Trying to log into my Microsoft account on a new installof windows 11 after having to replace the hard drive

Question

Trying to log into my Microsoft account on a new installof windows 11 after having to replace the hard drive

Otto Gould 0

After replacing the hard drive in a laptop and reloading Windows 11 we are unable to add the Microsoft account. Prior to the hard drive dying we were logging in with the pin. Now the one of the screen says pin is a choice but it is not The Microsoft account email address was created just for installing Windows I uses Gmail so that email account has never been used to send or receive messages so going to the steps of telling it who we've seen emails to and the subject does not help. The backup email address is no longer accessible because that company went out of business there is no phone number listed under the account Is there any way we can get it back into that account because our files are backed up to OneDrive.

2 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

To regain access to your Microsoft account after replacing your hard drive and reinstalling Windows 11, you can follow these steps:

Use Security Information: If you have set up security information for your account, you can try to reset your password using that information. This typically involves receiving a code via email or SMS to verify your identity. Since you mentioned that the backup email is no longer accessible, this may not be an option.
Temporary Access Pass: If you have access to the Microsoft Entra ID, you can create a Temporary Access Pass to sign in. This can be done through the account recovery process, which may allow you to set a new password and regain access to your account.
Contact Support: If the above options are not feasible, you may need to contact Microsoft Support for assistance. They can help you verify your identity and regain access to your account. You can find the appropriate contact at Support for Business Products.
Emergency Access Account: In the future, consider creating an emergency access account (break-glass account) to prevent being locked out of your account.

Since your files are backed up to OneDrive, regaining access to your Microsoft account is crucial to retrieve them.

References:

Answer 2

JC 7,280 Independent Advisor

Hello,

To recover your account you'll need to make a new one so you can make use of the support page.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/contactus

Open the link, login with your new dummy account and then request recovery for your old account.

If the attached old work email is dead and there's no phone attached that is your best option to getting it back.

Hope this helps,

JC

Share via

Trying to log into my Microsoft account on a new installof windows 11 after having to replace the hard drive

2 answers

Your answer