Share via

Windows 10 - Spinning dots when trying to unlock after screen timeout

Question

Wednesday, April 5, 2017 8:03 AM

I came across this issue at the end of last year (Dec. 2016) and after months of searching KB articles and changing countless settings; I am still presented with this issue.

 

The issue - When I have built one of the machines to our standard and I join it to our domain. Then I log into either the local administrator account or a network account, after the machine has been left so that the screen times out and locks. Upon doing the Ctrl + Alt + Del to get the password screen I am presented with a blue screen with spinning white circles that go on indefinitely until the screen times out again. The only way that I gotten past this is to reboot the machine by force shutting down and rebooting. Only then can I log back in.

 

At first, we found a couple of possible fixes that were disabling the different lock screens:

 

  • C > Windows > SystemApps and locate the Microsoft.LockApp_cw5n1h4txyewy folder.
  • CMD > GPEDIT > Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Personalization > Do not display lock screen = Enabled
  • Regedit > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Personalization > Now on the right pane of the Personalization key, create a new DWORD value (If Personalization is not present create it manually. To do so go to the right pane and right click on the empty area.) > Select the option DWORD > name it as NoLockScreen. > Double click it and under the Edit DWORD Value window set its value as 1.

 

Then by disabling PCI Express Link State Power Management:

 

  • Power options>Change Plan Settings>Change Advanced Power Settings>PCI Express>Link State Power Management > On Battery = Off + Plugged In  = Off

 

Also disabling credential manager:

 

  • Services > Credential Manager > Stop > Properties > Disabled

 

And finally, by disabling Intel Management Engine

 

  • Services > Intel® Management and Security Application Local Management Service> Stop > Properties > Disabled

 

We then thought it might be something to do with conflicting group policy objects in the active directory OU that it was in.  we created a test OU and added the group policies back in one by one, initially there were no lock outs, I could leave it to lock 5/6 times and it would unlock as expected every time. Then we got to the point where we noticed the issue started again, so we took the previous group policy out. Still the issue occurred. This is when I noticed that I could unlock the machine if I unlocked it straight after a lock out but not if it was left for more than 10/15 minutes.

This has left me with absolutely no ideas of what to try next or even what this could be pointing at. This issue has now started to stop me from issuing new laptops, as I cannot give a laptop out that will essentially freeze when locked and require a reboot every time.

All replies (7)

Thursday, April 6, 2017 9:13 AM

Hi ,

There is a possibility that Windows logon option got corrupted by third party applications or incompatible drivers. So, please boot into safe mode and clean boot environment to have a test.
Start your PC in safe mode in Windows 10
https://support.microsoft.com/en-sg/help/12376/windows-10-start-your-pc-in-safe-mode
How to perform a clean boot in Windows
https://support.microsoft.com/en-sg/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows

Besides, I found a similar case for your reference.  Third part login could be the culprit, such as Fingerprint software. If this is your case, disable it to have a test.
Can't unlock Windows 10 after screen timeout or resume from sleep
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/c7df7838-ab91-43e3-a645-69454c23d51c/cant-unlock-windows-10-after-screen-timeout-or-resume-from-sleep?forum=win10itprogeneral

Best regards

Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help.
If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact [email protected].

Monday, April 10, 2017 10:49 AM

Hi Rick,

I am currently in the process of testing the machine in safe mode and this does look like the machine does not present with the spinning circles in safe mode. However, with regards to your second point about the fingerprint software, there is no biometrics software/drivers installed on the machine. 

Tuesday, April 11, 2017 9:27 AM

Hi ,

If the issue is gone is safe mode, then it probably caused by incompatible or corrupted drivers. Please download the last version of Windows 10 drivers(especially graphics card driver) for your machine model from manufacturer and reinstall to have a test.

Best regards

Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help.
If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact [email protected].

Wednesday, April 12, 2017 11:00 AM

Ran Dell Command update and all drivers are stated as being up to date. Force uninstalled the graphics driver, windows automatically reinstalled the latest version. 

This problem only occurs when joined to the domain, when first installed windows unlocks as expected. This makes it hard to believe its a driver issue.

Thursday, June 7, 2018 11:58 AM

i have exactly the same problem. Do you found any solution? which AV Software do you use? Symantec?

Tuesday, July 24, 2018 12:33 AM

Did you ever find a solution to this? We have a 2016 Storage Server with exactly the same issue.
One addition to your comments is that we are able to RDP to the machine when it is in this state, just cant log in via the console/Labtech/Teamviewer.

Extremely annoying.

Thursday, September 27, 2018 2:39 PM

Same issue here : reinstalled computer to factory settings, works normally till I join the domain. After that it's stuck on the spinning dots after login screen.

Have you found a solution to the issue?

R.