After 15.5 MS365 access blocked. User name not recognised. No way around.

[Blocked]

I recently updated to 15.5. After which my MS 365 account was inaccessible. My username (uni email) was not recognised as valid despite being in the system (and previously worked). Worked with tech team for days. Deleted all account info. Re-configured, no access. They suspect a problem in the keychain but cant't repair. Their only solution was to partition the HD and make a new user account and instally MS 365 again there. It worked! But now I would need to reconfigure everything from factory mode, manually copy file folders and probably lose photos in i-photos, and other apps. Noone understands why I can't sign into the MS365 account in my current user account and why I can do this in the new user account created.

I had thought I could use time machine to go back to previous OS and see if everything worked as before. I was told it couldn't be done. No going back after OS update. Curiously, my Mendely reference manager also had a shock. Suddenly, all (hundreds of reference) were missing and only a handful were left, all of which I am author or co-author. All the rest were missing/deleted. No idea if these two things are connected, but colleagues told me others had had issues with the upgrade. Anyone know of a way I might be able to "fix" this problem and be able to sign into my MS356 account where the username is recognised? It's in the univeristy system and is a valid 365 account - the proof being that in the newly partioned user account on my macbook air it could be installed and I could sign in! I want to keep my current account and use MS for mac there, not in the new account and have to reinstall all of my documents, apps etc.

Anyone can help?

(Thanks in advance!!)

 

[BigBlur]

Have you checked for M365 updates? Are you getting some sort of error; what is it?

They suspect a problem in the keychain but cant't repair.

What do you mean by "can't repair"? Have you deleted the Microsoft entries in Keychain Access so that they can be rebuilt?

FWIW, my M365 account (through my employer) is still working. I use the Office apps through the App Store instead of using Microsoft's installer, so I’m not sure if that makes a difference. Sounds like you're using Microsoft's installer, so you could try uninstalling and downloading the apps through the App Store to see if that works.

 

[Nermal]

I had thought I could use time machine to go back to previous OS and see if everything worked as before. I was told it couldn't be done. No going back after OS update.

You've been misinformed. You can revert back as far as the version that originally shipped with that model of computer.

 

[nmt1900]

Have you checked if account is accessible from other devices or over Microsoft 365 web portal - just to make sure that your account is still accessible and did not got locked at the same time you did the update by coincidence?

 

[Blocked]

Hello and thanks to everyone who has kindly responded. What the tech support people and I did was to run a programme MS office for mac license removal tool 2.7 installer. That was done again at different times. They know that there is an account in my name in the university system but even when they set a new temporary password when trying to log in an error message would show up that said my email didn't exisit in the system (screen shot of this attached). We tried this many times. Finally, they decided the only option was to create a new user account on my mac and download/install 365 there and see if it works with my email and a temporary password - and it does! But as I said I'm not too thrilled about having to manually migrate all my files and apps to this new user account. They strongly suspect at keychain issue but can't figure out what that might be.

I have just removed all MS apps again from my normal account and reinstalled the 365 apps from the apple store. But when going to sign in it doesn't recognise my password and I can't automatically re-set it as that is the admin's decision. But as I said, we had done that many time and none of the new temp passwords would work.

I just tried it again with a new temporary password (with the newly downloaded apps from the apple store) and this time it promted me to make new password, but when I did I got the same error message as before (now many times).

Now they are telling me that the only way to keep using MS 365 in my normal account (not the new one) would be to re-set the keychain but that "this action will delete all password information saved on your PC.
This includes your login information for your user account, Wi-Fi password, and passwords for other apps. So, I don't know if that would be a smart thing to do.

When BigBlur asked: Have you deleted the Microsoft entries in Keychain Access so that they can be rebuilt? I don't know what they did but if you are referring to deleting it all, no that hasn't been done and as I mentioned above, I'm not sure it would be a good idea (if afterwards I can't even log in).

So, it seems that either I keep the new user account where the MS365 does work. And move all my files and apps there and deal with the potential loss of imformation and organisation (and time). The other option could be to reset the key chain, but if that deletes all passwords, even the one I need to log in, seems dangerous. I had thought that I could use my time machine and revert to the last save from just before I ran the update and thought that would work. I'm not 100% percent sure it would though. I looked into it and it seems that if I go that route, it basically erases my HD completelty and new re-populates it with the copy from the last time machine backup that I choose. It seems like it takes a long time and also has risks.

So, I wonder what is the best choice to make?

 

[Blocked]

Have you checked for M365 updates? Are you getting some sort of error; what is it?


What do you mean by "can't repair"? Have you deleted the Microsoft entries in Keychain Access so that they can be rebuilt?

FWIW, my M365 account (through my employer) is still working. I use the Office apps through the App Store instead of using Microsoft's installer, so I’m not sure if that makes a difference. Sounds like you're using Microsoft's installer, so you could try uninstalling and downloading the apps through the App Store to see if that works

I've been told by the tech staff at my university that the only way to keep using MS 365 in my current account (not the new one) would be to re-set the keychain but that "this action will delete all password information saved on your PC. This includes your login information for your user account, Wi-Fi password, and passwords for other apps." So, I don't know if that would be a smart thing to do.

You had asked me: Have you deleted the Microsoft entries in Keychain Access so that they can be rebuilt? I don't know what they did but if you are referring to deleting it all, no that hasn't been done and as I mentioned above, I'm not sure it would be a good idea (if afterwards I can't even log in). I took your advice and downloaded the apps through the apple store but that had no effect on the problem. I got a new password from the admin people and tried to log in. I was promted to make a new password and after I did got the same error message we have been getting all along. Error message attached. I looked into my keychain just now and the only entries besides yesterday when I tried again (above) there is one from 16th May - should I delete that?

 

[Blocked]

You've been misinformed. You can revert back as far as the version that originally shipped with that model of computer.

Thank for your reply. I looked into it bit more myself and as I though (and you confirmed) it can be done. It seems that this will erase the entire HD and then re-install the way it was on the date I choose (one before the update). I have one from May 2. It seems a bit risky though. Is it?

 

[Blocked]

Have you checked if account is accessible from other devices or over Microsoft 365 web portal - just to make sure that your account is still accessible and did not got locked at the same time you did the update by coincidence?

Yes. As I mentioned, the tech support people have made a new user account on my computer and have downloaded and installed MS365 there. And it works with my user email and the password they gave me. The say it's the only way to go. So, I'm not blocked per say, but the system won't recoginse my username (email). But if I do as they suggest, that means I have to move all of my files, apps, etc. to the new account which looks very time consuming and basically impossible to make it exactly the way I have everything arranged and organised on the account I have been using. Supposedly it's possible to use the time machine and reinstall everthing as it was before the update. But it also seems time consuming and risky as it erases the HD before it installs the time machine backup.