Hotmail password problem 1

[Andrzejek]

I have a Hotmail.com account and had it for many, many years. Now I am trying to change my password and I can not. I get the error "The password is incorrect. Please try again" when I try to change it and I DO KNOW the password I type IS correct. I cannot find any help on line and there is no Microsoft support for Hotmail (or maybe I just cannot find it).

How do I know my password is correct? That’s the only password I have (for many years now), I do not have Caps Lock on and I do not ‘fat finger’ it. I even started with Notepad, typed my password, highlighted it and copied it. Then wherever I needed to type my password, I just used Ctrl-V (paste) and that worked every time. That’s why I do know I do have correct password.

I suspect Microsoft validates an old password and first checks if it has 8 or more characters. I have my password for many years (from the time when Hotmail was not Microsoft's, can you imagine?) and my password is less than 8 characters, and I assume it does not go thru first validation. So in order to change my password to 8 or more characters, I need to change my password. Catch 22.

I do have other Hotmail accounts, and if my password is 8 characters or more – there is no problem with changing it. On a couple of accounts with ‘short’ passwords – there is no way to change it.

Any suggestions of how to change my password on Hotmail?

Have fun.

---- Andy

 

[MakeItSo]

Hi Andy,

you can reset your password:

https://account.live.com/ResetPassword.aspx

Hope this helps.

Andy

[navy]"We had to turn off that service to comply with the CDA Bill."[/navy]
- The Bastard Operator From Hell

 

[Andrzejek]

Thank you, Andy.
I did try to go there, and I get 3 option:
O I forgot my password Reset your password
O I know my password and Windows Live ID, but can't sign
O I think someone else is using my Windows Live ID

so the only option for me would be tha last one.

I did go there, and could not do anything with it. Eventually I got a link to Customer Support page, but no help there.

I am still lost.... :-(

Have fun.

---- Andy

 

[MakeItSo]

No, no. Your option is the SECOND one.
It should reset your password to one chosen by Hotmail.
They will mail it to your alternative mail account which I hope you provided and Bob's your uncle.


[navy]"We had to turn off that service to comply with the CDA Bill."[/navy]
- The Bastard Operator From Hell

 

[Andrzejek]

I did not forget about you, MakeItSo. But this is just a little update.

I did what you suggested. I just got a response that they are not sure if I am the owner of that account and they need more information. I just assume that’s what they always do as first response assuming that spammers will not bother to keep going with the request, and the rightful owners will continue.

I will try to give them more info (since I still can access my account) and attach the explanation of password change (pretty much my original post here).

BTW – I also sent a letter by mail (snail mail, I was thinking about smoke signals: they are - after all – ‘digital’ ) to Microsoft hoping it will end up in the right hands.

I will keep my fingers crossed….


Have fun.

---- Andy

 

[MakeItSo]

Hi Andy,

I was just about to ask whether you got it fixed.


Good to know things seem to get going.
Bad to know things seem to take daaaaamned long....

snail mail...

How about *cough* faxing them a copy of your id card?


[navy]"We had to turn off that service to comply with the CDA Bill."[/navy]
- The Bastard Operator From Hell

 

[Andrzejek]

Yeah? And where can I find any fax number to Micro$oft? And what kind of ID do you have in mind?

Maybe a copy of my MasterCard would do the trick....?

Have fun.

---- Andy

 

[Andrzejek]

TADA !

Finally after several days of e-mail exchanging (well, more like some exchange in cyberspace with who knows whom, probably not a human) I was able to change the password on one of my accounts.

One down, two more to go.

Wish me luck.


Have fun.

---- Andy

 

[MakeItSo]

Great to hear that!


Good luck for the other ones!


[navy]"We had to turn off that service to comply with the CDA Bill."[/navy]
- The Bastard Operator From Hell

 

[Andrzejek]

Finally I got around to fix the 2 remaining accounts.
I was expecting the same deal – some e-mail exchanges, additional proofing, etc. But it became easier (or I just got used to it)
One the second screen there were two options:[tt]
O Secure question
O Customer support[/tt]
Or something like that. So I went for secure question.
It turns out to be your secret question (favorite movie, childhood friend, etc) to be able to reset the password. Nice deal about it was – even if I would not remember my question and answer, or not have any to start with, I could go to my account, set one up, log out and provide proper information to reset my password.

I was done in 2 minutes or so. Sweet.


Have fun.

---- Andy