windows 8.1 hangs on Please Wait screen (restoreoptin)

Anonymous
2013-10-19T03:11:39+00:00

When logging in, a Please Wait screen shows up along with a Cancel button. I tried letting it sit there for more than half an hour but nothing happens. I noticed the application is letterboxed and I can use Win+D to see that the desktop show up. The screen stays on top blocking all mouse activity and most of my screen.

Eventually I logged into another account and found restoreoptin running and terminated it. That removed it from my original account however it will do it again if I log out and log back in.

Any ideas?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

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Anonymous
2013-10-25T17:25:19+00:00

<Modifying post to help other find the answer quickly>

I found another workaround that allows for still using skydrive, and further confirms the relationship to skydrive setup.

(This is the method I used)

  1. login to the affected account
  2. Press Windows Key + L to lock the computer
  3. Switch to a user account with administrator priveledges
  4. open task manager & switch to the "Processes" tab (Press "More Details" if don't see a processes tab)
  5. find restoreoptin.exe & end task that process
  6. switch back to affected account (Start Page, click your account name/picture, click the account you want to switch to)
  7. Open Charm menu (windows key + C), select "Settings", then Change PC Settings
  8. Select Skydrive
  9. Modify the File Storage, Camera Roll, and Sync Settings (not sure which one does the trick)
  10. logout & log back in
  11. you should no longer be prompted with the blank 'please wait' screen

Another workaround that should achieve the same, as posted by others:

  1. login to the affected account
  2. Press Windows Key + r
  3. Type:

taskkill /f /im restoreoptin.exe 4. Open Charm menu (windows key + C), select "Settings", then Change PC Settings 5. Select Skydrive 6. Modify the File Storage, Camera Roll, and Sync Settings (not sure which one does the trick) 7. logout & log back in 8. you should no longer be prompted with the blank 'please wait' screen

and just for completeness, you could also try:

  1. login to the affected account
  2. Press: Windows Key + r

Type:

taskkill /f /im restoreoptin.exe 3. Press: Windows Key + x

Press: a

Press: <Alt + Y>

(run cmd as administrator) 4. Type:

cd c:\windows\system32

restoreOptIn.exe /Ramp
  1. Complete the Wizard

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Anonymous
2014-01-03T18:25:43+00:00

I fixed it much more simply. I had to recently rebuild my dell xps 27 and started with 8.0. Setup everyone's account since I have a home network and domain setup. Then upgraded, I ran into the same issue as everyone here in the post. What I had to do to fix is is unassociated all the windows live/Hotmail/outlook accounts from the domain accounts and then re-apply them. This then asked me to verify that the account has permissions to skydrive, and asked for verification. Texted me, I put in the verification code and it was fixed on all accounts. Someone also mentioned making it a local account and then reassigning to your windows account. Seems to fix it as well.

Steps for Domain accounts:

  1. Remove association from your windows account
  2. Re-add your windows account
  3. verify that the pc has permissions to back up your info to sky drive/turn off sync with sky drive.

Windows Account:

  1. Make it a local account
  2. Re-add your windows account
  3. Verify that the pc has permissions to backup your info to sky drive/turn off sync with sky drive.

Appears to be a bug in the 8.1 upgrade where the pc and sky drive trust is broken, it didn't happen until I received a windows update, but I could see this happening if you download the patches during the upgrade process.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-12-28T16:09:09+00:00

    Thank you all for the help.  My Dell 17 7000 series laptop came with Windows 8.1 pre-installed.  I reset the PC again last night, since there was a lockup on Windows Updates.  It stated that it was downloading and installing updates but sat at 1 of 28 for a few hours.  I reset the PC overnight and this morning, I set up 2 accounts and updated the NVIDIA drivers.  Upon login to one account, I received the Please Wait screen again.  I hit Windows + L and switched accounts to delete the restoreoptin.exe process and switched back again.  I made one account a local account, which I will primarily use.  The machine is currently downloading and installing an infinite amount of updates.

    Since this is a new PC, I'm hesitant to keep it, especially if I will constantly have to switch accounts to delete the restoreoptin.exe process.  It's just a silly extra step that shouldn't have to be performed on a brand new computer.  I don't know what is generating this issue.  I have many friend with 8.1 and NO issues.  They use OneDrive but they all have different video cards.  That may be the issue?? 

    Being on a local account also disconnects from OneDrive.  I can function without OneDrive but why do I have to??  If I encounter the problems again today or tomorrow, the computer will be going back to the store for good.  I'm hesitant to install any software on it because it'll be a waste when I have to reset the PC and install everything again. 

    I have hope that it might be fixed but time will tell.... I'm confident only because the fixes you have posted have worked for you.  I'm very frustrated and disappointed.  I'm not a techie so I prefer my PC to work right out of the box.  I'll be researching Mac over the course of the next few hours - as my Mac owner friends have never had an issue like this.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-12-28T19:30:31+00:00

    Still not working right..... I've reset the PC to factory settings and I still get that screen on one Admin account.  Not on the other 2 that I created though, just the one.... Once I end the RESTOREOPTIN.exe task, it goes away and I'm able to switch around accounts without issue.  However, once I reboot the PC, it comes back. 

    I don't want to have to remove the task EVERY single time I power up the PC.... especially since it's a couple of days old.  Waiting on Costco Concierge and Dell for a remedy... if not, remedied, it's gone.  I haven't installed any programs I use on it yet

    • thank goodness.

    Not sure what else there is to do....

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-12-28T20:25:33+00:00

    if that problem account is still a microsoft account, make it a local account for awhile. Don't load any stuff yet, just run through a couple of shutdowns, and go through at least one microsoft update.

    In a couple of days try a microsoft account again...good luck

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