How To Switch User On Microsoft Surface When Prompted For Another User's Password

I have a loaner Microsoft Surface RT to evaluate. When I turn it on and it boots to the login screen there is the previous user's name and prompt for their password. I don't seem to be able to do anything to switch users. I can only sleep, shut down or restart. How can I change users without the previous user loging in? What would be done in the case of the previous user no longer being available to login? It seems the device would no longer be usable. I am sure I am missing something.

DaveB

Posted 2013-03-25T03:35:18.460

Reputation: 123

Answers

If there was another possible user account on any Windows 8 (ish) device, then there should be an arrow to the top left of the picture for the user account you're on. That would take you to another screen with usernames and pictures to select who to login as.

So, if that is not there then it is unlikely that another account exists that can be used. Sounds like you need to talk to whoever you borrowed it from to evaluate and ask them to create a guest account or something temporary for you.

nerdwaller

Posted 2013-03-25T03:35:18.460

Reputation: 13 366

How would a user be created if you can't exit from the login screen? Is there a way to get to the preconfigured administrator account? – DaveB – 2013-03-25T16:24:12.393

You would need to be able to login (and typically the admin account isn't enabled by default when the main user is an admin), so again - you'd need to talk with the owner of the tablet. It would probably be frowned upon for me to tell you how or link to guides to tell you how to hack into Windows. – nerdwaller – 2013-03-25T16:46:25.407

I asked because there is a possibility that the person with the login could not longer be available and I wondered if the device would then be rendered unusable. – DaveB – 2013-03-25T18:01:11.530

1If that's the case you could find guides online to reset the password (though you'd need to make adjustments for ARM hardware), otherwise a recovery image is available locally (if the owner didn't remove it yet). I think to access that you would hold Vol+ during power on (at least on my pro). If they removed it, then there should be a way to obtain the image from Microsoft or possibly floating around online. – nerdwaller – 2013-03-25T18:24:42.620

Microsoft has a pretty good tutorial on how to do it. Excerpted from here.

Step 1: Plug in your Surface so you don’t run out of power during the refresh.

Step 2: From the Windows sign-in screen, select Power Power icon in the lower-right corner of the sign-in screen.

Step 3: Press and hold the Shift key. (If you're using the touch keyboard, select the Shift key.)

Step 4: While the Shift key is still pressed or selected, select Restart.

If you get the prompt Restart anyway, select Restart anyway.

After your Surface restarts, the Choose an option screen will appear.

Step 5: Select Troubleshoot > Reset your PC. Surface restarts and the Surface logo appears while Windows prepares to reset your Surface.

Step 6: On the Reset your PC screen, select Next.

Step 7: Choose either Just remove my files or Fully clean the drive. The option to clean the drive is more secure but takes much longer. For example, if you are recycling your Surface, you should clean the drive. If you are keeping your Surface, you just need to remove your files.

Step 8: Select Reset. Surface restarts and the Surface logo appears during the reset process (this can take several minutes).

Don't use the "touch" keyboard, if you don't have a physical keyboard, select the Ease of Access icon in the lower right, then On-Screen Keyboard. Press the Shift key so it's toggled, then follow steps 4-8.

femo

Posted 2013-03-25T03:35:18.460

Reputation: 11

External links can break or be unavailable, in which case your answer would not be useful. In this case, the link opens to a non-English page, so if there's a language setting, it isn't obvious. Please include the essential information within your answer and use the link for attribution and further reading. Thanks. – fixer1234 – 2016-03-02T06:05:36.347

In this case, from Windows sign-in screen, click the Ease of Access icon and select On-Screen Keyboard. Press the Shift button. Then click the Power icon in the lower right, then Restart. Then when the Surface restarts, it should let you choose Troubleshoot and Refresh PC. This worked great on my Surface 2. – kamranicus – 2016-09-15T18:02:31.197