Problems with sign-in after sysprep

Hi,

I used SysPrep a little while ago to reset my system for anticipation of a motherboard swap. So I ran sysprep and then installed new motherboard and when I rebooted for first time again Windows setup created a new user. So now I have two users the first of which windows refuses to assign a logon pin for. The second newer user account I cant delete without getting stuck at the logon screen. So not sure how to fix this short of a clean install of Windows 10. Anyone have a solution I would appreciate it.

Thank you

Kari said:

Hi David, welcome to the Ten Forums.

In Windows 7 it was and is important to generalize the Windows installation before transferring it to a new PC or the same PC when hardware will be replaced. For this I have written a tutorial on our sister site the Seven Forums: Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer - Windows 7 Help Forums

However, although the method in that Windows 7 tutorial also applies to Windows 8, 8.1 and 10, they are much better in coping with the hardware changes and usually you don't even have to generalize Windows before switching a motherboard like you did. Using the Sysprep generalizing is in any case a sure way to make Windows to work when replacing the motherboard. That being said, you have done right in using the method but sadly you have also done something wrong; the issues you told about do not occur when generalizing is done correctly.

To show you the workflow in Windows 10 I repeated the process now in a virtual to check it really works in Windows 10 as I have told in that Windows 7 tutorial. Here's how it should be done in Windows 10:

1. Close all programs and applications, run the sysprep command with generalize, oobe and shutdown switches:

2. When sysprep has shut down your PC, replace the motherboard

3. Start PC normally, it will now go through the OOBE / Welcome mode

4. Create a temporary local admin account:




5. Let Windows prepare the user profile for this temporary account, sign out as soon as you arrive to desktop

6. Now select your old, original admin account and sign in. Notice that because you have generalized Windows, it needs to go through a short user profile setup process as if your old account would be a new account. However, when setup is ready and your old account desktop is shown, you'll notice that all your data is there; Windows recreated your user account using the same username, user profile folder and data.

7. When signed in with your old, original user account simply delete the temporary user you had to create in step 4 (tutorial)

That's it. Your original user account will now work exactly as it did before the generalizing. If the PIN sign-in is not working, just remove the PIN and set a new one.

Kari

I wish I followed those steps earlier but what I did last night was enable the administrative account, backed up the data from the old account that I couldn't even set a pin for, logged into the newer account sysprep had created and deleted the old account. This time I was able to log into windows without any bricking issues. My thoughts are that the new account sysprep had created had become the master account and deleting it confused Windows 10 as the older account must have been partially corrupt maybe. Now its working though thanks.

Kari said:

Hi David, welcome to the Ten Forums.

In Windows 7 it was and is important to generalize the Windows installation before transferring it to a new PC or the same PC when hardware will be replaced. For this I have written a tutorial on our sister site the Seven Forums: Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer - Windows 7 Help Forums

However, although the method in that Windows 7 tutorial also applies to Windows 8, 8.1 and 10, they are much better in coping with the hardware changes and usually you don't even have to generalize Windows before switching a motherboard like you did. Using the Sysprep generalizing is in any case a sure way to make Windows to work when replacing the motherboard. That being said, you have done right in using the method but sadly you have also done something wrong; the issues you told about do not occur when generalizing is done correctly.

To show you the workflow in Windows 10 I repeated the process now in a virtual to check it really works in Windows 10 as I have told in that Windows 7 tutorial. Here's how it should be done in Windows 10:

1. Close all programs and applications, run the sysprep command with generalize, oobe and shutdown switches:

2. When sysprep has shut down your PC, replace the motherboard

3. Start PC normally, it will now go through the OOBE / Welcome mode

4. Create a temporary local admin account:




5. Let Windows prepare the user profile for this temporary account, sign out as soon as you arrive to desktop

6. Now select your old, original admin account and sign in. Notice that because you have generalized Windows, it needs to go through a short user profile setup process as if your old account would be a new account. However, when setup is ready and your old account desktop is shown, you'll notice that all your data is there; Windows recreated your user account using the same username, user profile folder and data.

7. When signed in with your old, original user account simply delete the temporary user you had to create in step 4 (tutorial)

That's it. Your original user account will now work exactly as it did before the generalizing. If the PIN sign-in is not working, just remove the PIN and set a new one.

Kari

I do this and now start menu and search don't work....