Many persistent errors in Event Viewer after Windows 11 build 22598.ni_release.220408-1503: "Autopilot.dll wil error was reported"

Question

I used to be part of the the Windows 11 Insider Beta channel. After updating to build 22598.ni_release.220408-1503 I began to see the same error in Event Viewer extremely frequently:

The errors are all the same and read as follows:

Autopilot.dll WIL error was reported.

HRESULT: 0x80070491

File: onecoreuap\admin\moderndeployment\autopilot\dll\dllmain.cpp, line 128

Message: NULL

I have never used any program called Autopilot or Modern Deployment. After seeing this problem I immediately left the insider program and am now queued for enrollment. However no new Windows update has happened and these errors persist. How do I prevent these errors?

Answer 1

I think I've found a solution that doesn't involve turning off the Sign-In Assistant. Credit goes to this reddit user - https://www.reddit.com/r/windows/comments/y6p4df/comment/isqwnm9/

I found the Autopilot application extension at C:\Windows\System32\autopilot.dll and changed the file name to "autopilot.dll.bak". I did have to change the settings to make myself the file owner instead of TrustedInstaller* and then allow Admins to modify the file, but since changing the file name I've gone from 90+ errors in an hour to none. It almost miraculously cooled my computer off as well, which I didn't even suspect as being a side effect. I've been having the issue of unexpected crashes while in sleep, so I'll have to report back after a while to see if that's improved.

*I did this step very quickly but it's something like right click on autopilot.dll Properties > Security > Advanced > Change Owner > enter your machine name. Back to Security > Edit > Select Administrators > Allow Full Control > OK

Disclaimer: I don't fully know the purpose of Autopilot or what impact changing the file type will have on your system, but based on my research it seems like if it's your personal computer that's already set up, it doesn't serve an important function

UPDATE: As someone else mentioned, the file will be replaced eventually like after Windows updates or if you run a disk check. I decided to do a clean install of Windows 11 because I found this so frustrating and so far the Event ID for this error hasn't even been created yet. I know that's an annoying step but constantly going back to delete autopilot.dll would have driven me crazy. So my fix above "works" but will need to be repeated fairly often

Answer 2

Changing the filename of the dll will very likely disable the service, contrary to what you state in your opening line.

Answer 3

When I disabled the Sign-In assistant as described by other comments in this thread all of my connected Microsoft products like my office programs stopped working and had to be re-signed in and occasionally didn't work at all. Since changing the autopilot file type there have been no issues and no errors.

Answer 4

On my Win 11 I tried your solution, but after a restart there is a brand new autopilot.dll file near autopilot.dll.bkp, and the problem is back again: