Windows login locked out after bios update TPM related?

mysticninja · Dec 6, 2023

dacrone said:
rename the user profile of your original and then readd it with the same password/pin. if it lets you, we can redirect it to the old profile path

So I have managed to create another user with the old username as I renamed my main username, although this new user is a local account and not one I signed in with my email due to it not allowing me to use that email as it's in use on this system

mysticninja · Dec 6, 2023

dacrone said:
you can transfer all of that, but it'll be a little tedious. give me a few more mins to research another alternative to backdoor into your Microsoft account

once we get you in, you can convert it to a local account and be all set

That would be amazing, I've spent quite abit of time in this so if it means actually saving most of it mainly the Firefox session data then I would be happy with that outcome, but yeah if there is a way to get into the main user Microsoft account I'm all for trying, it's so frustrating that the account is there and I can see all the files, but just can't get in

I do appreciate your time greatly!

dacrone · Dec 6, 2023

ok. delete the new local you just created (completely) and then rename your old back to how it was (exactly). once done, login to the local admin and create the following vbscript and then run it to reboot into safemode with networking:

Code:

If WScript.Arguments.length = 0 Then
Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
objShell.ShellExecute "wscript.exe", Chr(34) & WScript.ScriptFullName & Chr(34) & " Run", , "runas", 1
Else
Set objShell2 = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
objShell2.Run "bcdedit /set {current} safeboot network",0,True
objShell2.Run "shutdown -r -t 0 -f", 0, True
End If
set objShell = nothing
set objShell2 = nothing

mysticninja · Dec 6, 2023

dacrone said:
ok. delete the new local you just created (completely) and then rename your old back to how it was (exactly). once done, login to the local admin and create the following vbscript and then run it to reboot into safemode with networking:

Code:

If WScript.Arguments.length = 0 Then Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application") objShell.ShellExecute "wscript.exe", Chr(34) & WScript.ScriptFullName & Chr(34) & " Run", , "runas", 1 Else Set objShell2 = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell") objShell2.Run "bcdedit /set {current} safeboot network",0,True objShell2.Run "shutdown -r -t 0 -f", 0, True End If set objShell = nothing set objShell2 = nothing

Hey when I run it I get an error saying "Expected end of statement" Microsoft VBScript complication error

dacrone · Dec 6, 2023

mysticninja said:
Hey when I run it I get an error saying "Expected end of statement" Microsoft VBScript complication error

change the ext from .txt to .vbs

mysticninja · Dec 6, 2023

dacrone said:
change the ext from .txt to .vbs

Perfect I'm into the test admin account now and it's in safe mode with networking, what would you like me to do from here, thanks

dacrone · Dec 6, 2023

in safe mode with networking, does it give you the same error when attempting to log into your actual account?

johnlgalt · Dec 6, 2023

mysticninja said:
I did look in that directory, but I don't see a windows or Microsoft folder within that directory for my main account i'm trying to get into

Back when looking for the folder, after entering Users\{yourusername} you need to go into AppData - if you don't see it, then you need to enable hidden files, then enter AppData, then local, and then you'll see the Microsoft folder.

When I had this issue with AMD's fTPM, I always had to use the actual password for my Microsoft account, then authenticate, then I would be allowed in so I could go into Settings and remove the PIN, then reboot, then re-enable TPM in UEFI settings, then boot back in with password again, and finally set up a new PIN.

It was after having to do this for the 6th or 7th time (all in 2021, when Windows 11 was first in Beta, then officially released) that I opted to buy a physical TPM 2.0 module for my motherboard so it would not get over-written on every UEFI firmware update.

You should be able to log in with the actual password for the account. Verify it on another device that you can log in to your Microsoft account there, and authenticate if necessary, and if you cannot using the password for the Microsoft account (not the PIN), reset the password, and then try on your system.

Like I said - this TPM and PIN issue happened every time I updated the UEFI firmware for my MSI board while still using fTPM. Using the account password always let me back in to that same account.

mysticninja · Dec 6, 2023

dacrone said:
in safe mode with networking, does it give you the same error when attempting to log into your actual account?

I swapped over to the new admin account and it is showing this, what do you suggest with that?

https://imgur.com/9kpNpjc

dacrone · Dec 6, 2023

go back one step... what did you try to open that produced that prompt?
what happens when you attempt to log into your original account from the login screen in safe mode with networking?

mysticninja · Dec 6, 2023

johnlgalt said:
Back when looking for the folder, after entering Users\{yourusername} you need to go into AppData - if you don't see it, then you need to enable hidden files, then enter AppData, then local, and then you'll see the Microsoft folder.

When I had this issue with AMD's fTPM, I always had to use the actual password for my Microsoft account, then authenticate, then I would be allowed in so I could go into Settings and remove the PIN, then reboot, then re-enable TPM in UEFI settings, then boot back in with password again, and finally set up a new PIN.

It was after having to do this for the 6th or 7th time (all in 2021, when Windows 11 was first in Beta, then officially released) that I opted to buy a physical TPM 2.0 module for my motherboard so it would not get over-written on every UEFI firmware update.

You should be able to log in with the actual password for the account. Verify it on another device that you can log in to your Microsoft account there, and authenticate if necessary, and if you cannot using the password for the Microsoft account (not the PIN), reset the password, and then try on your system.

Like I said - this TPM and PIN issue happened every time I updated the UEFI firmware for my MSI board while still using fTPM. Using the account password always let me back in to that same account.

I will check this again but I did have hidden files showing, when I went through the directory for the user account I couldn't find the Microsoft folder unfortunately I will try to show this if the current attempt doesn't work

The problem is how was you able to log in using your actual Microsoft password without being stopped by the pin setup? Because I have confirmed that the password for the account I'm signing into works, it even now lets me log into the account on the login page to setup the pin, but when I press continue/ setup it fails as shown in this print screen:

https://imgur.com/lBXTmk6

No matter what I have done so far it doesn't let me get past that screen, I did try and roll back he bios in hopes it would work and also restore to an earlier restore point but to no avail.

But yeah if I can get into this account I'll either swap it to a local one or get a physical TPM to plug in as it's quite alot of downtime

mysticninja · Dec 6, 2023

dacrone said:
go back one step... what did you try to open that produced that prompt?
what happens when you attempt to log into your original account from the login screen in safe mode with networking?

I've attached a gallery of four images which is the steps I took to get to that window, it seems to go back to the signin where I then have to press sign in again then that popup is shown

https://imgur.com/a/FklMtJf

dacrone · Dec 6, 2023

login to the local administrator, browse to C:\users\YOURORIGINALACCOUNT\Appdata\local\
and post a screenshot of what you see in there

mysticninja · Dec 6, 2023

dacrone said:
login to the local administrator, browse to C:\users\YOURORIGINALACCOUNT\Appdata\local\
and post a screenshot of what you see in there

This is within the path that you mentioned:

dacrone · Dec 6, 2023

"matty" is your microsoft account profile that was tied to your email login, correct. just to be certain we're on the same page

mysticninja · Dec 6, 2023

dacrone said:
"matty" is your microsoft account profile that was tied to your email login, correct. just to be certain we're on the same page

Thats correct yeah, the matty user is the one that im trying to get into that was tied to the email address :)

dacrone · Dec 6, 2023

your entire microsoft folder is missing. inside there is some pretty important stuff lol. we can try a few things here.

1) did you try system restore from the local admin account?
2) do you have another pc i can have you test something on?

mysticninja · Dec 6, 2023

dacrone said:
your entire microsoft folder is missing. inside there is some pretty important stuff lol. we can try a few things here.

1) did you try system restore from the local admin account?
2) do you have another pc i can have you test something on?

Yeah haha its pretty busted although i can hear fans ramping as the programs open in the background when i select that account so there is some life

but to answer your questions i did try a system restore to yesterday before i done the bios update and windows update i'm not sure if they are somewhere else due to that restore?

I do have a surface laptop i dont have another system other than that though

dacrone · Dec 6, 2023

change .txt to .vbs
that script will reboot you out of safemode.

once back up, log into the local admin and run system restore. see if there is a point prior to windows update. cant do anything about the bios update... i just want to see if we can get your Microsoft folder to reappear