On 1/8/2024 11:06 AM, Ed Cryer wrote:
> Ed Cryer wrote:
>> knuttle wrote:
>>> On 01/08/2024 3:55 AM, Ed Cryer wrote:
>>>> Paul wrote:
>>>>> On 1/7/2024 4:56 PM, Ed Cryer wrote:
>>>>>> Paul wrote:
>>>>>>> On 1/6/2024 1:18 PM, Ed Cryer wrote:
>>>>>>>> knuttle wrote:
>>>>>>>>> I was using my Dell laptop this morning and it started flashing me.  It shows the desktopm, but flashes a white screen.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I am running Windows 10 current updated on a Dell i7 cpu 8GB Ram.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I appeared to loose a shortcut from the desk top,  When I tried to copy the folder shortcut back to the desktop, it started flashing.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I have tried to shut the computer down from the shutdown icon, and by holding the power button down until it shuts down.  When restarts it is still flashing.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Display drivers are the usual cause of such.
>>>>>>>> Boot into Safe Mode and do an update on Display Adapter in Device Manager.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> While in Device Manager check for any item showing an exclamation mark; or, perhaps, maxed out.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Ed
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> One question I want answered, is does the flashing loop start before the login procedure
>>>>>>> is done, or after the login procedure. This might change the details of how people
>>>>>>> answer your question.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> This will help determine how easy it will be to re-assert control.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Just about every step at a time like this, is a rat bastard. It's unavoidably
>>>>>>> complicated. But I did manage to guide someone to do the Sticky Keys hack,
>>>>>>> and it worked for him. He got back his lost administration capability.
>>>>>>> You can't do squat when that happens. It's like wearing handcuffs, to fix that one.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> *******
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> For example, if it remains stable while waiting for you to log in,
>>>>>>> you could do the Sticky Keys hack, press the shift key five times when
>>>>>>> it is waiting for you to login, and the hack will cause an Administrator
>>>>>>> Command Prompt to appear. Once in there
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>      D:              # Assumes D: is your DVD drive. Place the latest Win10 install DVD in there
>>>>>>>                      # Even a Rufus.ie prepared USB installer stick can be used for D: if you want.
>>>>>>>                      # It does not absolutely have to be an optical disc.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>      setup.exe       # Start a repair install, using the Windows DVD.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I don't expect you to like this, but at some point, you'll need to be doing the
>>>>>>> Safe Mode hack anyway (too many steps !!!), so the other routes to access are no easier.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> https://4sysops.com/archives/reset-windows-10-password-by-disabling-windows-defender/
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> We're not doing this, to hack any password. The password will be remaining as
>>>>>>> it always has. We're doing the hack in this case, so we can find a way to
>>>>>>> kick off a Repair Install. Which otherwise, might be impossible. If the screen
>>>>>>> is not flashing, when the Administrator Command Prompt pops up in response to
>>>>>>> five presses of Shift, then the Repair Install can be done.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> While you might have a Restore Point, the percentage of users ready to use
>>>>>>> System Protection, is quite low, and writing a procedure would be a waste of time.
>>>>>>> On the other machine, I turned that off two hours ago :-) Just for the humor of it :-)
>>>>>>> Actually, I wanted the disk space back.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>      Paul
>>>>>>
>>>>>> A simple quick fix might work here for Keith.
>>>>>> I've seen situations were display drivers suddenly get corrupted. So, just uninstall the adaptor and reboot.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Ed
>>>>>
>>>>> What I don't understand, is the trigger event.
>>>>>
>>>>> How would a file that is protected by Windows File Protection,
>>>>> suddenly get corrupted ? To start with, it should be loaded into RAM.
>>>>> It could be a RAM error. But the problem manifests each time the
>>>>> system is booted.
>>>>>
>>>>> It's "trying to do something", but what would that something be ?
>>>>> And how many somethings, survive a reboot like that ?
>>>>>
>>>>>     Paul
>>>>
>>>> I run "sfc/ scannow" occasionally; and sometimes it finds file corruptions which it fixes. How those corruptions occur I can't be sure; but they seem to be caused by major Windows updates.
>>>> I've also had sudden display star-shells, and a reload of the video drivers has solved them.
>>>>
>>>> Ed
>>> OP;
>>>
>>> I found that when I signed out of the flashing went away, so to me it did not seem to be a driver problem.   When flash most access to the computer were dead.
>>>
>>> It did a reset with keeping my data.  That did nothing to fix the problem.
>>>
>>> In desperation; I restored the computer to factory conditions.  The flashing was gone.   I reinstalled a ton of updates, and as of now everything is normal.
>>>
>>> I still don't understand what caused the flashing problem in the fist place.
>>
>> You are to be commended, Keith, for effort. My heart goes out to people who take on heavy jobs like that and see them through.
>>
>> I sure hope the problem doesn't arise again.
>> Have you fully updated Windows 10 with everything MS has to offer?
>>
>> Ed
>
> P.S. An important issue has just occurred to me.
> Do you have an on-board graphic card? Or does your computer use part of RAM to handle graphics?
>
> Ed

"Dell laptop"

So you know there are two potential implementations.

I would have made a backup of my C: drive, before nuking and paving.

But I sympathize, on the state of repair capabilities on computers.
The people designing this stuff, have no sense of mercy at all.

*******

I recommend users at least have a Safe Mode option in their boot screen.
Perhaps a person could make another Administrator account from there ?
I haven't tried that.

bcdedit /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu True # For a healthy computer, add Safe Mode
# Use Administrator command prompt for this, not Terminal

bcdedit # Check the command actually worked!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

bcdedit /store C:\boot\BCD /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu True # Offline, CSM boot, add Safe Mode from DVD
# Assumes both "boot" and "system" are on C: partition

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

diskpart # Offline, UEFI boot for C: , add Safe Mode
list disk #
select disk 0 # We are making invisible partition, visible.
list partition
select partition 1
assign letter=K # make the hidden EFI system, letter K:
exit # This assignment disappears, on a reboot.

dir K:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\BCD*

Directory of K:\efi\Microsoft\Boot \
\
01/07/2024 11:37 PM 57,344 BCD <==== checking for it \____ ready to go, I'm checking for a BCD.
05/24/2022 05:03 AM 32,768 BCD_old / You can't issue the next command, if BCD gone.

bcdedit /store K:\efi\Microsoft\boot\BCD /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu True

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sometime, we have to modify computers in emergency conditions,
which is why the Offline modes are documented above.

The boot menu on this computer, has a Safe Mode entry in it.
Typing "bcdedit" as administrator in a terminal window, shows this right now on mine.

displaybootmenu Yes # Yes is the same as True
# True, they are jokers. Or Yes, they are jokers.

When I boot, one of my options in the menu, is Safe Mode.

Paul