New, troublesome Windows 10 Pro Pre-logon screen??

JLOB · 31 May 2020

Either with the latest update, or by inadvertently changing a setting I knew nothing about, I’ve apparently got myself into a situation from which I can’t I can’t extract myself. I’m running Windows 10 Pro, version 1909 18363.836.

Immediately after the latest update, I’ve been plagued by blue screens (haven’t actually SEEN one of those in nine years) of death. This is usually at logon time, but not always. The stop codes are “Critical Process Died” (love that one) and “Kernel Security Check Failure”. A re-start, or two, gets past it. They've actually become less evident during the last two or three hours. I've been checking.

Additionally, I now have a really bothersome pre-logon screen. It shows time and date and a scenic picture, and but much else. I need to hit enter to get to the real logon screen, which seems to no longer remember my logon id! It thinks I’m “Other User”, Doubly troublesome since I have (or did have) and auto-logon that brought me directly to where I need to be to do meaningful tasks. This by only needing to open the lid on my workstation.

If it isn’t (wasn’t) the update, then it was my fault but I just don’t know where to start looking. I have been having some network problems with my home network, and was fooling around with various workgroup and sharing permissions, and could have easily changed something better left be!

I’d appreciate any help or suggestions you might have.

Thanks.

JLOB

dalchina · 31 May 2020

Additionally, I now have a really bothersome pre-logon screen. It shows time and date and a scenic picture, and but much else

That's known as the Lock screen. I'm surprised you've not seen this before- it's normal and the default state that it is presented before the login screen (presumably to hide login names from casual onlookers?)

There is a tutorial in the Tutorials section covering how to auto log on - no lock screen or login screen, and another to avoid logging in again when resuming from sleep.

I have searched this searchable list
Windows 10 Tutorial Index
for you:
Sign in User Account Automatically at Windows 10 Startup

As to the BSODs, please be advised there is a specialist BSOD section of the forum with particular posting requirements to gather data.

Bree · 31 May 2020

JLOB said:

Additionally, I now have a really bothersome pre-logon screen. It shows time and date and a scenic picture, and but much else. I need to hit enter to get to the real logon screen....

That, as dalchina says, is the Lock Screen. The scenic pictures are from Windows Spotlight. You can change that to a picture of your own if you prefer. There is also an option to have the lock screen picture appear on your sign in screen.

Change Lock Screen Background in Windows 10

You specs say you have Pro, if so then you can disable showing a lock screen in the group policy editor, for Home you can use a .reg file.

Enable or Disable Lock Screen in Windows 10

...which seems to no longer remember my logon id! It thinks I’m “Other User”, Doubly troublesome since I have (or did have) and auto-logon that brought me directly to where I need to be to do meaningful tasks. This by only needing to open the lid on my workstation.

The 'Other User' is shown when Sign in User Account Automatically at Windows 10 Startup is set up incorrectly. If it has been told to sign in with an account name that does not exist it will show a sign in for 'Other User'. This could be because the account it was set up for has been deleted or its name changed, or there could have been a typing error in the user name when setting it up (it doesn't check user names and will accept anything you type).

The fix is to set it up again with a correct user name and password.

You would not have seen the lock screen before if the automatic sign in had been working up to now.