Windows 7: No Login Box After Update

Hi,

windows update happened on my pc yesterday and i shutdown left it running as it was late and there was a lot of updates. This morning I booted and waited for the windows is configuring 77k items!!! Then the welcome screen appeared with no login box for my password, Ctrl/alt/del does nothing I ahve to hold the power button to switch off.



My pc is a dell inspiron with windows7 home premium.

I have tried to hold the F8 key on bootup but nothing happens, so i cant easy do a system restore, The F12 key works but that jus gives boot device options or enter setup. Any help will be appreciated. Does this happen after windows updates often?

Try repeated pressing of the F8 key. This should get you to the Boot screen.
Looks like you have way too many updates and some may have been corrupted during shutdown.

Looks like it has sorted itself out, after numerous attempts(20+) of pressing F8 and failing to get the options to load before windows starts, it suddenly displayed the login box and worked as normal. Is there a way to check what caused this? It must be something to do with updates.

Sometimes when installing multiple updates strange things can happen. You could try running a System File Checker scan from an elevated command prompt (option two) and make sure you don't have any damaged or corrupt system files. If any problems are noted run the scan 3 times rebooting in between each scan.

SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker

In the future, you could try installing your updates just a few at a time rather than all at once. If updates are installed all at once, it's almost impossible to figure out which one(s) had issues. A few at a time (no more than 10) let's you see how the computer works before installing the next group. If problems are noted you'll know exactly which updates to uninstall. Install them one at a time. They'll either install correctly (and you can move on to the next group to install) or you'll be able to figure out which is the problem update. Takes a little longer this way but seems to minimize update issues.

If you're feling adventurous you could try restoring your computer to a date/time prior to the updates (that will effectively remove them.) Then use the few at a time method to reinstall. Personally, if the SFC comes back OK and if the computer is working fine now, I wouldn't tempt fate.

You can try the Event viewer's Windows logs section, see if there's any listing regarding the problem.
Also open windows updates and go to installed updates link at the left pane just to make sure that all updates are successfully installed.