Solved Invisible user account blocks signing into Microsoft acct

JimScarff

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I am trying to upgrade a Lenovo Thnkpad X220 from Windows 7 to Windows 8 Pro. I downloaded W8 and installed it with no noticeable problem.

The problems arose when I tried to connect to the Microsoft Store. I already had an account on the Microsoft I had set up with Windows 8 on a separate laptop. I could not connect to the store using any of the apps. However, I could access the internet with Explorer and access my e-mail using Outlook.

I tried clean boot and I also tried booting in Safe Mode with networking. None of these helped. In Safe Mode, when I tried to connect to the Store, I got an error message saying that it's says "can't open Metro apps with a built-in administrator account". I was logged into my normal user account, so I don't know why it was informing me that I was using the "built-in administrator account".

I created and deleted additional user account to try to connect to the Store, but without success. So I deleted all the user accounts, leaving only one local administrative account. In Windows Explorer in the C:\ folder the only users "Placeholder Local" (my generic local user account) and "Public".

I then tried to create a new user account that would connect to the Microsoft store. However, when I enter my information and press "submit", I get the following error message:

"an account using this Microsoft account already exists on this PC."

As far as I can tell, the generic local user account is not using the Microsoft account since I created it with a different e-mail address. I have no idea what is going on or how to fix it.

Jim
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo Thinkpad X220
    Memory
    8 GB
Well, I have solved part of my problems. Using the instructions at:
microsoft account - How to rename user folder in Windows 8? - Super User

I was able to delete a user account that I thought had been deleted before since it no longer showed up in my list of users or in Windows Explorer. This then allowed me to create a new user associated with my Microsoft account.

However, for unknown reasons, I can connect to the internet, but I cannot access the Microsoft page to login, or to other pages that seem to need https - such as trying to download Chrome.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo Thinkpad X220
    Memory
    8 GB
I eventually did a "Refresh", and that solved my problems. Fortunately, I only had a a half dozen programs that I will now have to re-install, but still this is a royal pain in the neck.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo Thinkpad X220
    Memory
    8 GB
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