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Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2016 January 2

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January 2

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Windows 10 - I get a pretty beach scene and the date and time, but *can't actually log in* to my own computer.

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Hello all,
First off: yes, yes, I am supposedly a "WP:SYSOP" but, how computers or the internet actually work? may as well be by magic, etc, etc.

OK, I recently bought a new machine with Windows 10. I did all the right things: installed anti-virus software first thing (I ran the installation CD first time I turned it on... but it required internet access to complete the installation - WTF?), made sure all the pre-installed firewalls and so on were active, and so on. Things were working just fine. Whenever I started it up, I got a a pretty beach scene and the date and time, and a press of the any key or a wave of the mouse prompted me to put in my password. All fine and dandy.

Just a few hours ago, I installed the latest version of Adobe Flash. I restarted, like the "finish" prompt told me to do. Then...

  • I got a pretty beach scene and the date and time, but no amount of mashing the keyboard or waving the mouse brought up the usual password prompt. Tried Ctrl+Alt+Del, but no dice.
  • I replaced the batteries in the wireless keyboard and mouse, and switched the computer off and on again. I got a pretty beach scene and the date and time, but no amount of mashing the keyboard or waving the mouse brought up the usual password prompt.
  • I pulled out the scanner/printer and speaker thingummies periferals and replaced the wireless keyboard and mouse with the wired keyboard and mouse that came with the new computer. Started up again, and I got a pretty beach scene and the date and time, but no amount of mashing the keyboard or waving the mouse brought up the usual password prompt.
  • I waited a while, then started up again. I got a pretty beach scene and the date and time, but... yes, no amount of mashing the keyboard or waving the mouse brought up the usual password prompt.

Is there some sort of magic thing I'm not doing right? --Shirt58 (talk) 11:00, 2 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Have you tried clicking the mouse? -- zzuuzz (talk) 11:04, 2 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]
<Shirt58 boots up his new Windows 10 machine, gets a pretty beach scene, and actually clicks the mouse buttons.> Nothing happens.</Shirt58 boots up his new Windows 10 machine> (Shhh, this just between us, yeah? Don't tell zzuuzz I said this).
@Zzuuzz: How very dare you suggest that that I have not mouse-clicked when the Windows 10 pretty beach scene comes up? --Shirt58 (talk) 11:56, 4 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]
ps: apparently my Win 10 box may also leaked some Magic smoke when I installed Office 2016.--Shirt58 (talk) 11:56, 4 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]
It was a serious suggestion, btw, as it's what I have to do to get into Windows 10, and it's one of the few things you didn't mention trying. Now, have you tried clicking different parts of the screen? :) -- zzuuzz (talk) 18:29, 4 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]
Don't feel too bad about the "supposedly a WP:SYSOP" thing. I'm supposedly a software engineer, and I used to pride myself on understanding everything I needed to about the systems I used, but it just isn't possible any more. They've gotten far too complicated for me -- or anyone -- to fully understand. I've recently come to several sad realizations:
  1. It's true, the way they work might as well be magic.
  2. They are always going to have bugs. Lots of baffling bugs.
  3. Sometimes you won't be able to fix your problem, and you will have to take the thing in to a shop where a (supposed) expert can help you.
  4. Sometimes the expert won't be able to help you, either, and you'll be left with little choice but to live with the problem, or replace the whole computer.
It bothers me quite a bit that we've gotten to this point, but I'm afraid it may have been inevitable.
Sorry for the opinionation and flamage; I realize it isn't particularly helpful. My advice to you is to jump to step 3. (And I do hope you won't get stuck at step 4.) —Steve Summit (talk) 12:02, 2 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]
As to magic, see Clarke's law. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. As a retired IT systems analyst, I know that everything in Windows 7 and Windows 10 is technology. However, there is a navigational device in my car that I consider to be magic. GPS is sufficiently advanced that, to everyone except those who implement it, it is supposed to be indistinguishable from magic. Also note the opposite form of the law for fictional universes, that any sufficiently analyzed form of magic is indistinguishable from science. I partly disagree. Any form of magic that can be used by muggles is meant to be viewed as technology. In the Harry Potter universe, flight on brooms and flight by spells is magic. However, flight on carpets is technology, because the muggle merely has to memorize the incantation. Robert McClenon (talk) 00:02, 3 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]
Here is a forum with other people who have had this problem: one says that it is a "known issue". https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/0672d7b7-aedf-4347-94ae-d1cc7766cd54/windows-10-no-login-prompt. Hope this helps!OldTimeNESter (talk) 13:56, 2 January 2016 (UTC).[reply]
I also wonder if Adobe Flash is the problem, since it is notorious for conflicting with Windows 10. You might be able to boot from a Recovery CD and roll-back the latest update. If nothing else works, you might download a Linux Live CD, boot from that, wipe the hard drive and then install Windows 10 from scratch (There may also be ways to alter the Windows settings from within the Linux shell; I'm not sure how difficult this would be, however). OldTimeNESter (talk) 14:02, 2 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]
  • Is there an option to hit a special key, like F1 or ESC, during boot, to get to a boot menu that will then allow you to specify Safe Mode ? If so, that might be worth a try. If no special key works, you might try intentionally doing something that will stop it from booting, like unplugging the monitor. Then plug it back in once a suitable amount of time has passed, and hopefully it will be left in the boot menu complaining about the lack of a monitor. StuRat (talk) 07:56, 3 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]
    see Safe mode#Windows possibly shift-F8. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 09:53, 3 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]
I'm not sure about Windows 10, but with Windows 8 it's generally incredibly difficult to get to safe mode under default configs using the shortcut key. The time the shortcut key is monitored for is very short, so even spamming it often doesn't work. Not the most elegant solution and with a slight risk of breaking something, but if you reset while Windows is starting once or twice, you'll probably convince it there may be a problem and will get I think the problem boot menu (alternatively automated system repair will start, can't remember which). BTW, before doing anything, I would verify that the keyboard and preferably mouse are working. The simplest way to do this would be to enter the BIOS/EFI, with Esc, Delete or whatever your computer uses. If you can enter the BIOS/EFI, this implies the keyboard must be working, which you can confirm by using it in the BIOS/EFI. If it's EFI, you will probably also be able to use the mouse in it, verfying that's working. Nil Einne (talk) 15:21, 3 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]
Why not call the Microsoft 1-800 number? They walk you through things like this. I have called them several times. They have always helped and solved my problem. Amazingly, also, the telephone "wait times" are not that long. Or, they have a system where they call you back in XXX minutes, so you don't have to be waiting on hold on the phone. Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 01:31, 4 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you everyone at WP:RD/C for helping out this "sysop" who is teh clueless about IT, broadly construed. In particular, thank you @OldTimeNESter:: the kludge worked a treat.--Shirt58 (talk) 11:39, 5 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]
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