Broken lockscreen image, doesn't log in

Question

When my laptop first turns on, right after the loading up of the actual laptop, it shows me the broken icon instead of my lockscreen.

Afterwards, when I press enter or click to continue, it shows me pure black, although I can move my mouse around through both of my monitors, If it doesn't fall asleep from me not moving it, it goes back to the broken icon lockscreen. I'm absolutely stuck here.

Yesterday I had no problems with my laptop, beyond some lag I attributed to Firefox.

What do I do, or how do I fix this?

Answer 1

Start your PC, just as Windows attempts to load (spinning dots), press and hold Power Button for 5 - 10 seconds to perform a Hard Shut Down

Do this twice

On the third start Windows will boot into the Recovery Environment and from there you can access System Repair, Safe Mode, Command Prompt... etc.

Please try each option one at a time, then see if Windows will boot to a stable system.

Go to Troubleshoot - Advanced Option - Startup Repair

See if Windows startup can repair itself

Go to Troubleshoot - Advanced Option - System Restore

Check to see if you have a restore point you can go back to

Answer 2

It sounds like you're experiencing a problem with your Windows login process, which can often be related to graphics drivers or system settings. Here are some steps you can try to resolve the issue:

1. Reset the Graphics Driver: Press the Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B. This can reset the graphics driver and may resolve display issues.
2. Check the Shell Configuration:
   • Press the Windows logo key + R, type regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
   • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon.
   • Ensure that the Shell value data is set to explorer.exe. If it is not, back up the registry and change it to explorer.exe.
   • Check the permissions of the registry key to ensure they match those on a functioning device.
3. Perform a Clean Boot: This can help identify if a startup application or service is causing the issue. You can find instructions on how to perform a clean boot on the Microsoft support site.
4. Update Graphics Drivers: If you can access Safe Mode, consider updating your graphics drivers to the latest version.
5. Check for Hardware Issues: If the problem persists, it may be worth checking for any hardware issues, such as a failing graphics card or monitor.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, you may need to consider restoring your system to a previous state or reinstalling Windows if necessary.

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References:

• Scenario guide: Black screen after you sign in to the system
• Troubleshooting Custom Logon