old gmail, phone number disconnected and password long forgotten

How long since you last signed in? Google deletes personal accounts that have been inactive for two years, so if it's been longer than that there may be nothing left to recover. Worth knowing before you spend weeks on the form. If it's more recent, go back through old inboxes you do still have. If that address was ever set as the recovery email, it'll have the security alert mails, and that address is your best way back in.

Google's account recovery form is the only way in, and there's no human to call for a free account, so it's all about giving it enough to go on: - use a computer or phone you've signed into that account on before, on your home wifi if possible. That matters more than anything you type - give the last password you remember, even an old one - if it asks when you created the account, a rough month and year is fine - if there was a recovery email, make sure you can get into that If it says no, don't hammer it. Wait a few days and try again from the same device. People do get in on the second or third go.