Knowledge Base

Err Msg: Could not connect. Invalid Member ID or Password

Article ID: 149195

Article Last Modified on 5/12/2007

APPLIES TO

MSN 5.0 Software
MSN 5.1 Software
MSN 5.2 Software

This article was previously published under Q149195

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to connect to MSN, The Microsoft Network, you may receive any of the following error messages:

Invalid Member ID or Password.

Could not connect. The Member ID or Password is not valid.

The password is not valid. Please type it again.

The Member ID is not valid. Please make sure it is correct and try again.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur for any for the following reasons:

You may have typed your MSN Member ID or password incorrectly.
Dial-Up Networking uses your password file, <Username>.pwl, for password validation. This file may be damaged.
The MSN connections in Dial-Up Networking may be damaged.
Dial-Up Networking may be damaged.
Your account may not be available because it is locked or it has expired.
MSN is temporarily unable to validate your account.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, first retype your correct MSN Member ID and password in the MSN sign-in screen.

NOTE: Your MSN Member ID does not include @msn.com. That is only used as part of your MSN e-mail address.

If you continue to receive the error message, use the methods below in the order presented. After you complete each method, attempt to connect to MSN. If you are unable to connect to MSN, continue with the next method.

Rename Password List Files

To eliminate password file problems, locate and then rename your password list file. The file is named <Username>.pwl, where as <Username> is the name you use to log on to MSN, and should be located in the Windows folder. To rename the file, follow these steps:

Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.
In the Named box, type *.pwl, and then click Find Now.
Right-click your Username.pwl file, click Rename, and then type a new name for the file, such as Username.old.

NOTE: If you are using a personal certificate, you should export it before renaming your .pwl file. If you do not do so, it may be unavailable when you send e-mail. For more information, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

190296 Unable to use Personal Certificates in Outlook Express
Double-click the MSN icon to open the sign-in screen.
Click the Remember My Password check box to clear it.
Type xxxxxxxx in the Member ID and Password boxes, and then click Connect. Do not use your existing password.
When you receive the Invalid member ID or password error message, click OK.
Type your correct member ID and password in the Member ID and Password boxes, and then click Connect.

Replace Damaged MSN Connections in Dial-Up Networking

To replace damaged MSN connections for MSN 1.x or 2.0:

Double-click My Computer, and then double-click Dial-Up Networking.
Right-click an MSN connection, and then click Delete. Repeat this step until all other MSN connections are deleted, and then close the Dial-Up Networking window.
Right-click the MSN icon on the desktop, and then click Connection Settings.
Click Phone Book, and then select the appropriate primary and backup access numbers for your region.
Click OK until you return to Windows.

To replace damaged MSN connections for MSN 2.5 or MSN 2.6:

Double-click My Computer, and then double-click Dial-Up Networking.
Right-click an MSN connection, and then click Delete. Repeat this step until all other MSN connections are deleted, and then close the Dial-Up Networking window.
Right-click the MSN icon on the desktop, and then click Connection Settings.
Click Phone Book, and then select the appropriate primary and backup access numbers for your region.
Click OK until you return to Windows.

Remove and Reinstall Dial-Up Networking

There may be a problem with Dial-Up Networking. To remove and reinstall the Dial-Up adapter, follow these steps (Note that you will need the Windows CD-rom to reinstall the Networking components.):

Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click Network.
On the Configuration tab, click Dial-Up Adapter, and then click Remove.
Click OK, and then when you are prompted to restart the computer click Yes.
Click Start, point to Settings, then click Control Panel.
In Control Panel, double-click Network, and then on the Configuration tab, click Add.
In the Select Network Component Type dialog box, click Adapter, and then click Add.
In the Manufacturers box, click Microsoft.
In the Network Adapters box, click Dial-Up Adapter, and then click OK.
In the Select Network Component Type dialog box, click Protocol, and then click Add.
In the Manufacturers box, click Microsoft. Then, in the Network Adapters box, click TCP/IP, and then click OK.
On the Configuration tab, double-click Dial-Up Adapter.
On the Bindings tab, make sure TCP/IP -> Dial-Up Adapter is the only protocol selected. If any other protocol is selected, click the check box to the left of the protocol to clear it.
Click OK, and then click OK again.
When you are prompted to restart the computer, click Yes.

Account Is Locked or Expired

MSN may be unable to verify your account information. Your account may have expired or have been locked.

For answers to questions about accounts and billing, contact MSN Customer Service at (800) 386-5550.

NOTE: If your credit card has expired, your MSN account is automatically locked and you must contact MSN Customer Service to supply your new credit card number or expiration date.

MSN Is Temporarily Unable to Validate Your Account

If MSN is temporarily unable to validate your account, please try again later.

Additional query words: msn kbimu

Keywords: kbenv kberrmsg kbfaq kbprb KB149195

Microsoft KB Archive/149195

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