Can't Login

To fix this

Thanks @Bryan-Devenish for writing this!!

IMPORTANT, please read! Now before you begin attempting to use this guide to fix your computer, please follow this at your own discretion. Please give the entire guide a proper read over, before committing to these steps. As this might not work for everyone's computer/laptop. But as for me, this is how I fixed my issue in regards to having a missing .bak file.

Part one - "Determine whether you have the .bak file or not."

Step 1:

Option 1: If you have access to your desktop screen after doing a fresh reset, that restored Windows to its default settings. Open up File explorer and follow this path "C:\Windows\SystemResources\Windows.UI.Logon". If you're lucky, you might see two files. Windows.UI.Logon.pri & Windows.UI.Logon.pri.bak, but the chances are the .bak file wont be there. If the .bak is indeed there, go ahead and skip to Part 2, Step 1 below.

Option 2: If you're unable to access the desktop, you can hard reset you PC by holding the power button 3 times after you've loaded the Login screen. This will start up Windows Recovery Options, once loaded you'll be introduced to limited options. Follow this path to load the Command Prompt, Troubleshoot>Advanced Options>CommandPrompt.

Once loaded, you'll need to figure out which partition contains your Windows Files. For example mine are installed on my C: Drive, however on Command Prompt it can be given an alternate name. The easiest way to recognise this is to check the storage size, for example my Windows drive is 435Gb. So it'll be listed as Volume ? ? NTFS Partition 435GB Healthy Boot.

Type in the following command lines once you know where your Windows is installed, to find where the .bak might be on your Windows drive:

1. echo list volume | diskpart

2. c: (Replace "c" everytime with whatever partition your Windows is installed on)

3. CD c:\Windows\SystemResources\Windows.UI.Logon\ (Press Enter)

4. DIR (Add DIR on the end of the new line that appears)

5. After entering DIR, you'll see the contents of this folder where the .pri and .bak should be. If you only see the .pri and no .bak continue on with this guide.

Note - If you don't have the | & \ keys like me. Hold Alt and press the following codes with the right numberpad on your keyboard.

ALT + 124 = | ALT + 92 = \

If you end up not being able to navigate the command prompt easily, do not worry. Continue towards to the next step to get the Desktop back. By doing this you can check for the .bak in the Windows folders and if it's still not there. You can still fix your problem via being on the desktop.

Step 2: Getting to the Desktop (SKIP this step if you already have access to the desktop)

Now if you're currently unable to return to the desktop follow the steps below. But before I begin to explain the following steps, I want to warn you that theres a possibility of losing personal files. Therefore attempt this option at your own risk, you've been warned. However I've tried all types of the resets before and you should be able to keep your personal files. First things first, follow this path Troubleshoot>Reset Your PC. You should then see the following -

Keep my Files - Saves your personal files and resets Windows to the fresh upgrade version

Remove Everything - This will remove everything by completely resetting your Windows and will offer you the screen below to clean out any other drives. Don't worry too much about doing a complete wipe, just reseting and keeping your personal files should be enough.

WARNING - Proceed with these options at your own discretion. As you might lose personal files

Note - It might ask you to login into your Microsoft account, simply login and click reset.

Once you're done choosing, you should see your computer restarting and the Windows Logo should appear. Let it reset your PC and within no time you should be back at a functional login screen. But it's very important NOT TO UPDATE your Windows at this time. As you're still at risk of the bug returning.

Part Two - Replacing the .bak file

The next step requires you to re-run the Background Changer application but with certain files provided below that should produce a .bak file. But make sure you stay away from Windows Update for the time being.

Step 1: Download the following items from MediaFire link below which should contain two items. The first being a wallpaper and the second being the Background Changer Application.

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/4uonlnng94y5t/Background_Changer_Fix

Wallpaper Image: (Just in case the Media Fire one messes up)

Step 2: Extract all the contents to the desktop, so you should have the wallpaper Image and the extracted Background Changer Zip folder contents (the .dll files and the .exe). Run the WIN10 BG Logon Changer.exe and use the image supplied as your new lock screen. Click browse, find the wallpaper image on the desktop and apply the changes.

Step 3: Now go to settings (Start > Cog Icon) and click on "Update and Security", then click check for updates. Before closing this window, at the bottom it should say "Advanced Options". Click on that option and change the way it'll update underneath "Choose how updates are installed". Change it from Automatic (Recommended) to Notify to schedule restart. This will stop Windows from automatically restarting the pc when the updates are downloaded and installed.

Now whilst they're downloading and installing. Do nothing else at this time, other than setting up a backup plan just in case the next step gets difficult. Grab a burnable disk or USB Thumbstick and download the exact same OS of Windows you're currently running on. To find out which version you're running go back into settings and click on Update and Security and click on Activation. Here it should label what version of Windows 10 you're running. Once you know what Windows OS you have, follow the link below.

• https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10

Download the correct 32bit or 64bit installer onto either the disk or USB stick. Once downloaded follow the steps provided whilst running the installer, to create an installation boot media that corresponds to the version of windows you're using.

Step 4: NOTICE - In the event of not being able to return to the recovery screen. Go to Option 2.

Option 1: Once you have all the Windows Updates installed and you have the Backup installation boot media on a disk/USB. You can now restart your computer. Allowing Windows to apply and configure the latest updates. Once it's done installing, you'll return to the login screen with the bug. This is meant to happen as you've just created a logon screen that should provide a .bak to repair it.

Now hard reset your PC three times and return to the recovery options screen. Follow the path Troubleshoot>Advanced Options>Command Prompt. Then follow either the text example below or watch the video provided by Syrexide and reproduce the same steps.

Video Example - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_eHZZW1ung

Or try,

Text Example -

Note - See Part 1, Option 2 to figure out how to find your Windows Partition letter.

Now once you've followed the steps from either the video or text example, you should now be able login, complete all windows update, restart you computer and then still be able to login. You should be all good to go from here on out! Congrats! :D

Option 2:

Step 1: Now in the event of the recovery options menu not loading after 3+ hard resets, you'll need that handy disk/USB stick backup plan you made. Like me, for when I attempted it, I wasn't able to get the recovery options menu to load at all. However to resolve this, when my computer initially loads I'm given a splash screen that tells me what F key to press to get to my boot menu.

By pressing F12 (That's for my system, might not be the same for you) my screen shows a very basic menu with all my drives listed. Look for the one labeled as Disk or USB and press enter on it (Navigate to it by using the arrow keys). This will restart your system and it'll attempt to load the installation boot media you created earlier and you'll be presented with a screen like this:

Yes I know it says Windows 8, but the Windows 10 has the exact same layout

Step 2: On the bottom on left of the window shown above you'll see "Repair your computer". Click no this option and you should be taken to a purple Recovery Options menu. Follow this path to get to the command prompt, Troubleshoot>Advanced Options> Command Prompt. Once the command prompt has loaded, return to Step 4 and follow Option 1.

Sorry if this didn't work out for you or if it made it worse, but I did state at the start that this might not work or worsen your situation. However if it didn't and it did solve it! Avoid this app as for the near future, until Windows 10 has become more stable itself.