laptop recovery

[lmpollett]

My son got a new HP Pavillion for christmas, He entered a fake email address when first signing in not knowing what he was doing or waiting for an adult too help him. Of course, it wants verification, and he can't verify it. I tried to create another profile for him to access but it locked after 6 days, and we cannot access the laptop at all now. What can we do? 

[Garp_senchau]

@lmpollett, Welcome to HP Support Community,

Thank you for posting your query; I’m here to help by guiding you through steps to resolve this issue

(Ah, the classic "oops, I clicked too fast" moment! 😅 It's like your son unknowingly went through a door without realizing it was locked behind him. But don’t worry, we can definitely fix this! 💪 Let's tackle this problem like we’re hackers in a spy movie 🎬.)

Try Logging In with Microsoft Account Credentials

If your son entered a fake email address that was supposed to be a Microsoft account (used for logging into Windows), you can try these options:

• Check if you can reset the password:
  • Go to Microsoft Account Recovery on another device or browser.
  • Follow the steps to reset the password using the fake email address he entered.
  • If you can access the email inbox (even if it’s not a real account), you might be able to receive a password reset code.

Use Local Account to Bypass Microsoft Account

If your son created a local account (or if you previously set one up), you can try logging into that account:

• Switch to Local Account Login:
  • At the login screen, select Sign-in options.
  • Choose Local Account and use any known username and password that might have been set up.

Factory Reset the Laptop (as a last resort)

If you can’t get access with the steps above, a factory reset will allow you to start fresh. However, this will erase all data on the laptop, so proceed with caution if there’s anything important you need to recover.

Reset from the Login Screen

• On the login screen, click the Power icon at the bottom-right corner.
• Hold down the Shift key and select Restart while holding Shift.
• After the laptop restarts, you should see the Choose an option screen.
• Select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.
• Choose Remove everything to do a complete reset (this will erase all data).

Reset via Windows Recovery Environment (if you cannot access the login screen)

• Power off the laptop completely.
• Press and hold the Power button to power it on and immediately press the F11 key.
• This should take you to Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).
• Select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.
• Choose Remove everything and follow the prompts to reset the system.

[Garp_senchau]

Check for HP Recovery Options

HP laptops may have an HP Recovery Partition that allows you to restore the system to its factory state without needing an internet connection.

• Power off the laptop.
• Turn it back on and immediately press F11 to access the HP Recovery Manager.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to reset or restore the laptop.

Contact Microsoft Support (if stuck on account verification)

• If you’re still unable to access the laptop or verify the email account, it may be worth contacting Microsoft Support for assistance with account recovery:

(We’ll get this laptop up and running before your son knows it, and next time, we’ll have him wait for an adult before signing in — because no one likes a locked-out laptop! 🔓🙅‍♂️)

I hope these steps help resolve the issue

Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Problem solved? 🎉 Awesome! Mark this as the Accepted Solution to help the next person find their way faster. 🧭 And if it was helpful, click 'yes'—you’ll make someone’s search journey that much easier (and give this reply some well-deserved street cred 🏅)

Regards,