Issue with Windows PC Login

[Skid_Marc_]

I've been working around an annoyance when logging into my PC for a while now, but it came to a head this morning when I couldn't log into my PC, period.

I didn't get a "Password Incorrect" error, the computer literally just said "You can't sign in right now..."

Here is the issue I've been avoiding for a while, though... I have my PC set up to not require a password when logging in. Ever since I made my PC, I've always booted straight to the desktop. Maybe for the first month I required a log in, but since then, nothing.

However, a while back, something changed to where there is a second log-in/account on my PC. I do not think it's malicious because it happened around the same time I did two other things. 1.) Did something regarding my Xbox Microsoft account to tie it to a different email because my account is used primarily by someone else, and 2.) I merged my Microsoft email account with the other email provider, so that now I can check both emails from the second email provider (I wouldn't recommend this, btw, it works fine on desktop, but holy hell it's a mess on mobile, fwiw...).

Anyways, the result is confusion on the part of my PC where now a second account appears on log-in. I now have TWO "Marc Gammack" accounts on the log-in screen, one with my name and Microsoft login, and the one that it always tries to open by default on launch with my Microsoft email, but no password or sign-on that works so it constantly brings me to a sign-on screen every time I boot my PC. I've run Malwarebytes, CCleaner, and I've done other unrelated chkdsk and sfcscan's since this occured (for unrelated issues) and there have been no errors, so again, I don't think this is malicious, but there is also no sign of a second account on my PC for me to delete, so I can't get rid of, or access, this ghost account...


Is this just a "Re-install Windows" issue? I don't want to go through that just to have Microsoft pull both accounts, and because I can't figure out the log-in to the other account, I don't know what created it. I have un-merged my email accounts but that hasn't changed anything (I'm pretty sure this started before I merged my emails, anyways, I've been ignoring this issue for long enough I can't really remember the order).

As far as today's sign-in issue, I don't know what that error is about, but it's cleared itself up in the time of writing this post... "Can't sign in right now..." eff you, Windows...

 

[Brainling]

There are two types of Windows accounts in Windows 10. "Local" and Microsoft Account. It seems like initially you were setup to use a local account exclusively. At some point you may have logged in to the merged Microsoft Account (e.g. using the XBox App on your PC) and Windows than created an account provision for that account on your machine. That's likely the second Marc Gammack you're seeing.

You should be able to go in to the User administration and see what type of account it is, Under Control Panel -> User Accounts. You may even be able to forcibly purge the non-local version of your account.

As to how to fix it permanently? Give in to the Dark Side and just use your Micorsoft account as your PC's primary account. Generally the easiest way to do that is a full reinstall and when it prompts you login with your MS account. Love it or hate it Microsoft is pushing Windows towards a services model and really wants people using an MS account as their primary login. There are some benefits though, like all your settings being saved to the cloud so whenever you do a reinstall it just magically knows how you had Windows setup before.

Let me know if it persists, I can jump on TeamSpeak at some point and try and help you sort it.

 

[ElektroVodka]

I had this a while back, restarting and the like didn't work, but booting in Safe mode and selecting the right account did allow me back in.

 

[Skid_Marc_]

Ok, I AM using my Microsoft account, so I went ahead and created a "Local" account, it restarted me and popped me right to the desktop no issues.. so then I went into the account settings, tied the local account BACK to my Microsoft account, and now I'm back to two profiles and it's always trying to log into this ghost profile that it can't get into unless I type in my Microsoft details.

There is no second account in the Windows Settings -> Accounts for me to manage or delete. It only appears on the log-in screen. I'll try booting in safe mode and see if I can select the right account.

 

[Brainling]

That's very strange. I can only imagine it was caused by some combination of account merging, live accounts and a Windows update or three.

 

[aIMaGru]

Try reinstalling windows