Builds 19593 to 20226 User Profile Logon Issue - Workaround Included

Anonymous
2020-10-06T04:41:28+00:00

If you'd like to share a link to this post, we've created a short URL to assist:https://aka.ms/20226profile

*Edit*  This scenario could impact users in the Dev Channel (only) on builds 19593 through 20226.  The same workaround applies to any user in this build range in the Dev Channel who experiences this scenario.

Hello Windows Insiders,

After the launch of build 20226 to the Dev channel, a small number of users have reported not being able to log into their user profile(s) as expected.  This post covers this scenario, including a workaround for those affected who see the following message:

Note: this workaround ONLY applies to builds 19593 through 20226 on the Dev channel.  It does not apply to Retail users, or users in the Beta or Release Preview Channels..

Note:  the included steps assume your Windows installation is defaulted to the C: drive.  If you have installed Windows on a different drive letter, please replace c: with the proper drive letter for your installation.

To bypass this issue, please complete the following steps:

If your account is an Administrator account on the affected device:

  1. When you see the “We can’t sign into your account” dialogue, click the Close button.
  2. Open an elevated Command Prompt window.
  3. Enter and submit the following commands one line at a time:
    • cd c:\users%username%
    • takeown /F ntuser.dat*
    • icacls ntuser.dat* /reset
    • icacls ntuser.dat* /setowner "SYSTEM"
  4. Sign out.
  5. You will stop seeing the above dialog on your next sign-in.

If your account is NOT an Administrator account on the affected device:

  1. When you see the “We can’t sign into your account” dialogue, click the Close button.
  2. Open a standard Command Prompt window.
  3. Enter the following command:
    • Echo %username%
    • (Make note of the returned username, you will use it in step 6)
  4. Close the standard Command Prompt window.
  5. Open an elevated Command Prompt window.
  6. Enter and submit the following commands one line at a time:
    • cd c:\users\username
    • takeown /F ntuser.dat*
    • icacls ntuser.dat* /reset
    • icacls ntuser.dat* /setowner "SYSTEM"
  7. Sign out
  8. You will stop seeing the above dialog on your next sign-in

If these steps don’t resolve the issue for you on build 20226, you may also complete a rollback to your previous build to bypass.  You may then reinstall build 20226 and you will not encounter the issue a second time.

We’ve identified the cause of the bug and a fix is under development thanks to the swift feedback and insights from the Windows Insider community.

Thank you and keep the feedback coming!

  • The Windows Insider Team
Windows Insider program | Windows Insider preview | Security, privacy, and accounts

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-10-07T19:46:38+00:00

    I had to roll back to 20221.1000 to fix. Can I upgrade straight to 20231 and expect the issue to be fixed?

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-10-07T17:49:42+00:00

    If these steps don’t resolve the issue for you on build 20226, you may also complete a rollback to your previous build to bypass.  You may then reinstall build 20226 and you will not encounter the issue a second time.

    I used the rollback method when I encountered this a few days ago (before seeing this post).  I then reinstalled 20226 and ran into this same issue again today.

    This time, I used the CLI instructions, so we'll see if that works.  I just wanted to highlight that the rollback and reinstall of 20226 does NOT resolve the issue for good.

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-10-06T11:59:45+00:00

    Hi,

    This has fixed my encounter with this situation, however, when in a temporary account I made a new administrator account and then copied the files from the old account across.

    When I then restarted it deleted the temporary account with the copied over files and therefore the original administrator and new account have the files missing.

    Do you know how I can recover the files?

    Many thanks

    Oliver

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-10-06T07:56:09+00:00

    I have been upgrading insider builds for several months up to build 20226. I have not experienced any Sign-in problem with build 20226. Yesterday I clean-installed build 20226 from the iso which I made from the WU files I downloaded when upgrading from build 20221 to 20226. After clean-installing I did not experience any Sign-in issue, either. 

    For a long time I have been using Windows Hello PIN. I also set up my clean-install with a Windows Hello PIN when still in installation phase before first sign-in. I wonder if those having sign-in issues are using passwords to sign in instead of Windows Hello PIN or some other methods.

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-10-06T06:44:19+00:00

    This worked. Thanks 👍

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