Windows 10 x86 log in issues after joining a domain (since 2022-01 Cumulative Update KB5010793)

Luke Gibbons 1 Reputation point
2022-06-22T12:16:06.44+00:00

Hello,

After installing the 2022-01 20H2 x86 cumulative update KB5010793 on a workstation joined to a Windows Domain, all new user profile creations no longer work. This issue persists across every CU since January and is still not resolved in this month’s June CU. Domain Administrator user accounts start to logon but result in a ‘username.domain’ profile being created and the logon never succeeds. Domain Standard user accounts result in the error “Windows couldn't connect to the System Event Notification Service service” and likewise result in a ‘username.domain’ profile being created.

Interestingly, I thought the issue was only present for domain accounts, however the issue also extends to local workstation accounts as well. If you create a local account BEFORE joining the domain but AFTER installing the latest CU, all local accounts log in correctly without issue. If the workstation is then joined to a domain and a new local account tries to log in, it instantly results in the “Windows couldn't connect to the System Event Notification Service service” error. There has to be some issue that hasn't been resolved for x86 versions of Windows 10 since the 2022-01 CU which causes issues with logging into Windows.

From the Windows Event logs, it would appear the SENS error is not the sole error and what actually happens is that 10+ core windows services instantly crash during the logon process, one of them being the SENS service, so there's a much bigger issue than this error alone.

Prior to installing the 2022-01 CU or later, e.g. 2021-12 CU, everything continues to work exactly as expected and only breaks when installing a CU from this year.

I have performed the following steps already to narrow this issue down:

  1. Installed Windows without any customisations using the ISO to rule out a custom config causing the issue.
  2. As the ISO has not been patched by Microsoft since 2020 (20H2 in use), I have installed every single CU in the intended release order to rule out a missing SSU prerequisite and this has not resolved the issue.
  3. Installed the CU followed by a Domain Join.
  4. Domain Join followed by the CU installation.
  5. Updated all required drivers to rule this out (some articles suggest the SENS error is related to GPU drivers).
  6. After joining the domain, relocating various OUs to rule out GPOs to the point where to workstation now resides in its own OU with inheritance blocked. Running RSOP or GPResult /r confirm zero GPOs are applying to the workstation and yet the issue persists.
  7. To rule out hardware I have tested this across 2 different models of workstation with different drivers and both result in the same issue.
  8. To rule out 20H2 being the issue, I have installed 21H2 only to find the issue remains on this version as well.
  9. If the domain or local user account had been logged in prior to installing the CU, they will continue to log in afterwards. The issue only affects new account creation.

As this issue only becomes apparent after joining the domain, it's clear this is where the issue lies, however as zero GPOs are applying, I'm unsure exactly which part of the domain join process is causing the problem. In addition, joining the domain prior to installing the 2022-01 x86 CU or later does work fine, so it's definitely something included in the CU from January 2022 onwards that has yet to be resolved.

Why 32-Bit you ask? We have a 16-Bit application that we cannot upgrade at present, so we're relying on 32-Bit to prop up the application in the meantime. We desperately need to have a working upgraded version of Windows to replace 1809.

The 64-Bit equivalent from January 2022 with a domain join works exactly as expected, so I can only assume the poor adoption rate for 32-Bit over 64-Bit has meant this issue has gone unnoticed.

After 5 weeks of continued investigation, I have now exhausted all plausible routes of cause and I need to get this raised for the attention of Microsoft to see whether they can resolve the issues or hope that someone in the community has come across this issue.

Thank you

Windows 10
Windows 10
A Microsoft operating system that runs on personal computers and tablets.
10,617 questions
Windows
Windows
A family of Microsoft operating systems that run across personal computers, tablets, laptops, phones, internet of things devices, self-contained mixed reality headsets, large collaboration screens, and other devices.
4,746 questions
Active Directory
Active Directory
A set of directory-based technologies included in Windows Server.
5,851 questions
Windows 10 Security
Windows 10 Security
Windows 10: A Microsoft operating system that runs on personal computers and tablets.Security: The precautions taken to guard against crime, attack, sabotage, espionage, or another threat.
2,754 questions
0 comments

3 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. rr-4098 1,176 Reputation points
    2022-06-25T08:25:32.613+00:00

    Nice work troubleshooting this issue. Have you tried any of the suggestions in the following article? https://www.drivereasy.com/knowledge/solved-windows-could-not-connect-to-the-system-event-notification-service-service/

    0 comments
  2. Wesley Li-MSFT 4,376 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2022-06-27T09:28:51.787+00:00

    Hi@Luke Gibbons

    We have checked all the updated patch notes since January 2022, and found no instructions related to this problem, nor did we find other cases with the same problem as yours.
    https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/windows-10-update-history-857b8ccb-71e4-49e5-b3f6-7073197d98fb

    After installing the KB5010793 CU as you mentioned, the domain management account cannot log in, but "username.domain" will be created. Do you have any pictures related to this problem?

    In addition, can you provide the relevant windows event log files when the new account fails to log in, so that we can analyze it?

    Best Regards,
    Wesley Li

    0 comments
  3. Limitless Technology 39,351 Reputation points
    2022-06-28T07:16:59.17+00:00

    Hello LukeGibbons

    The issue still don´t appear as catalogued in the Windows Release Health (https://docsmicrosoft com/en-us/windows/release-health/) for any of the versions since 20H2. Since you have already exhausted most investigations, as well can reproduce a consistent behavior, the recommendation is to open Contact Microsoft using the Feedback option in Windows to report an issue or Bug or to open a Support Case in order to investigate the bug with your examples.

    Report a bug or issue:
    https://supportmicrosoftcom/en-us/office/how-do-you-report-an-issue-or-bug-a318252f-cc24-4e95-bec9-71bd2dbc379d

    Open a Support Ticket:
    https://support microsoft com/en-gb/topic/global-customer-service-phone-numbers-c0389ade-5640-e588-8b0e-28de8afeb3f2

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    --If the reply is helpful, please Upvote and Accept as answer--

    0 comments