Windows pin

[wjwren]

My father has forgot his pin. He said windows updated and a pin is now on but I've got a feeling he has forgotten it. There are some pictures I need to save as otherwise I'd just wipe it and put win 10 back on. Can I reinstall windows and keep the pictures? There is no option to reset via ahy account or email. If I enter the pin incorrect 3 times it just disables the PC for 2 mins.

[sunbeam alpine]

One option would be to download a Linux Mint ISO, create a bootable USB stick, and boot the PC from that. You should be able to read the hard drive and copy off the data you want.

[dundarach]

Have you tried safemode to see if you can then see the forgotten pin option.

Have you tried CTRL ALT DEL at the log on screen.

Linux is a good bet to retrieve files.

Have you rang Microsoft - really

[colin79666]

Switch it off and back on. Seriously, should give recovery or password options then, looks like it’s just the Lock Screen at the moment.

[Oakey]

Has he been hacked or installed some malware or something? There should be an option to sign in with your password instead, on mine, right under the pin entry box it says "I forgot my pin" and you click that to use an alternative method.

[sparkyhx]

Oakey said:

There should be an option to sign in with your password instead, on mine, right under the pin entry box it says "I forgot my pin" and you click that to use an alternative method.

This

[Sheepshanks]

wjwren said:

My father has forgot his pin. He said windows updated and a pin is now on but I've got a feeling he has forgotten it.

A bit of Googling suggests he could be right, although the other reports seem to all be from some time ago.

[JulietRomeo]

I don’t remember selecting an option to do this but when I set my laptop up 3 yrs ago it asked for my windows pin. Try the same as the pin to iPhone assuming he has one.

[JulietRomeo]

JulietRomeo said:

I don’t remember selecting an option to do this but when I set my laptop up 3 yrs ago it asked for my windows pin. Try the same as the pin to iPhone assuming he has one.

The numerical security pin, not the phone password

[Big_Dog]

You could give this a go: https://www.hirensbootcd.org/usb-booting/
Will let you reset the security.

[LordFlathead]

Big_Dog said:

You could give this a go: https://www.hirensbootcd.org/usb-booting/
Will let you reset the security.

Good find I used to use these years ago and thought they'd disappeared forever.