Microsoft Accounts / Live Id signing out completely broken

I've had enough of this nonsense; why can't I consistently sign out of one Microsoft Account into another or merge them?  It's absolutely ridiculous.  I can't sign into CodePlex at all, because it just keeps on trying to use the wrong account, and yes, I've tried signing out over and over.  If I can't figure this out how is the average user going to fare?  Half of the MS sites I use have this serious issue, including Channel9.  Now I upgraded to Skype and can't go back to my old ID at all.  I'd have to switch Microsoft Accounts in the Skype settings.  It's just a bloody nightmare, not to mention the EA/Xbox/Origin crap I went through over the holidays.  It's a crying shame.  Please, someone, tell me they are going to fix this crap.  I can't switch my CodePlex account to use my new Microsoft Account, it doesn't work.  I can't switch Channel9 to use my new Microsoft Account, I have to make a new one.  Very annoyed.

Also related, searching People in Windows 8 is completely broken now.  I don't know what happened, but no results are returned, ever, except those from one Exchange account.  How/why/when did that start happening?  Anyone else see that? 

I had the same issue.  Under IE Advanced settings, uncheck "Enable Integrated Windows Authentication" and "Enable Enhanced Protected Mode".  Clear the browser cache and restart the browser.  

If you have "Enable Enhanced Protection Mode" checked, you will not be able to sign out of a live account.  Another solution is to us a different browser.  

Thank you both ... good to know Blowdart ... sigh ... sounds like we need an app for this, but I suppose security will prevent that from working as well.  

I find that it is easier to create a local user account for each microsoft account. It's quicker, and more productive, to logon as another user than to clear my cookies.

The whole codeplex + TFS + visual studio ecosystem is held together with duct tape. If someone were to try to fix it, you would end up with something like that fresco of Jesus, Ecce Homo.

-Josh

@Richard.Hein:

Hotmail and MSDN forums are ok. I have your problem for years on Channel 9. It constantly wants me to register using another account and I can never get out of the registration page. In the end, I was forced to register and use that extra account whenever my account get stuck. But, Hotmail and MSDN forums are always fine.

BTW, to people who doesn't know. Clear cookies does not resolve the issue.

@Richard.Hein: I have the same issues as well.  In my case I can confirm that whacking all the cookies seems to do the trick.

Kind of related but on the topic of live ID's.... why are live ID passwords still restricted to be only 16 characters long (or is that just a legacy problem I have because I still use my Hotmail account from 1996)?  I use pass phrases wherever I can and my pass phrases are sometimes 30 characters in length (much easier to remember and much harder to crack).

It's starting to sound like this juggling act needs to be a browser feature. Actually, it should probably be a standards thing, but let's not get crazy.

blowdart, why can't logout work the same as login?

1. User clicks the logout link.
2. The site clears its cookie and directs you to the IdP logout page.
3. The IdP asks you to confirm logout.  (This may be optional; leaving out this step could annoy users who click on malicious links that log them out.)
4. Assuming logout is confirmed, the IdP clears its cookie.
5. The IdP forwards you to a URL specified by the originating site.

Still, confirmation would make that work better.

Bing today won't let me log out.  Even whacking cookies doesn't fix it.

@blowdart: Odd for sure.  I opened Windows Azure and Channel 9 and logged into both.  Then I open bing (still see it is logged in) and click sign out for Microsoft account.  Windows Azure and Channel 9 BOTH are now no longer logged in.  Yet Bing is still.