control+alt+delete not working on lock screen

I recently ran autoruns and disabled some things from running at startup such as cloud storage, Bluetooth, Plex. I used filters and hid all Microsoft items.

Now on the lockscreen Control+Alt+Delete do not do anything and I am locked out of my computer.

I have not been able to access Safe Mode by pushing any possible F key for months either. The only way I can is through msconfig. If there is a way to access msconfig without loading windows please let me know.

Thanks,

Danny R

UPDATE!!!

I just discovered a System Image of the computer I am locked out of on one of my external usb backup drives. It was created on 6/11/17 so that is pretty close to the date I got locked out. I have not yet restored a system created with Reflect so any advice on making that smooth as can be would be appreciated.

Mostly, I want to know how to disable Control+Alt+Delete so this never happens again. There is no need for it on my home pc which at this point is basically acting as a media server.

Thanks,

Danny R

Hi, perhaps your easiest way out of this is to use System Restore- if System Restore works (plenty of issues with it). That is if you have any useful restore points- and you would have had to turn on System Restore as it's off by default in Win 10.

You have disabled MS items, which as you now know is not a good idea, so behaviour can be unpredictable.

Try SHIFT + left click on restart e.g. from Restart from the power button on the login screen, and then navigate to System Restore.

Failing that, the same route lets you get to Safe Mode, where you can access Autoruns to reverse your changes.


Note: we constantly and strongly recommend the routine use of disk imaging (e.g. Macrium Reflect (free) + its boot medium + external storage for image sets)
This lets you recover from
- user error
- failed or inaccessible disk
- corruption
- unbootable PC

quickly and without technical help by restoring your PC to a prior working state. It also provides a complete backup.

dalchina said:

Hi, perhaps your easiest way out of this is to use System Restore- if System Restore works (plenty of issues with it). That is if you have any useful restore points- and you would have had to turn on System Restore as it's off by default in Win 10.

You have disabled MS items, which as you now know is not a good idea, so behaviour can be unpredictable.

Try SHIFT + left click on restart e.g. from Restart from the power button on the login screen, and then navigate to System Restore.

Failing that, the same route lets you get to Safe Mode, where you can access Autoruns to reverse your changes.


Note: we constantly and strongly recommend the routine use of disk imaging (e.g. Macrium Reflect (free) + its boot medium + external storage for image sets)
This lets you recover from
- user error
- failed or inaccessible disk
- corruption
- unbootable PC

quickly and without technical help by restoring your PC to a prior working state. It also provides a complete backup.

I thank you for your advice and if I was able to do any of the steps you outlined I would have already done so and not needed help.

I am stuck on the lockscreen and Control+Alt+Delete does nothing so I cannot access Restore Points which I have created, I cannot SHIFT+Left Click when I Restart, I am not sure what you are referring to when you indicated I have "disabled MS items" and as I also stated I am unable to access Safe Mode during
boot using a function key. I don't know why but it has been this way since about 4 Preview Builds ago...

I was on my way to make a disk image with Reflect before attempting to reverse what I did with Autoruns when the lockout happened.

Ok, you can start system restore if you boot from a Win 10 bootable medium.

zbook said:

See if you can get to the Windows recovery or advanced troubleshooting menu by power on and as soon as you see the Microsoft icon power off. Repeat this step again. And repeat it a third time. The timing for the power off is critical for the method to work. If it works you should see the message "diagnosing your PC" with spinning dots. If it advances to the windows recovery or advanced troubleshooting menu you will have options to choose.
Start with a restore point. If there are no valid restore points choose startup repair. If startup repair does not work then attempt reset with save files. If reset with save files does not work then plan a repair using a windows 10 iso or an in place upgrade repair using a windows 10 iso.

well I discovered that I made a full backup image using Reflect on 6/11/17 which is stored on external usb drive. using my WindowsPE10 usb stick I can restore that backup image although believe I have a system restore point that is even more current than that.

I am able to open an elevated command window in WindowsPE10.

Is there a command I can issue to disable the Ctrl+Alt+Del step or reset the lockscreen and password so I do not have to do any restoring?

This last scenario would be ideal (so I am 99% sure not going to be an option for me of course)

dalchina said:

Hi, perhaps your easiest way out of this is to use System Restore- if System Restore works (plenty of issues with it). That is if you have any useful restore points- and you would have had to turn on System Restore as it's off by default in Win 10.

You have disabled MS items, which as you now know is not a good idea, so behaviour can be unpredictable.

Try SHIFT + left click on restart e.g. from Restart from the power button on the login screen, and then navigate to System Restore.

Failing that, the same route lets you get to Safe Mode, where you can access Autoruns to reverse your changes.


Note: we constantly and strongly recommend the routine use of disk imaging (e.g. Macrium Reflect (free) + its boot medium + external storage for image sets)
This lets you recover from
- user error
- failed or inaccessible disk
- corruption
- unbootable PC

quickly and without technical help by restoring your PC to a prior working state. It also provides a complete backup.

was able to get to Safe Mode and am still blocked by Ctrl+Alt+Delete there as well

Hi, you don't have to enter Safe Mode to start System Restore if you boot your PC from a Win 10 boot disk.

In Troubleshooting/Advanced Options there is a separate menu option for System Restore. Try that first.

If that fails, there is a way to restore the backup copy of your registry. Do you think that would help?

dalchina said:

Hi, you don't have to enter Safe Mode to start System Restore if you boot your PC from a Win 10 boot disk.

In Troubleshooting/Advanced Options there is a separate menu option for System Restore. Try that first.

If that fails, there is a way to restore the backup copy of your registry. Do you think that would help?

I created installation media using insider build 16193 from the Windows Insider Preview site and got to System Restore as outlined in your post but now I get a window that says

To use system restore you must specify which windows installation to restore
Restart this computer, select an operation system and then select System Restore

Am I missing something here? I put in a Windows 10 Installation media and chose clean installation and I don't have dual boot system

I am thinking restoring the registry may be a good idea..i also have that full backup image from 6/11/17 and a WindowsPE10 rescue disk...what do you think?

Latest update 6/20/2017 06:20am:

I have booted with both the WindowsPE10 rescue media as well as the Insider Preview 16193 Installation media successfully but now when I am trying to boot with either of them I get this bag of crap...

Intel UNDI, PXE-2.1 (build 082)
Copyright (C) 1997-2000 Intel Corporation

For Realtek PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller Series v2.26 (090219)
PXE-E61 : Media test failure, check cable
PXE-M0F : Exiting PXE ROM.
Invalid Partition Table


I read on another forum that it is because the hard drive needs to be first in the boot order but that would not be possible in my case because I need to boot from the usb drive

Now what?