Windows 10 loops between login and lock screens ad infinitum

caleula · 06 Aug 2016

Strange problem here. I have four Dell desktops set up the same way as my Dell laptops, however, the desktops all work fine but the laptops don't. I have the latest Windows 10 Anniversary Edition installed and the only way I can get it to work is by installing a basic build, with nothing kept.

If I install Windows 10 and keep the existing files, upon boot, the laptop loops between the login and lock screens ad infinitum. The only thought is that I have all but Shutdown and Restart set and all other options greyed out. Is there an easy Regedit patch available to reactivate Hibernate, Sleep, Lock, Switch user, etc?

My plan is to restore a previous Windows 10 image and reactivate all of the above options and then to upgrade to the latest Windows 10 to try and prove my theory.

dalchina · 07 Aug 2016

Hi, it sounds like you may be saying that if you do a clean install on your laptops, all is fine.. (or at least if you opt not to keep existing files) "If I install Windows 10 and keep the existing files".

If so, this suggests sthg you have installed or configured is interfering.

Hibernate isn't recommended these days.

Consider this, and try powercgf -a from a command prompt:
I have two new laptops (an HP and a Gateway) with Win 7 Pro on each, and set up
exactly the same. On the Gateway, the sleep and hibernate work fine.
On the HP, the sleep and hibernate are greyed out.

Using cmd: powercfg -a
The Gateway shows " the following sleep states are available ... Standby (S3),
Hibernate Hybrid Sleep"

The HP shows "sleep states not available..system firmware does not support
standby state" "legacy driver vgasave .. prevents this standby state"

caleula · 07 Aug 2016

Many thanks for your reply.

Yes, if I do a clean install on my laptops, all is fine. I copied the original menu items across and installed software from there, knowing what I was looking for.

I never use Hibernate, Sleep, Lock, etc and had previously greyed them out in the Shut Down menu. They work fine on my tower desktops set up the same way which seems strange.

Thanks for the powercgf -a tip.

Having a break for a while as all computers are activated already and are image backed up. I use Terabyte Unlimited's IFL (Image For Linux) for the images.