W10, login box never appears

[mraikes]

Picked up an HP Pavilion AIO that appears to boot normally all the way up to the client's lock screen with a family photo. But after hitting enter or clicking with the mouse - things that generally bring up the password prompt - the screen dims slightly as if the prompt is being presented, but nothing is visible. After a few seconds, the screen brightens again and we can do it all over again.

It won't boot into safe mode, since it just circles around to the same login screen and lack of responsiveness.

I can access the usual W10 recovery options just fine, but no restore points, and "undoing" last updates hasn't made any change to the lack of password prompt. Nor SFC. I've created a new admin user via CMD that I had hoped might then appear on the login as an option, but no joy.

Booting with a linux distro works fine and the hard drive tests OK. W10 system reset is probably an option, but I'm trying to avoid that if possible.

I'd appreciate any thoughts you may have.

 

[GreyWolf]

Found this dunno if you had tried theses options

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...-missing/9b48c80d-ec93-4bc5-a3aa-9d15ab179b6e

as for safe mode you could always force crash the windows (mentioned in article posted)

 

[mraikes]

Found this dunno if you had tried theses options

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...-missing/9b48c80d-ec93-4bc5-a3aa-9d15ab179b6e

as for safe mode you could always force crash the windows (mentioned in article posted)

Thanks, I've seen that one. And not able to access safe mode even through force crash/recovery options. When attempting to boot into safe mode, I'm still presented with the same invisible login screen.

Edit: Over the last 24 hours I've Googled this thing to death. Most suggestions all hinge on accessing safe mode or just doing a system reset. But if I can't do one, and trying to avoid the other, I'm limited to the tools typically available in recovery options. Of which, correcting or changing something through the command line may be my only option.

 

[GreyWolf]

How about this option?

https://4sysops.com/archives/reset-a-windows-10-password

 

[nlinecomputers]

Windows 10 is so easy to reinstall why waste time chasing this down. Slave the drive, image it, FABS it then nuke and pave.

 

[mraikes]

Windows 10 is so easy to reinstall why waste time chasing this down. Slave the drive, image it, FABS it then nuke and pave.

It's too easy to reinstall. So easy it often becomes a default choice for techs because it's easier for THEM and not what's best for the client.

If I'm reasonably able to resolve an issue, even if it means throwing myself on the mercy of Technibblers (as I try not to do too often), I'd rather resolve it and return the computer in perfect pre-breakdown and as-expected condition. That makes for the happiest client.

When all other things fail, I have no problem doing a reset when it becomes necessary - but not before. Then I may still have a satisfied client, but one that has to deal with some level of frustration because the computer will be missing programs, printers, etc. and is not the way they hoped it would be. And I have to invest additional time anyway trying to identify and resolve the missing odds and ends.

 

[nlinecomputers]

And a fresh installed PC always works better than any fixed one. And with FABS you have all the files and settings, lists of installed programs, and printers. And most printers just plug up and work in Windows 10. If what I am doing takes longer than 2 hours to resolve I am losing money. I might as well be losing it getting the system back to a place I KNOW will work than wasting time with unbillable hours. Clients don't care if you nuke and pave they only care if it is working like it use too and I am very confident with the tools and knowledge I have that I can restore the PC to a better condition then when it arrived and probably even better than recent times for the end user.

 

[mraikes]

And a fresh installed PC always works better than any fixed one. And with FABS you have all the files and settings, lists of installed programs, and printers. And most printers just plug up and work in Windows 10. If what I am doing takes longer than 2 hours to resolve I am losing money. I might as well be losing it getting the system back to a place I KNOW will work than wasting time with unbillable hours. Clients don't care if you nuke and pave they only care if it is working like it use too and I am very confident with the tools and knowledge I have that I can restore the PC to a better condition then when it arrived and probably even better than recent times for the end user.

Look, I know my customer. I know her situation. I know what Fabs can and can't do. I know most printers are plug and play in w10 (but not always full featured multi-function). I appreciate the point you are making, and it may be that a reset will be the necessary and appropriate solution.

But I also know that a lot of Technibblers have experience far beyond mine and someone here may have run into this exact problem and figured out a solution. If you haven't, that's fine.

 

[GreyWolf]

I'm the same if I can avoid having all re-installed I'll get access to the PC one way or another.

If the drive is not encrypted you could boot with a Windows PE and edit the registry to disable start up items and see if one is the cause?

• Open Registry Editor.
• Go to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

 

[Mick]

Then I may still have a satisfied client, but one that has to deal with some level of frustration because the computer will be missing programs, printers, etc. and is not the way they hoped it would be.

Exactly this. That's why I regard N & P as a last resort. Basically, it just doesn't provide the customer with the repair job they wanted. They want their computer back 'the way it was' - not with all the programs that actually made it worth-while to use missing.

 

[Porthos]

Exactly this. That's why I regard N & P as a last resort. Basically, it just doesn't provide the customer with the repair job they wanted. They want their computer back 'the way it was' - not with all the programs that actually made it worth-while to use missing.

That is the difference now with 10. Sometimes you can't fix it. You can not do a repair install UNLESS you are booted into windows.

That is why I encourage IMAGE backups every 30 days at the minimum.

If a client is willing to pay for all the extra labor it is going to take to attempt to fix it then by all means go for it. If successful I would eliminate the possible cause like a 3rd party AV and do a repair install of the current build to "refresh" the OS.

 

[Mick]

That is the difference now with 10. Sometimes you can't fix it. You can not do a repair install UNLESS you are booted into windows.

That is why I encourage IMAGE backups every 30 days at the minimum.

If a client is willing to pay for all the extra labor it is going to take to attempt to fix it then by all means go for it. If successful I would eliminate the possible cause like a 3rd party AV and do a repair install of the current build to "refresh" the OS.

I fully get what you're saying. But with a lot of my clients, I find it nearly impossible to explain that even though I'm telling them it's fixed, Word isn't there anymore, nor is that lovely image-editing program that came on a disk with their camera and which they've now lost.

 

[Porthos]

Word isn't there anymore

That is sometimes easy if they legitimately owned Office.

This is why I explain (with video and audio recording) in EXPLICIT detail what will and won't be installed anymore. I also (especially for repete clients) remind them that is why I suggested for them to do proper Image backups.

 

[Sky-Knight]

@Porthos, so much of this is so much easier now that O365 for homes is $100 / year for six people to have office. But they still have to have enough brain cells to keep their account credentials.

For the rest, LibreOffice!

 

[mraikes]

How about this option?

https://4sysops.com/archives/reset-a-windows-10-password

The password is known and works fine, it's the sign-in page that never appears. And unfortunately that site's suggestion revolves around the function of the sign in page.

However, I had already used the command line to create a new user hoping I would be prompted upon reboot to choose which user to sign in as, but no luck there.

 

[mraikes]

I'm the same if I can avoid having all re-installed I'll get access to the PC one way or another.

If the drive is not encrypted you could boot with a Windows PE and edit the registry to disable start up items and see if one is the cause?

• Open Registry Editor.
• Go to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Very good thought. I booted into Gandalf's pe and checked that, but there's nothing there - that is, the "Run" entry doesn't exist. Runonce exists, but nothing in it. I also checked hkey_local_machine which includes the Run entry, but has only Windows Defender.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Can you slave the drive and run DSIM on it? (or an image so not to risk making it worse...)

 

[GreyWolf]

Damn I was hoping you would get a luck of the draw.. I wonder if you could get the registry to auto login...

Let me do some searching .. I'll get back the moment I find you something.

 

[nlinecomputers]

I don't think it is a login issue. This is a driver or service problem.

 

[mraikes]

Can you slave the drive and run DSIM on it? (or an image so not to risk making it worse...)

That's a good idea. I had to step away from my bench for a while, but I'm going to try this when I get back.