My late husband's PC is pin-locked and I can't get in

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Gurezaemon

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#2422774 17-Feb-2020 22:01

ANglEAUT:

Lias: As per above, I'm happy to help if you are in the vicinity, I'm located in Kapiti. ...

Help available in Auckland as well. PM me.

Ditto on the off-chance you're anywhere near Whangarei. I can't imagine what you're going through, and I'd be happy to do what I can.

Gurezaemon

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#2422776 17-Feb-2020 22:09

I think this is a good point to mention that this sort of situation happens to lots of people, and that most of us, by the very virtue of us being on Geekzone, should have some sort of contingency plan in place, if only to help lessen the sort of awful difficulties the OP is going through right now.

I have a memory stick with an encrypted password manager hidden where my family can access it if needed, with basic instructions as to how to use it included. It's basic, but it might help if the unthinkable happens.

It's the least we can do for our families.

phoxphyre

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#2422855 18-Feb-2020 08:14

Hi everyone, thank you a tonne. I'm really touched by all your generous offers and helpful information!

To provide more info:

* I am in the Waikato, I'll be getting in touch with 1024kb

* His work laptop is managed individually, I'm returning it today and we're hoping he'd set up some sort of admin account they can find

* His account is an online one, I think

* We can probably reset his gmail (assuming it texts his number) I am a little reluctant to do that until all other options have been crossed off

* I'm getting in touch with a Pukekoe firm 'iMendit' and hopefully they can fix his phone (and hopefully I remember his pin there at least)

phoxphyre

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#2423650 19-Feb-2020 08:30

Further update, just for interests sake.

I dropped his work laptop off yesterday. It is self-administered, and we were all stumped. One of his colleagues had noticed an odd bit of paper on the floor with a random phrase in my husband's writing and put it aside.

That was the password to his work computer!

Chrome was logged in and had a massive password folder which I exported and sent to myself.

I'm going to still get the phone repaired if I can, and suspect that I'll still need 1024kb's help (I've been bad but will message him).

freitasm

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#2423705 19-Feb-2020 09:09

@phoxphyre what a bit of luck in such times. I hope things work for you on this front at least.

As above, for other people - if you use something like LastPass you can share with someone for emergencies - if the person needs access they send a request and if there's no response the access is granted automatically. Also, Gmail, Office 365 will fallback to SMS in case an authenticator app is not available.

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Jogre

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#2424330 20-Feb-2020 09:20

freitasm:

Also, Gmail, Office 365 will fallback to SMS in case an authenticator app is not available.

Was about to suggest this as well, submit request to log in, Authenticator app receives request and if it times out you can select other options like call/SMS if the number is set up.

Jono Green

Microsoft New Zealand

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