Windows 8 Can't switch to another user at login screen.

[OwlCat1212]

Did a clean re-install of Windows 8, followed by recovery of my files and settings via Windows Easy Transfer. Windows 8 started just fine, but I got a message in the desktop that it wanted me to enter the old password before it would "unlock" my files. This went well, except for one of my lesser used usernames that I had never accessed under Windows 8. When I tried to log in to that account to unlock the files, it told me "The user's password must be changed before signing in." The problem is that even though I am absolutely positive that I am entering the correct password, it tells me that the password is incorrect. I could probably work around this problem from one of my other usernames but I can't get out of this little loop of "change your password", "your password is incorrect". I can't find a way to restart the machine or to get back to the screen that gives me all my user accounts to log in from. I have tried just powering off, but when the system restarts it comes back to this same screen. So, my system is essentially locked. NB There are NO domains on this computer and never have been. The only info i can find on the Internet regarding the message that the password must be changed before signing in relate to domains and are of no help to me. Any help will be appreciated.

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you're facing a tricky situation where you can't access one of your user accounts on Windows 8 due to a password issue after performing a clean re-install and using Windows Easy Transfer to recover your files and settings. Here are some steps you can try to resolve this issue:

Step 1: Restart in Safe Mode​

1. Press the power button to start your computer.
2. As soon as Windows starts to load, press and hold the power button for 4 seconds to force a shutdown.
3. Repeat these steps a couple of times to trigger the Automatic Repair mode.
4. In the Automatic Repair mode, select "Advanced Options" > "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced Options" > "Startup Settings" > "Restart."
5. When your computer restarts, choose "Safe Mode with Networking" (Option 5).

   Step 2: Reset Password Using Command Prompt​

6. Once in Safe Mode, open a Command Prompt window as an administrator.
7. Type the following command to list all user accounts on your system: net user.
8. To reset the password for a specific user, type: net user [username] [new_password].

   Step 3: Reboot and Test​

9. Exit the Command Prompt and restart your computer normally by going to the Start menu > "Shut down or sign out" > "Restart."
10. Try logging in with the new password for the problematic user account.

    Step 4: System Restore (Optional)​

    If the above steps don't work, you can try a System Restore to a point before you encountered this issue:
11. Boot into Safe Mode again.
12. Go to "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced Options" > "System Restore" and follow the on-screen instructions. These steps should help you regain access to your user account on Windows 8 without encountering the password issue. Let me know if you need further assistance!