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New CPU Installed but Cannot Login to Windows

arc@css

arc@css

arc@css

Caporegime
Joined
8 Nov 2008
Posts
29,472
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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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.
 
I had this on my second PC switching from 2200g to a 4300g on my X470 board.. I basically logged in with my password then removed the Pin and readded a new Pin, works like it should now.

Good to see you sorted it out without having to reinstall :)
 
Just adding that I thought it would sensible to update the motherboard BIOS, as the one I was using was old and there have been quite a number of releases since then.
The BIOS updated fine, but then Windows wasn't able to be successfully activated despite me re-entering the licence key. So, aside from purchasing a key from the MS Store or other officially approved places, are some of the sites that sell keys still considered, in general, to be the smart option, or is still very much a grey area? I'll have to check out the differences between Home and Pro to see if the latter option is worth it for my use case. Thanks.
 
arc@css said:
Just adding that I thought it would sensible to update the motherboard BIOS, as the one I was using was old and there have been quite a number of releases since then.
The BIOS updated fine, but then Windows wasn't able to be successfully activated despite me re-entering the licence key. So, aside from purchasing a key from the MS Store or other officially approved places, are some of the sites that sell keys still considered, in general, to be the smart option, or is still very much a grey area? I'll have to check out the differences between Home and Pro to see if the latter option is worth it for my use case. Thanks.
Click to expand...
I have never had an issue with any of my keys purchased on sites that places like GURU3D recommend. 3 PCs here running windows 11 Pro. Not sure what your use case is but I would never recommend Home edition.

Key Features of Windows 11 Home

  • Core Windows 11 Experience:
    Includes the redesigned interface, Windows Hello, Microsoft Defender, Copilot, Widgets, and enhanced gaming features.

  • Consumer-Focused:
    Designed for most everyday users, providing essential productivity and security features.
Key Features of Windows 11 Pro
    • Enhanced Security:
        • BitLocker encryption: Provides strong, built-in full-disk encryption to protect data on devices.
        • Windows Information Protection (WIP): Helps prevent accidental data leaks from business applications.
        • Windows Sandbox: Offers a secure, isolated environment to run untrusted applications.
    • Remote Work & Management:
        • Remote Desktop Host: Allows other devices to connect to your PC to control it remotely.
        • Group Policy Editor: Enables central management and enforcement of policies across multiple computers in a network.
    • Advanced Capabilities:
        • Hyper-V: Supports the creation and management of virtual machines, useful for developers and IT professionals.
        • Increased Hardware Support: Supports a higher limit of RAM and CPUs compared to Home, up to 2TB of RAM and two CPUs.

Bitlocker and windows sandbox are enough for me to want pro and I am not sure what home includes software wise but when I wanted to run things such as iis in the past it was limited
 
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