Cut off from old email account i’ve had for at least 13 years

In 2001 I've signed up for Hotmail under the email address *** Email address is removed for privacy ***, which I have used even when Hotmail changed to, I think what is called Windows Live.  I think I also made the mistake of using the box that let me stay logged in so that way I don't use a password, and the one I do remember no longer works, because just recently it asked for a password and the one I've typed in was incorrect for some reason.  I've tried to recover it, and I've noticed somebody with a yahoo address, meaning that somebody else might have assess to my account.  I've signed up for an Outlook.com account under the address *** Email address is removed for privacy *** but when I tried to log in, the password I chose came up incorrect which makes no sense.  I was then forced to sign up for a g-mail account and when I tried to use the recovery form with the folders I do remember, and the password I used, I keep getting a message saying that it doesn't prove my authenticity of ownership over the accounts.  Does this mean that I've been hacked and kicked out or Microsoft made a few changes somewhere and some my info became obsolete?