Problems: At the Windows login screen the message "Something happened and your PIN isn't available. Click to setup your PIN again." appeared. Clicking this did nothing, it would just return me to the same login screen. There was no alternative option to Sign in with Password like there normally is. Effectively, login is impossible and the PC appeared bricked. Process to get error: I went to msconfig (Win+R>msconfig) and selected Diagnostic Startup with all default settings. I immediately restarted my PC to find that I could not log in. (Unrelated?) I tried diagnostic startup b/c one of my mice started randomly highlighting stuff - as if Click Lock or sticky keys were on (all were off). Research: I found reports of this back to 2018. I also ran into System Restore errors which I found instances of back to 2017. The dozens of other forums usually dead-ended or resulted in a "Refresh your PC" or "Do a clean install of Windows." Unacceptable! I was about to give up until I pieced this solution together. Solution: Force boot mode back to Normal via command prompt and restart. Skill level: Intermediate Time estimate: 10 minutes Solution notes: I did this with a bootable USB drive plugged in - I don't think that was necessary but try plugging one in if this fails without it. If you can successfully boot into safe mode with command prompt (option 5 from Startup Settings blue screen), then try Steps 14-17 below and see if it works. If it does, you're good to go. If not, go through all steps. Tested on Windows 10 and 11. Steps: Get into Recovery Mode (blue screen): At the login screen, click the bottom-right corner Power Button. Then, before doing anything, hold down the Shift key. While holding Shift key down, click on Restart. This should reboot the computer and take you to the “Choose an Option” Recovery screen. If this doesn't work, see alternate later in post. If prompted, press F1 to enter Recovery Environment. If not, proceed to next step. Select Troubleshoot and/or Advanced Options until you get to a screen with a System Image Recovery option. Click System Image Recovery. Click Cancel on the "Re-image Your Computer" window. Ensure "Select a system image" is selected and click Next Click Advanced, then select Install a Driver and click OK. This gets you access to a Windows Explorer-type folder structure. Click This PC on the left side and find which drive has utilman.exe in the [drive letter]\Windows\System32 folder. The drive letter may not match your normal letters - this doesn't matter. Only one drive will have utilman.exe so you know you are in the correct one once you find it (my letters happened to match, except I had an X drive that wasn't useful). Rename Utilman to Utilman1. In this folder mode, you'll need to right-click and select Refresh to see the changes. Rename cmd to Utilman (refresh view to confirm both files are named properly). Close/cancel all of the open windows (close the Open window, click Cancel on the Add a Driver window, then close the last window) Click Continue from blue screen to reboot to your login screen. Click the Accessibility button on the login screen. A command prompt should open. (icon is a dashed clock at 3 o'clock for Win 10 or a person for Win 11) Type: "start msconfig" without quotes and press enter. The msconfig window should now appear. Select Normal Boot from the first tab and click Ok. Confirm restarting your system. At the next login screen, you should be able to enter your PIN and everything should be back to normal!! Now, you need to go back and rename Utilman to cmd and Utilman1 to Utilman (I had to follow steps 1-12 since Windows wouldn't let me edit the files while logged in). After re-completing step 12, you should be done. Other useful info: The default command prompt directory should be C:\Windows\System32. If that's not what's displayed, type "cd /d c:" without the quotes and press enter. Then type "cd c:\windows\system32" without quotes and press enter. Step 1 Alternate: Shut down your PC. Once powered off, boot it back up, then as soon as you see the Windows loading dots or windows logo, hold down your power button 5-10 seconds to turn off your PC. Repeat this at least once until the Recovery menu appears (big blue screen). Unsuccessful attempts before discovering solution: Restarting 5,000 times. Startup repair numerous times, with and without bootable USB (no repairs were found) Tried options 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 from the Startup Settings blue screen (available by holding shift while selecting the power button and the restart button from the login screen) System Restore (failed because it failed to extract WindowsApps, error code 0x80070026) - this seems like a permissions error? I tried using using Safe Mode with Command Prompt and using takeown to get permission. Most operations listed as Success, but I received an error as the last output line from step 3 of this<a href="https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/lync/en-US/3ca0980f-a345-453f-b3e4-5bcf82a5f5c7/system-restore-not-working-in-windows-10-system-restore-failed-source-appxstaging-error?forum=win10itproapps" title="https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/lync/en-US/3ca0980f-a345-453f-b3e4-5bcf82a5f5c7/system-restore-not-working-in-windows-10-system-restore-failed-source-appxstaging-error?forum=win10itproapps" rel="ugc nofollow">Archived Forum I used . I tried Step 4 anyways but it didn't work. Booting from Windows usb (nothing worked except I could install a fresh version of Windows - no thanks) Booting into safe mode (same PIN error in all three modes - safe mode, SM with command prompt, and SM with networking). None of the modes looked different from the Diagnostic Mode except the command prompt option obviously displayed a command prompt.

I want to use the cmd method to rename the files, but I feel like I'm getting the wrong command prompt. Mine starts off with X:\Windows\System32> And running cd /d c:/Windows/system32 in that line doesn't execute properly, so I'm not sure what to put in at that point. Help?

Step 3 Additional Detail: On “Choose a Recovery” screen, click on Troubleshoot, then click on Advanced Options, then below the icons in the list, click on “See more recovery options”. Clicking this will take you to a screen with a “System Image Recovery” button. Step 7 Additional Detail: The file explorer window will open in the temp X: drive created by the System Re-Image program. The “Look In” field defaults to Boot X:\Windows\System32. This is not the folder you want. Go to step 8. Step 8 Explorer Details: In the Explorer window, after you click This PC, you will have a list of drives on the system. Explorer will assign default letters to them, so the C: drive may have a different letter. Look for name of your boot drive, usually System or Local Disc or whatever you may have renamed it to. Start searching in this drive in the Windows\System32 folder for Utilman. (The suffix (.exe) may not show in this mode. File extensions is usually turned off by default here.) Not a good idea to try typing the name, Utilman, in the File Name field. It will not help you find the file. The only option there is to click Open, which, of course, will not work. Users, unfortunately, must scroll way, way down the list to find the file. (At least that’s how it worked on my machine today.) My friend is having this exact issue, but we can't seem to find the Utilman.exe anywhere. The Windows, Sen, Backups, and temporary Boot drives do have Windows/System32, however we don't see any single files named Utilman. Respectfully, help?

It was like magic. I was able to login to Windows. None of this would ever have occurred to me. Writing amazing instructions (which yours are) takes a lot of time. I really appreciate it. You saved me from having to reinstall Windows and spend a weekend getting all the software reinstalled. It is a little surprising that it's still possible to cause such a serious problem two-and-a-half years after your original post, Clicking the "Apply" button in the msconfig utility actually applies the settings with no warning pop-up. A few things have changed since your post: I needed my Bitlocker key to unlock the drive (device encryption was default enabled for my 2-year-old Dell laptop). Renaming files must now be done with the command line interface because the "install a driver" interface now limits enumerating anything except .inf files. Even manually entering a filename in the Explorer window will not work.

Great post, like everyone, panicked hard when I realized that the msconfig Diagnostic Startup broke my ability to login with a password at startup, thought I bricked my laptop! Your method solved the problem straight-up, only issues I had was not being able to get to the blue recovery screen with the hold-shift, restart-same time method. Had to use the alternate method of forcing restart at boot. Then, instead of the blue screen, was prompted to enter my Windows Key for my laptop. Of course didn't have that written down anywhere, so luckily was able to login into my windows account from my Rasberry Pi and get the key. Also, the file folders system accessed through the re-image method wouldn't allow .exe files to show on my system. Only "Setup Files" with no option to change to "All Files" when scrolling through the file selector. Easily fixed by finding the right System32 folder using the CMD prompt and DOS commands to do the renaming. Thanks for the info!

Thank you so much...this solution was like saving my life!......I really appreciate you help I'm in debt with you, God Bless

Diagnostic Mode "Something happened and your PIN isn't available" Boot Loop - Cannot Login (SOLUTION)

Anonymous

Problems:

At the Windows login screen the message "Something happened and your PIN isn't available. Click to setup your PIN again." appeared. Clicking this did nothing, it would just return me to the same login screen. There was no alternative option to Sign in with Password like there normally is. Effectively, login is impossible and the PC appeared bricked.

Process to get error:

I went to msconfig (Win+R>msconfig) and selected Diagnostic Startup with all default settings. I immediately restarted my PC to find that I could not log in.
(Unrelated?) I tried diagnostic startup b/c one of my mice started randomly highlighting stuff - as if Click Lock or sticky keys were on (all were off).

Research: I found reports of this back to 2018. I also ran into System Restore errors which I found instances of back to 2017. The dozens of other forums usually dead-ended or resulted in a "Refresh your PC" or "Do a clean install of Windows." Unacceptable! I was about to give up until I pieced this solution together.

Solution: Force boot mode back to Normal via command prompt and restart.

Skill level: Intermediate

Time estimate: 10 minutes

Solution notes:

I did this with a bootable USB drive plugged in - I don't think that was necessary but try plugging one in if this fails without it.
If you can successfully boot into safe mode with command prompt (option 5 from Startup Settings blue screen), then try Steps 14-17 below and see if it works. If it does, you're good to go. If not, go through all steps.
Tested on Windows 10 and 11.

Steps:

Get into Recovery Mode (blue screen): At the login screen, click the bottom-right corner Power Button. Then, before doing anything, hold down the Shift key. While holding Shift key down, click on Restart. This should reboot the computer and take you to the “Choose an Option” Recovery screen.
- If this doesn't work, see alternate later in post.
If prompted, press F1 to enter Recovery Environment. If not, proceed to next step.
Select Troubleshoot and/or Advanced Options until you get to a screen with a System Image Recovery option.
Click System Image Recovery.
Click Cancel on the "Re-image Your Computer" window.
Ensure "Select a system image" is selected and click Next
Click Advanced, then select Install a Driver and click OK. This gets you access to a Windows Explorer-type folder structure.
Click This PC on the left side and find which drive has utilman.exe in the [drive letter]\Windows\System32 folder. The drive letter may not match your normal letters - this doesn't matter. Only one drive will have utilman.exe so you know you are in the correct one once you find it (my letters happened to match, except I had an X drive that wasn't useful).
Rename Utilman to Utilman1. In this folder mode, you'll need to right-click and select Refresh to see the changes.
Rename cmd to Utilman (refresh view to confirm both files are named properly).
Close/cancel all of the open windows (close the Open window, click Cancel on the Add a Driver window, then close the last window)
Click Continue from blue screen to reboot to your login screen.
Click the Accessibility button on the login screen. A command prompt should open. (icon is a dashed clock at 3 o'clock for Win 10 or a person for Win 11)
Type: "start msconfig" without quotes and press enter.
The msconfig window should now appear. Select Normal Boot from the first tab and click Ok.
Confirm restarting your system.
At the next login screen, you should be able to enter your PIN and everything should be back to normal!!
Now, you need to go back and rename Utilman to cmd and Utilman1 to Utilman (I had to follow steps 1-12 since Windows wouldn't let me edit the files while logged in). After re-completing step 12, you should be done.

Other useful info:

The default command prompt directory should be C:\Windows\System32. If that's not what's displayed, type "cd /d c:" without the quotes and press enter. Then type "cd c:\windows\system32" without quotes and press enter.
Step 1 Alternate: Shut down your PC. Once powered off, boot it back up, then as soon as you see the Windows loading dots or windows logo, hold down your power button 5-10 seconds to turn off your PC. Repeat this at least once until the Recovery menu appears (big blue screen).

Unsuccessful attempts before discovering solution:

Restarting 5,000 times.
Startup repair numerous times, with and without bootable USB (no repairs were found)
Tried options 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 from the Startup Settings blue screen (available by holding shift while selecting the power button and the restart button from the login screen)
System Restore (failed because it failed to extract WindowsApps, error code 0x80070026) - this seems like a permissions error?
- I tried using using Safe Mode with Command Prompt and using takeown to get permission. Most operations listed as Success, but I received an error as the last output line from step 3 of thisArchived Forum I used. I tried Step 4 anyways but it didn't work.
Booting from Windows usb (nothing worked except I could install a fresh version of Windows - no thanks)
Booting into safe mode (same PIN error in all three modes - safe mode, SM with command prompt, and SM with networking). None of the modes looked different from the Diagnostic Mode except the command prompt option obviously displayed a command prompt.

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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327 answers

Anonymous

2024-02-17T06:27:06+00:00

I want to use the cmd method to rename the files, but I feel like I'm getting the wrong command prompt. Mine starts off with X:\Windows\System32>

And running

cd /d c:/Windows/system32

in that line doesn't execute properly, so I'm not sure what to put in at that point. Help?
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Anonymous

2024-02-17T06:01:59+00:00
Step 3 Additional Detail: On “Choose a Recovery” screen, click on Troubleshoot, then click on Advanced Options, then below the icons in the list, click on “See more recovery options”. Clicking this will take you to a screen with a “System Image Recovery” button.

Step 7 Additional Detail: The file explorer window will open in the temp X: drive created by the System Re-Image program. The “Look In” field defaults to Boot X:\Windows\System32. This is not the folder you want. Go to step 8.

Step 8 Explorer Details: In the Explorer window, after you click This PC, you will have a list of drives on the system. Explorer will assign default letters to them, so the C: drive may have a different letter. Look for name of your boot drive, usually System or Local Disc or whatever you may have renamed it to. Start searching in this drive in the Windows\System32 folder for Utilman. (The suffix (.exe) may not show in this mode. File extensions is usually turned off by default here.)

Not a good idea to try typing the name, Utilman, in the File Name field. It will not help you find the file. The only option there is to click Open, which, of course, will not work. Users, unfortunately, must scroll way, way down the list to find the file. (At least that’s how it worked on my machine today.)
My friend is having this exact issue, but we can't seem to find the Utilman.exe anywhere. The Windows, Sen, Backups, and temporary Boot drives do have Windows/System32, however we don't see any single files named Utilman. Respectfully, help?
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Anonymous

2024-02-16T23:20:37+00:00
It was like magic. I was able to login to Windows. None of this would ever have occurred to me. Writing amazing instructions (which yours are) takes a lot of time. I really appreciate it. You saved me from having to reinstall Windows and spend a weekend getting all the software reinstalled.

It is a little surprising that it's still possible to cause such a serious problem two-and-a-half years after your original post, Clicking the "Apply" button in the msconfig utility actually applies the settings with no warning pop-up.

A few things have changed since your post:
- I needed my Bitlocker key to unlock the drive (device encryption was default enabled for my 2-year-old Dell laptop).
- Renaming files must now be done with the command line interface because the "install a driver" interface now limits enumerating anything except .inf files. Even manually entering a filename in the Explorer window will not work.
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2024-02-12T05:14:39+00:00

Great post, like everyone, panicked hard when I realized that the msconfig Diagnostic Startup broke my ability to login with a password at startup, thought I bricked my laptop! Your method solved the problem straight-up, only issues I had was not being able to get to the blue recovery screen with the hold-shift, restart-same time method. Had to use the alternate method of forcing restart at boot. Then, instead of the blue screen, was prompted to enter my Windows Key for my laptop. Of course didn't have that written down anywhere, so luckily was able to login into my windows account from my Rasberry Pi and get the key.

Also, the file folders system accessed through the re-image method wouldn't allow .exe files to show on my system. Only "Setup Files" with no option to change to "All Files" when scrolling through the file selector. Easily fixed by finding the right System32 folder using the CMD prompt and DOS commands to do the renaming. Thanks for the info!
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2024-02-09T18:37:04+00:00

Thank you so much...this solution was like saving my life!......I really appreciate you help I'm in debt with you, God Bless
Was this answer helpful?

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