[SOLVED] Windows 8 Will not allow Trust This PC after changing Microsoft Account

LilBambi

LilBambi

BSOD Kernel Dump Senior Analyst
Joined
Apr 17, 2012
Posts
292
Location
Virgina, USA
Hi folks. I am helping a friend with their computer. He had to buy a new hard drive and get the restore DVDs from Gateway to restore the system to factory.

He had trouble installing the system but it finally completed after the 3rd attempt.

He made a mistake in the account name he used for the Microsoft Account. So I changed back to the local login, removed the Windows credentials for bad email address, and then changed back to logging in to the Microsoft Account...The correct one.

http://b2b.cbsimg.net/gallery/6378006-620-436.jpg

Thing is, when you click to Trust This PC, it just goes to a page (on IE logged into the new account) and lists the link to go to the trust device but no way to add it. It should go here but does not:

http://b2b.cbsimg.net/gallery/6378007-620-436.jpg

Are we in this catch22?

Q: I configured the security of my Windows Live account with a trusted computer that's no longer available, so how do I add other trusted computers now? | Security content from Windows IT Pro
 
If this is a Catch 22 situation like above. Is it possible to contact Microsoft to correct this? We are trying to determine if there are any other hardware issues but we can't even install Windows 8.1 from the Store...
 
NOTE: This is a friend who lives in GA so he has had to do most of this on his own. I am just helping him out.
 
A call to MS might be in order, Fran. It's too bad that the Windows 8.1 Update cannot be obtained outside the Windows Store. I even checked my MSDN subscription, but there isn't any separate update available for Windows 8.

BTW, that article at WindowsIT Pro is interesting...I never thought about what would happen if the Trusted PC is no longer available.
 
I thought so too but didn't want to say that up front in case there might be something else. ;) Microsoft has been very helpful on activation but this was so different. And having to wait 30 days... A bit much.

Yes! I thought it was interesting as well. I also never thought about what would happen if the Trusted PC is no longer available.
 
If by MS Account you're talking about the one you use to log in to the OS, it's incredibly harder than it seems. MS makes it seem like it's as easy as adding a new email and then making it the primary, but it doesn't work. Evidently it's a pretty known issue and there's no foreseeable fix in sight as most argue that it's just the account you log in with and remains separate from your other emails.

I agree, but it'd be nice to have one consistent MS Account for emails/logging in the OS if you wanted.
 
Yes, I am talking about the Microsoft Account that is used to login to the OS and is used for the Store, email, Skype, and other products by Microsoft. But particularly the login to the computer and MS Store where you get updates and download free and paid apps. This is how I have set Windows 8 up in the past using a single Microsoft Account. I generally create one using Outlook.com and set up the security stuff. Then use that email to login to the Windows 8 install.

We can not get updates like Windows 8.1 even though the box is there to do so. It clicks and does nothing. Can't download additional free apps like Solitaire.

As noted above, this client was doing it himself after getting a new hard drive and recovery disks from Gateway (well their parent company) and he made a typo in the email address he wanted to originally use. So of course he got no email to verify or anything on that email address. He tried to change it and it wouldn't change. So he contacted me and I created an Outlook.com email with it's own password. After Changing to local login, I removed the old credentials for the old WRONG email address and then rebooted and changed back to Microsoft Account and used the new Outlook.com address. All seemed to go well. But it won't install anything from the store. It won't install Windows 8.1, and it won't all me to Trust the PC now.

It is very annoying. And very sad that this is a well known issue and no fix. That is just wrong on Microsoft's part.

Next time we dod a remote session, we will do a conference call and see if we can get this fixed with Microsoft. They need to make this happen. It took 3 times to reinstall the system before it took and I am sure he doesn't wish to go through that again if he can help it.

I really wish they had a Fix It for it. :(

Thanks Patrick.
 
Thanks James.

Well i went to support.microsoft.com/contactus and they had this regarding Microsoft Accounts and Outlook.com:

microsoftsupport_msacctandoutlookcom.jpg

And linked to this page:

Outlook.com & Microsoft Account FAQ

So, far this is not the issue we are having. The outlook.com account that my friend has and I have used for sign on to Widows 8 we have the password for.

And we did all the security steps from here:

Microsoft account security info: FAQ - Windows Help

before using this new outlook.com email address.

Still looking...
 
Not sure if it would work here, but what if you ran a Repair install? When doing a repair install it will ask you for the MS account, would that reassign it? or change the computer name in the repair start up?
 
Thanks Go The Power! That might be a way to go.

Hmmmm, I am wondering if maybe changing the Computer Name itself will allow you to again Trust this PC without doing a Repair install.

I have an appointment this afternoon but will check with my friend to see if he wants to try this (not the repair install just yet, but just changing the computer name first). Maybe Repair install if no go with just changing the Computer Name.

Once we are able to do this, I will report back to see what works....if anything.
 
I was trying to find out how the account recognizes a Trust PC, but didn't have much luck.

The best thing (which is not really that helpful) I could find was
Reinstalling the operating system will make your PC be recognized as a new one. That is why you need to remove the old security information and add a new one. Please refer to the previous post for removing.
Click to expand...

Which was posted over at answers.microsoft (LINK)

Hopefully it does just read the PC name, but I got a feeling it wont be that easy. There might have to be SSL certificate between the account and PC, no idea really, Doesn't seem to be have much documentation.
 
Thanks Go The Power. Hoping that today or tomorrow (over the weekend) I will be able to get with my friend on this and see what works and what doesn't.
 
OK, keep your fingers crossed. We changed the name of the computer and were now offered Windows 8.1 update through the Store. We waited till I had added the computer through the Microsoft Account in the browser after logging in and going to the Account info, Password and Security and went to make changes. It doesn't show the computer yet but it gave me the correct dialog boxes to Trust this PC (code and ability to check the box to don't ask for codes on this computer: "I sign in frequently on this device. Don't ask me for a code.") when I changed security info.

So we got it started and stopped the remote session since installs like that will do much better with no remote session running.

So, now we wait for the nearly 4GB of download and the install process....
 
Yep! It worked!

The computer is now running Windows 8.1! And running Windows 8.1 better than it ever ran Windows 8.



We got some free apps from the Microsoft Store and they even gave an opportunity to add a credit card now or later. We chose later since we had a bunch of stuff to do.

We downloaded the free RecImage (a front end for recimg.exe) and created an image on the D: drive (secondary partition) for the moment until he can get a new external hard drive so we can put it there and start File History there.

Everything is working well. Windows Updates working better now too.

Anyway, that's one more that's done!

Thanks to you all for the input that put me onto the right information!
 
Yes! I was happy about that too!

I think we can call this resolved.

Much thanks to James M Fisher, Patrick and especially Go The Power for their help in this successful resolution!

:thumbsup2:

:dance:
 

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