password incorrect when resetting Windows/computer with UEFI diagnostic tools

[RickHart]

Product: Pavilion 590-p0054 desktop

P/N:  3LB89AA#ABA

Operating System is Windows 10, probably 64 bit

A friend has a Windows stopcode error (KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED) that is throwing his computer into a reboot cycle.  I have used the HP UEFI diagnostic tools to do all extensive and component tests available, all without problems.  Everything appears okay.  So, I'm giving up and trying to use the UEFI tool to "reset" Windows (it might say "reset computer", I forget which.  However he has files on there that he needs, so I'm trying to reset while retaining his files, one of the presented options.

The problem is that it asks for a password.  We've tried his user account password and the password for his Microsoft account and email.  Neither of them work and have been confirmed on other machines, typed, retyped.  They are correct, but do not work.  It would be so much easier to simply reset and keep his files than to buy a M.2 adapter and try to pull them off, then have to do a clean install from Windows media and probably run into more problems.

What on earth is this password?  Is there a way to bypass this?  Can anyone help?  Thanks a ton for any assistance!

[praveen196]

@RickHart Welcome to HP Community!

I understand that you would like to reset the password.

Before we begin we need the answer to the question: Which type of account did you create? 

Try this first: Use the HP Guided Solution: 

Let us guide you through the solution 

 
Microsoft account 

Reset your Microsoft account password online. You can reset your password on any device connected to the Internet. 

See the Microsoft password reset page (in English) to reset your password. 

 
Local account 

Use one of the following options to reset the password for your local account. 

• If you have created a password reset disk, use the disk to reset your password. See Reset your local user account password using a password reset disk. 

• If you do not have a password reset disk, you may be able to reset the password from a different administrator account. See Changing the local user account password from another user account. 

• If you are not able to access the account see Accessing your account when no other option is available. 

For more details: Click here 

Keep us posted,

If you would like to thank us for our efforts to help you, 

Give us a virtual high-five by clicking the 'Thumbs Up' icon below, followed by clicking on the "Accept as solution" on this post, 

Have a great day!

[RickHart]

Unfortunately, and somewhat expected, this was not the answer I was looking for. Thanks for trying Praveen196.

I don't need to reset any passwords.  He set the account up as a connected Microsoft account.  His password is correct and being entered correctly, checking all common mistakes like capslock, etc. ; we confirmed it on another machine.  *Just in case, I also tried a user pin that he said he used in some circumstances, which was simply his birthyear... pretty easy and no need to reset.*  HP UEFI Diagnostics required a password to "reset Windows" and it wasn't either of the passwords ever used on that computer since he got it 6 months ago.

I could not get into Windows.  It would reboot before you could get into an account.  No solution anywhere on the interent would allow me to start windows.  HP UEFI diagnostic tools said all the hardware was fine.  Trying to repair windows reported that windows was not in need of repair.  He had not set up a restore point, so I couldn't use that option.  He didn't have a rescue disc, but I did download a Windows 10 system disc that I tried to repair it with.  I tried removing updates.  Everything.  Nothing worked.

The only solution was to use HP UEFI Diagnostic Tools to try to "reset Windows".  There were 2 options to do this, one that retained user files and one that did a clean install and did not retain user files.  I was trying to retain the files, but it kept asking for a password, without indicating which password.  I tried both of the correct passwords I had... many times, with no luck.  I then tried to do the "reset Windows" without saving user files.  This option didn't ask me for a password.  It went through a bunch of processes and ended in saying it could not perform the action.  No idea or indication as to why not.

Here's how I solved the problem:  I removed the system drive (there are 2 drives, the M.2 socket drive is the system drive), bought an external enclosure to put it in, pulled the data off with another computer, and put the drive back in.  While I was doing this I noticed a jumper on the motherboard that was attached to pins that had "PSWD" or  something similar next to it.  Since I was at the end of my ropes wasting so much time on this random Windows 10 issue that appeared out of nowhere, I removed the jumper and restarted.

Here's where I messed up.  I should have tried to see if it still asked me for a password if I tried to reset and save user files.  I was so fed up at that point I just went straight to a clean install.  Whereas before it said it couldn't complet this process, this time it just worked.  Everything worked fine, Windows was reinstalled, and I was able to get back into Windows and set up his computer for him. 

Windows 10 might be fine when it works, but what an extreme random problem to have... and have no solution for.  Windows 10, which I have little to no experience with other than this troubleshooting, also wouldn't let me copy some app data off of his user folder... it was giving me weird access errors and stuff.  Maybe a security feature?  I wasted a lot more time trying to copy everything because I'm thorough, but in the end just got the following folders that had known files he needed:  Documents, Downloads, Desktop.

What a hassle.  So glad I use Linux now that it is much more user-friendly to non-computer experts.  Windows 7 was the end of the line for me.