Paul wrote:
> 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
I stick by my own well tried and tested formula.
1. Once a month Macrium image to external drive.
2. System Restore set for C drive. That ensures restore points are done
before all MS updates.
In the event of a problem such as the OP's here, I backtrack through the
security.
1. Try undoing the immediately preceding action.
2. System Restore.
3. Macrium image restore.
4. Win10 re-install; latest from MS website, with all data retained.
5. Complete reformat and rebuild; as the OP did here.
I can't help but admire what Keith did. He just bypassed the whole
suck-it-and-see episodes, and went straight for the work-heavy option
that's most likely to work.
Ed