"This sign-in option is disabled because of failed sign-in attempts or repeated shutdowns". I've been locked out of my laptop since last night and can't log back in. How do I fix this issue?

Hi R00_,

Thanks for your post in Microsoft Community.

I'm Mosken, I do apologize for the inconvenience that you're experiencing right now, let me help you sort things out.

In order to quickly and accurately determine the crux of the problem, I would like to confirm some details: you forgot your PIN code, and also forgot your login password, and failed to answer a question when retrieving your account, now you want to confirm whether you need to wait two hours and press the keyboard every 29s to keep it on.

If my understanding is wrong, please correct me in the reply.

Then I suggest that you can try to find the crux of the problem by doing the following:

1. Please keep the power of your laptop connected. You don't need to do that for the above 2 hours. The screen is dark or black because your system's power protection plan is to save power, not power off. You only need to wait for 2 hours That's it.
2. I would like to confirm whether you have logged into the system through a Microsoft account before, and if so, you can choose to log in through a Microsoft account in the other login options (although you have already said that you have tried, but in order to solve your problem, we need to try all methods as much as possible), before that, you can log in to your Microsoft account through other devices to verify that the password is correct (if it is not correct, you can reset your account password by "recovering your password", but it requires a series of means of verification to keep your account safe);
3. If you are sure that you are not logged in with a Microsoft account, maybe you are logged in through a local account (all account information is saved on your computer), you can try to recall the account name and password you used to log in, 3 memorable questions may be set when you install the system or use the system for the first time, just to help you in situations like this.

If you are not sure whether it is a Microsoft account or a local account, you can take a photo of your login interface and send it to me in the reply, so that we can confirm the problem faster.

If you can't remember above passwords and nothing changed after waiting 2 hours, you need reset your system unfortunately.

I hope the above will be helpful to you. Please feel free to let me know how it goes, and I will do my best to help you.

Best Regards,

Mosken - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

---

* Beware of scammers posting fake support numbers here.

Hey Mosken.

Thank you for the reply.

Yes your understanding is correct, except that I do know what my pin is. I've been logging into my laptop for 4 years through this pin.

I never needed to use my login password.

I have also forgotten what the answers for my secret questions are.

To your reply 1:

You said to keep the power of my laptop connected. Which power are you referring to? The charging cable?

So if my screen goes black, the 2 hour timer is not interrupted right?

If so, this is good news and I will try to keep my laptop plugged in to the charger and leave it for 2 hours.

To your reply 2:

Yeah I've tried logging in the Microsoft account in my desktop (where I'm currently typing) and used the same password on my laptop. But it says the password is wrong.

To your reply 3:

I believe I am logged in through a local account, (please check the photo I've attached).

Thank you :)

Hi R00_,

Thanks for your post in Microsoft Community.

I'm Mosken, I do apologize for the inconvenience that you're experiencing right now, let me help you sort things out.

In order to quickly and accurately determine the crux of the problem, I would like to confirm some details: you forgot your PIN code, and also forgot your login password, and failed to answer a question when retrieving your account, now you want to confirm whether you need to wait two hours and press the keyboard every 29s to keep it on.

If my understanding is wrong, please correct me in the reply.

Then I suggest that you can try to find the crux of the problem by doing the following:

1. Please keep the power of your laptop connected. You don't need to do that for the above 2 hours. The screen is dark or black because your system's power protection plan is to save power, not power off. You only need to wait for 2 hours That's it.
2. I would like to confirm whether you have logged into the system through a Microsoft account before, and if so, you can choose to log in through a Microsoft account in the other login options (although you have already said that you have tried, but in order to solve your problem, we need to try all methods as much as possible), before that, you can log in to your Microsoft account through other devices to verify that the password is correct (if it is not correct, you can reset your account password by "recovering your password", but it requires a series of means of verification to keep your account safe);
3. If you are sure that you are not logged in with a Microsoft account, maybe you are logged in through a local account (all account information is saved on your computer), you can try to recall the account name and password you used to log in, 3 memorable questions may be set when you install the system or use the system for the first time, just to help you in situations like this.

If you are not sure whether it is a Microsoft account or a local account, you can take a photo of your login interface and send it to me in the reply, so that we can confirm the problem faster.

If you can't remember above passwords and nothing changed after waiting 2 hours, you need reset your system unfortunately.

I hope the above will be helpful to you. Please feel free to let me know how it goes, and I will do my best to help you.

Best Regards,

Mosken - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

* Beware of scammers posting fake support numbers here.