Solved Unlock a laptop

Can you help with a locked laptop?
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If you do not have a backup image from the time you were able to login in, all I can suggest is a clean install of windows or a system reset using remove everything option. Either way all user data will be lost.
To system re-set-hold down shift key while booting gets you into recovery
clean install windows- 11 Clean Install Windows 11 Tutorial

I have never seen or heard of this sort of problem before.
It might be the case that only the George Brown user account is affected by the problem.

1 Try enabling the Built-in Admin account by booting from an installation disk then using Option 5 of this tutorial then logging in to that to get back into the computer.
Enable or Disable Built-in Administrator Account - ElevenForumTutorials
If it works then, while you are logged in to the Built-in Admin, use it to create a local, password protected user account & make it an Admin one then disable the Built-in Admin account.
Then you can investigate the problem safe in the knowledge that you can use your computer and you can get at all your old data to back it up.
This has links to tutorials for making new user accounts - my ditty - Create two spare local, password-protected Admin accounts [post #2] in Windows 10, 11 - TenForums

Now, back to the problem itself.

2 What preceded the start of the problem?

3 Here's a tutorial that might be relevant [it does not match what you have exactly but I suppose MS might have changed their wording].
Unlock Locked Out Account - ElevenForumTutorials
- It gives you a procedure to follow for a local user account.
- It gives you a link to the MS article in unlocking an MSAccount [which is what you probably have].


All the best,
Denis

@Brink,

Have you ever come across this restricted sign-in problem?

Denis

I was unable to get it repaired by myself, so it went to a pc shop and is now working again.

Always a bit reluctant to advise anyone how to get into a locked computer without an explanation of how/why/where it was locked??

The explanation is that the computer had been remotely locked (eg. by 'Find my device'). This is what produces the message: "An administrator has restricted sign in. To sign in, make sure your device is connected to the internet, and get your administrator to sign in first."

Another example here:

I, George Brown am the only one who has used my laptop.

Try3 said:

@Brink,

Have you ever come across this restricted sign-in problem?

Denis

Click to expand...

Usually this happens when the device is remotely locked using the "Find my device" feature like below.


You would normally just need to click on OK, and sign in to an administrator account on the device while connected to the Internet to unlock it.

I was checking my accounts security and noticed only 2 laptops showed. When I tried to add my newish one (5 months old) was when my problem began. As it was not connected to my Network, I was unable to access it by using one of my others to attempt to unlock it.