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New CPU Installed but Cannot Login to Windows

arc@css

arc@css

arc@css

Caporegime
Joined
8 Nov 2008
Posts
29,451
Hi,

I wasn't sure if to post this thread here on in the General Hardware/Windows forums.
Mods: please move if need be. :)

I replaced my 3900X today with a 5950X.

Boots fine to login screen but doesn't recognise password.

I read that I might need to disable TPM in the bios, so tried that but it didn't work.

Next, (suggested by AI) I tried using the Windows Recovery Environment, but couldn't navigate to the last part in bold.
Pathway suggested was: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\PasswordLess\Device

Do I have no option but to reinstall Windows 11?

Thanks.
 
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I would imagine you need to disable TPM with the old CPU installed first, boot into Windows, then shutdown and change the CPU.

I may be wrong here but that would seem like the logical way to do it.

Might also be worth checking you have the latest BIOS given the CPU change but doubt that would impact the issue you have right now.
 
Did you have Windows Hello or Bitlocker enabled? How do you sign in (local or Microsoft)?

If you were using a local account the TPM shouldn't interfere with the password.
 
I don't believe so.

Forgive my ignorance, but I'm not quite sure if I know what you mean with regard to signing in.
It boots up to the blue screen and I sign in with a password or passkey thingy (I forget what it's referred to as).

I might add a phone pic or two to show what I mean.
 
Philtor said:
I would imagine you need to disable TPM with the old CPU installed first, boot into Windows, then shutdown and change the CPU.

I may be wrong here but that would seem like the logical way to do it.

Might also be worth checking you have the latest BIOS given the CPU change but doubt that would impact the issue you have right now.
Click to expand...
Ahh, missed your message!

I might just try that. Thanks.

The BIOS isn't the latest (F36E, IIRC), but I may look into that next.
 
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arc@css said:
I don't believe so.

Forgive my ignorance, but I'm not quite sure if I know what you mean with regard to signing in.
It boots up to the blue screen and I sign in with a password or passkey thingy (I forget what it's referred to as).

I might add a phone pic or two to show what I mean.
Click to expand...
A local account is not tied to your Microsoft account, it is completely separate and uses an unrelated password. If you have never signed in to any Microsoft service through Windows, then you should have a local account.

If you sign in with a pin or other form of ID, it is possible that you're using Windows Hello and this feature is tied to the TPM.

If you change CPU, or update the BIOS, it can clear (or prompt you to clear) the TPM keys and this can break Windows Hello (and if enabled, Bitlocker).

If you have never cleared the keys, installing the old CPU can restore access to the OS and allow you to recover it, but you can't turn off TPM-linked features once enabled unless you can gain access.

The reason I'm asking these questions is because if you're only having password problems, it suggests perhaps you forgot, or are using the wrong password, but if you're having TPM-related problems, then installing the old CPU is probably the most likely fix (assuming you have no other means of recovery and have not yet cleared the keys).
 
Phone pic.

6QnWNWt.jpeg

Earlier on, I entered the BIOS and re-enabled TPM, though it still lead me to the same problem.
 
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From what I can see there, it would be best to choose no or shut down and install the old CPU, which will hopefully allow you to recover the OS.

After you have done that, you can then choose the best way to deal with this problem prior to installing the new CPU.
 
arc@css said:
Earlier on, I entered the BIOS and re-enabled TPM, though it still lead me to the same problem.
Click to expand...
Did this disable/enable process clear the keys? If it did, reinstalling the old CPU may not help you, unfortunately.

If you don't have Bitlocker enabled, you may still be able to recover your files by using the SSD as a secondary drive, but I'm not sure what happens if Hello is enabled and Bitlocker is disabled.
 
Tetras said:
Did this disable/enable process clear the keys? If it did, reinstalling the old CPU may not help you, unfortunately.

If you don't have Bitlocker enabled, you may still be able to recover your files by using the SSD as a secondary drive, but I'm not sure what happens if Hello is enabled and Bitlocker is disabled.
Click to expand...
Casting my mind back earlier, I 'think' when I was first presented with this welcome screen (in phone pic), I believe I hit 'Y'. :/

Looks like I have no option but to reinstall Windows.
 
arc@css said:
Casting my mind back earlier, I 'think' when I was first presented with this welcome screen (in phone pic), I believe I hit 'Y'. :/

Looks like I have no option but to reinstall Windows.
Click to expand...
Is there anything valuable on the drive? You could still try accessing it as a secondary drive (assuming it isn't encrypted), if you could disconnect it and then have a spare SSD to install Windows on temporarily.

I didn't see a pic of a windows login screen, by the way.
 
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Tetras said:
Is there anything valuable on the drive? You could still try accessing it as a secondary drive (assuming it isn't encrypted), if you could disconnect it and then have a spare SSD to install Windows on temporarily.

I didn't see a pic of a windows login screen, by the way.
Click to expand...
Probably nothing that I can't live with, I just didn't think of this possibility when installing the new chip.
I guess I imagined that it would only apply when fitting a fresh motherboard. Face palm! :/

Some of the files are already backed up on another SSD and/or flash drive.
At least Steam tends to save your position in games, so that's useful.

Another phone pic showing the login screen.
0ICYt2d.jpeg
 
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arc@css said:
Another phone pic showing the login screen.
Click to expand...
Aha, yeah, I believe that's Windows Hello (hence, tied to the TPM).

I assume you chose the option of signing into your Microsoft account? Can you reset or recover the password from that account?

I'm not sure what other reset options exist.
 
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Tetras said:
Aha, yeah, I believe that's Windows Hello (hence, tied to the TPM).

I assume you chose the option of signing into your Microsoft account? Can you reset or recover the password from that account?

I'm not sure what other reset options exist.
Click to expand...
It worked!

I'm in desktop.

Thank you so much! :)

In the words of Blackadder, "I want to kiss your cherry red lips and nibble your shell-like ears!".

Cheers, you're a gentleman.
 
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