Windows 10: Cannot use my PIN

On bootup I am now asked for my password instead of my handy PIN.





Clicking this results in a very brief appearance of the 'spinner' then nothing. Nor is there a 'Forgot my PIN' facility anywhere, as mentioned in several articles.
I haven't forgotten my PIN - it just no longer appears at login, so I have to use a long password. I even tried changing that, but the same issue remains.

Terry, East Grinstead, UK

:)

 

Sign in PIN no longer works

Everything was working fine yesterday but today I cannot login using my PIN. So I used my long password. I went to security settings and changed the PIN but I cannot login with this PIN.

can any body help?

 

How to change PIN (Personal Identification Number)?

If I cannot remember my original PIN, how can I use it to reset my PIN? When I THINK I remember my old PIN and put it in, adding the new PIN I want to use. I do not see s "I forgot my PIN" as an option.

 

I would suggest you Run Microsoft account troubleshooter and check.
Microsoft Account Troubleshooter
http://download.microsoft.com/downl...B-A23B-5C3A6B5974E3/microsoftaccounts.diagcab
You also can press CTRL+Alt+Del and choose to Change Password. Here you can also create a Recover Password disc.
You can also go to Start/Search and type Credentials. Go to the Windows Credentials tab and View your Windows Credentials, Back them up, or Restore backed up credentials.
If this still fails, Enable the Hidden Built In Administrator, log out as you, login as the Built in Admin, Here you can change the your user name Password or PIN. Be sure to Hide the Administrator account when done.

 

@Terrypin, did this just start happening? Have you made any changes to your system, such as upgraded to Creators Update, or clean installed? Any other recent unexplained sudden changes?

 

Thanks, appreciate the fast reply. I'll try those suggestions at once. As mentioned I already tried the password change. On next clicking ADD the spinner continures indefinitely.

I also tried another suggested solution, deleting this \NGC folder:
(I seem unable to add Images any more in this forum? Here's a link instead*Smile

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5zh8r9q66x...PIN-2.jpg?dl=0

Terry, East Grinstead, UK

 

Thanks Dick. I have been doing a lot of experimenting/fiddling/tweaking today, so I guess I may have screwed up. But nothing obvious I can pinpoint.

My first approach was therefore a recent System Restore (BTW, it had to be very recent, as there were few offered, a puzzle I'll pursue later). But it failed, with an unknown error. I'm getting more worried....

Terry, East Grinstead, UK

 

Side note, Restore Points are not very reliable. Image backups, such as ones made with free Macrium Reflect, are as close to bulletproof as you can get. No, I do not work for them! *chuckle

Here's a link if you want to look. Highly recommended by most on Tenforums.

Macrium Reflect Free | Macrium Software

 

@Terrypin

A thought on this part. Check your setting for usage. May be too low, and older ones are being deleted automatically to make room for new ones. Ignore my other settings, I have System Protection turned off.

 

Thanks Dick, I agree. I upped mine a short while ago from about 6 GB to 12 GB, when I saw how few SR's I had to fall back on. With my old XP PC, predecessor of this, I never had this problem - recall having many restore points. Do SRs have to be on my C: OS drive, which is a 256 GB SSD and so could be a limitation, or can I put them on my D: drive, 4 TB?

 

To my knowledge, they must reside on the boot drive, otherwise recovery may not see them. They're also in the System Volume Information directory, so kinda tied to the "C" drive.

 

I rely on MR alone. I do not even use Restore Points.

 

Same here, Josey. I'm trying to convert him! *Smile

 

I installed Macrium soon after getting this new PC nearly a year ago and fully intended to start taking regular images. A disicipline I'd never adopted in my 15 years with XP. But I found it pretty daunting and have still not got around to learning how to use it. So I'll be back for help here some day!

Disappointed to hear SRs confined to C: Wonder if it's possible to reguarly move them across, and back again when an older restore is needed?

Meanwhile expect to spend more time today trying to get my PIN back.

Terry, East Grinstead, UK

 

As posted earlier, I tried changing pw and also looked at credentials but neither solved the problem. So I've now logged in as the (previously hidden) administrator. But what next? I see no way to access sign in options for MY account? And clicking 'Sign-in options' for this Administrator does nothing - just 'progress dots' scurrying across top of screen