Factory Restore and start over.

Nopity-nope. Nix. Not an option for me, it was way too much work to get it where it is.

Winuser · Feb 4, 2023

Buddy said:
Nopity-nope. Nix. Not an option for me, it was way too much work to get it where it is.

You asked for ideas on what to do. I gave you an option. I never said you had to do it.

Try3 · Feb 4, 2023

Buddy said:
At the left of the login screen, it shows two accounts with my name.

Brink is correct - post #4.
The tutorial procedure has been used to correct the problem time & time again. It is quick, simple & effective.

Just use NetPlWiz to stop trying to login automatically and the phantom user account will disappear.
Then, if you want, set up NetPlWiz to let your chosen user account log in automatically again. The phantom user account will not re-appear.

Best of luck,
Denis

Buddy · Feb 4, 2023

@Brink First thing - my user account is not local, it connects to MS.

I went through the steps in Option One, including first turning off the Windows Hello sign-in (which was on). Following the tutorial led me to the Change Password dialog, so I did that. TBH, the initial setup of this thing went a bit off the rails and I didn't keep a record of my MS account sign-in password. So, I entered a new password and rebooted.

After rebooting, I got a different message saying something like "You are unable to connect at this time, please check your online connection". I figured my new password wasn't the correct one for MS, so I went to the MS web site and did the "forgot my password" routine and changed my PW to the same one I'd entered in the dialog box. Figured I was home free now. Nope.

Next reboot, same message about unable to connect. Confirmed that passwords do indeed match.

Now what?

Hazel123 · Feb 4, 2023

Lots of good suggestions above. If you go into settings/accounts, could you not just delete both accounts and set up a new one? If not - you could do a reset to factory settings. It isn't necessary to do an entire clean install (although that is one way). If it's a fairly new computer all you have to do is a reset and it puts everything back to how you started, you set up again and login again with the correct info you want.

You would need to replace all programs and files again afterwards though. There is an option to reset not removing files but I wouldn't rely on that and it may not take you back to a full out of box experience setting up again.

Settings - System - System Recovery - Reset this PC

Hazel123 · Feb 4, 2023

When you sign in with a Microsoft Account and password, it gives you the option to set a pin at that time. Choose a pin from the start and you never need to login with the password - just the pin.

Brink · Feb 4, 2023

Buddy said:
@Brink First thing - my user account is not local, it connects to MS.

I went through the steps in Option One, including first turning off the Windows Hello sign-in (which was on). Following the tutorial led me to the Change Password dialog, so I did that. TBH, the initial setup of this thing went a bit off the rails and I didn't keep a record of my MS account sign-in password. So, I entered a new password and rebooted.

After rebooting, I got a different message saying something like "You are unable to connect at this time, please check your online connection". I figured my new password wasn't the correct one for MS, so I went to the MS web site and did the "forgot my password" routine and changed my PW to the same one I'd entered in the dialog box. Figured I was home free now. Nope.

Next reboot, same message about unable to connect. Confirmed that passwords do indeed match.

Now what?

In that case, go ahead and check the Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer box in netplwiz for now until enough time has passed to sync your new MS password.

Buddy · Feb 4, 2023

Try3 said:
Just use NetPlWiz to stop trying to login automatically and the phantom user account will disappear.
Then, if you want, set up NetPlWiz to let your chosen user account log in automatically again. The phantom user account will not re-appear.

This is a mixed bag. If I uncheck "log-in automatically" it boots into a MS scenic splash screen. If I click anywhere on that, it takes me to PIN entry for my account. If I then recheck "log-in automatically", I'm back where it was with the "unable to connect" message.

Either way, it's two mouse clicks to get to where I enter the PIN. FWIW, I'm not stuck on having a PIN. I'd prefer it to boot to the desktop, but enabled the PIN in a futile attempt to get rid of the requirement to log in.

Try3 · Feb 4, 2023

Buddy said:
it boots into a MS scenic splash screen

That sounds to me like the Lock screen. It can be bypassed but I suggest you delay doing so until after you have resolved your MSAccount password problems.
Enable or Disable Lock Screen - ElevenForumTutorials

I don't use MSAccounts so I cannot help you resolve that problem.
- In Windows 10, I used an MSAccount just to learn about them and it once had the same problem as you after a password change done online. It resolved itself within an hour or so.

Best of luck,
Denis

Buddy · Feb 4, 2023

Try3 said:
That sounds to me like the Lock screen. It can be bypassed but I suggest you delay doing so until after you have resolved your MSAccount password problems.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

I disabled the lock screen using gpedit.msc and now it boots directly to asking for my PIN. No phantom account, no splash screen. Thanks a bunch @Brink and @Try3.

I realize that I made this mess myself with my ill-advised meanderings trying to get rid of the password login. Really appreciate everyone's time and patience. Virtual beers, wine, and cocktails on the house.

Hazel123 · Feb 4, 2023

It's easy to set up with no password and go straight to desktop on Windows 10!

Try3 · Feb 4, 2023

Buddy said:
I realize that I made this mess myself with my ill-advised meanderings trying to get rid of the password login.

It is always worth creating a spare, local, Admin, password protected account so you can always be certain of being able to get into your computer in the event of anything untoward happening such as you just experienced [or, indeed, user account corruption].
My ditty applies to both Win10 & Win11 - Create two spare local, password-protected Admin accounts [post #2] in Windows 10, 11 - TenForums

All the best,
Denis

Buddy · Feb 4, 2023

Try3 said:
It is always worth creating a spare, local, Admin, password protected account so you can always be certain of being able to get into your computer in the event of anything untoward happening such as you just experienced [or, indeed, user account corruption].

Yeah, I had visions of not being able to log in at all as I was going through this fix today.

Jarek · Oct 20, 2023

Buddy, help me pls! (Or anyone else, who can help) I have a problem just like yours. I have a Lenovo desktop computer with Windows 11. I changed my PC name, and tried to change user name. Now, after I switch PC on, it gives me a message that the wrong password was entered, even though I didn't enter anything. At the left of the login screen, it shows two accounts with my name, one with my profile picture, and one phantom. If I select the one I actually use, it then goes to the PIN input. But that's an extra step and a PITA. How do I get rid of the "wrong password" message, which I assume will mean getting rid of the phantom account? I want to be 'Winner, winner, chicken dinner! 'too :) but my IT knowledge is low. I used gpedit.msc to no avail. What's more I don't quite understand @Brink and @Try3 advice. May anyone send me detailed course of action? Thank you.

Try3 · Oct 20, 2023

Jarek,

Go to the tutorial Option 1 and do steps 1 & 4 then reboot.
Enable or Disable Automatically Sign in Account at Startup - ElevenForumTutorials
And do read the info with the yellow background. If you do not see a checkbox in NetPlWiz you will need to run the other tutorial it mentions before you can complete the NetPlWiz procedure.
That will remove the automatic login attempt & the phantom account on the login screen.

Then finish off what computer/user name changes you want before returning to the NetPlWiz tutorial to set up automatic login again.

Incidentally, I do not change user names. I create new local user accounts instead.

Best of luck,
Denis

Solved Phantom account on boot screen and wrong password message

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