PC stuck at a blurry login screen

Anonymous

I recently updated my PC and now it is stuck at the login screen. It boots up normally to the lock screen, after pressing any button or using the mouse it goes to the next screen for the login but does not load the password box and the screen remains blurry. I can use the power, network and easy of access buttons but that is it.

Safe mode will not start, restarting 3 times does not take me to the repair screen, ctrl+alt+delete does nothing, I even tried using ctrl+F8 and nothing has worked. Anyone have any ideas on how to fix/bypass the login screen?

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Anonymous

***FIX***

Initial Steps (Enter Recovery Environment):

Enter Recovery Environment (If you are unable to get into the recovery environment via a menu, you can turn off your system during the initial boot when the Windows logo is on the screen and the dots are circling. Do this at least twice and you'll see the message "Starting Automatic Repair").
Once the recovery environment loads select "See advanced repair options", then "Troubleshoot", then "Advanced options".

Method #1 (Via Command prompt - assumes basic command prompt knowledge):

Click "Command Prompt".
Change directory to your boot drive if necessary (for example, type c: and press <ENTER>)
Type "CD %windir%\system32\config\systemprofile\appdata\local\microsoft\windows\caches <ENTER>
Type "DIR <ENTER>" and make sure you are in the right path. You should see one or more .db files -- usually just cversions.3.db. If there are no files in this directory see the addendum below.
Type "DEL *.* <ENTER>"
Reboot and test

Method #2 (Via Safe Mode and File Explorer - may require adjusting permissions):

Click "Start-up Settings" and "Restart" to reboot the system and get the option to enter Safe Mode.)
At the Startup Settings screen press "4" to boot in Safe Mode.
Log into your administrator-level account.
Open File Explorer and browse to**%windir%\system32\config** (example: c:\windows\system32\config)
Gain access to systemprofile (you may be able to just double-click it to gain access)
Drill down to**%windir%\system32\config\systemprofile\appdata\local\microsoft\windows\caches**
Delete all files inside caches
Reboot and test

Addendum

Some have reported that it is necessary to clear the caches folder of the local user account also or instead of the systemprofile account. If the above procedure does not work for you, delete the file(s) in the local user cache folder (located in %localappdata%\microsoft\windows\caches) using either Safe Mode or the recovery environment command prompt.

Good luck!

Special thanks to John_E_M for first suggesting the localappdata caches folder, and to Artaeos who also narrowed down the problem to the systemprofile caches folder at the same time I did. Great job guys!

**Edited 9/6/2019 to add command prompt method, local account provision, and acknowledgements**

-Forjo

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158 additional answers

Anonymous

2019-08-30T22:23:27+00:00

Nobody that's still stuck at the blurry logon screen will be able to get new updates without manually copying them over from a working machine. Going into windows update in safe mode justs sits at a blank window. It doesn't give an error message that it can't run in safe mode but that seems to be the case. So far none of the updates to come out since the 15th have looked like a fix. Am I correct that they still only push out updates on Tuesdays besides the windows defender definitions?

Hey Forjo, I certainly don't want to let M$ off the hook. These forums are pretty limited in features and I'm not sure how else to easily steer newcomers to the conclusion of all the troubleshooting we've done.

There's a thread over at DSL Reports filled with a bunch of folks with the same problem. Nobody's come up with a better fix over there either. If I manage to get caught up with my repair jobs I'll see if I can't get the problem to return on a fixed machine. One of the affected notebooks that came in is going to be here for a week or two so I can experiment with the Dell software and see if that's where the conflict came from.

If somebody has the time and they can uninstall drivers for the graphics, audio, network etc in safe mode, that could narrow things down a little bit.

TLDR for newcomers to this thread:

My post on Aug 29th sums up the two options you currently have to get back up and running again. If a significant amount of new victims join the thread, I'll condense all the directions and tips I've posted into a new post.
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Anonymous

2019-08-30T22:04:29+00:00

Did you get KB4512941? None of the updates mentioned anything about your problem, just hopping they snuck it in. There may also have been a Servicing stack but I did not check for that.

Using the Settings-Personalization-Colors-Transparency effects makes no difference. I could swear when I tried to use that the other day, it did not turn off the lock screen blur but I tried it a couple of hours ago and it did turn it off.

I just installed Win 10 on a motherboard which has not even been in a case for 4 years and the blur works on it..
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Anonymous

2019-08-30T21:37:31+00:00

I only saw a CU for .Net -- which I highly doubt will affect this logonui issue. Do you have any links to the "among others" updates?

Thanks!

-Forjo
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Anonymous

2019-08-30T19:15:35+00:00

Did any of the updates today, 8/30/2019, help? There were some .Net and a CU, among others.
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