Microsoft Account Verification Troubles

I have a new Windows 8 installation and used a different email address to do so. However, I get the following message:
Call us overprotective, but we need to verify that XXXXX@XXXXXXXXXX.us is yours
Before you can continue, you need to check your inbox for a message from the Microsoft account team. Follow the instructions in the mail to finish setting up your account.
Use a different email address as your Microsoft account
We were unable to send you an email. Try again later.
It continues to say the last line above "We were unable to send you an email. Try again later." for the last 12 hours. If I try to use a different email address, I get the message that I am unable to change the email address. I am in a never ending loop with this, can you provide any assistance?
Regards,

Dave

Go to Microsoft Support. If chat fails, then they will send you somewhere else, and by digging around you can find MS phone support yourself. Don't know where you are and, thus, if I have given you the right link.