That Microsoft account doesn’t exist. Enter a different email address or get a new account.??

The hotmail account I've used for seven years now doesn't work. I was trying to verify my new computer yesterday and may have created an alias as it wouldn't recognize the hotmail.com domain name. Problem is I don't know what the new info is... I was trying all sorts of things to get it set up yesterday and wasn't able to create a microsoft account at all! Is a microsoft account the same as hotmail?? Anyway I called the tech support line this am and they were not helpful at all, they said since it was a free account I was on my own ;( but aren't ALL hotmail accounts free?? \I need help from anyone who knows how to unblock or bypass what I did.

Thanks in advance!