Solved Unlock stuck at Welcome screen after idle

[exFugitive]

Hi all, this is my first thread after years of anonymously browsing this forum for solutions.
Thanks a million to you all for the troubleshooting and solutions provided in this forum.

Ok, let's get to business.
I have been struggling with this problem for almost a month now.
Tried Google search and found few threads, but the trail gone cold.
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/f6fe070c-d8e3-4472-932b-0ef5d2632d6d/windows-7-x64-hangs-on-unlock-random

Because of this error message, I changed a new PC and new Windows installation. (Though it is time to change my 5 years old PC )
Was happy with my new PC for 2 days, and then this nightmare came back yesterday.

Symptoms:-
Most of the time, this issue will occur after 2 days of 24/7 running.
When this happen, I have to force restart / shut down my PC by pressing the restart or shut down button.
But after I force restart it, internet will disconnect. Router doesn't restart, just internet disconnect.
When restarting back to Windows, it will take a little longer than it normally reboot.
In my event log, I only have this error message (refer below), and of course Windows doesn't shut down properly message.

"The winlogon notification subscriber <Sens> is taking long time to handle the notification event (Unlock)."

I did turn off hybrid sleep or anything related to sleep mode / standby mode on Windows Power Management.
I have troubleshoot all my hardware, and reformat my Windows.

Computer specifications:-
Intel i7 - New
Asus Maximus VII HERO - New
16GB RAM 2x8GB - New
1TB Seagate CS (Windows) - New
Seasonic 1000W - New
Asus GTX680 2GB - Old
Samsung T240 monitor - Old

Questions:-
1. Is my graphic card faulty?
I didn't change my graphic card, using back the old one.
But I got no problem playing games for straight 4 hours. Only 60~65c temperature.

2. Is my monitor faulty?
Refer to the troubleshoot link I provide, they say it might be cause by monitor's USB. But I didn't connect any USB to my monitor.
Previously, I have a problem with my monitor. It will keep switching VGA / DVI / HDMI, until I power off and power back on my monitor.
After a while, the problem seems to gone.
And yes, it was connected to the same graphic card.
I connect my monitor to graphic card using DVI port.

3. Is my router faulty?
I did reset and reconfigure my router setting.
My internet are configured into my router, even if I restart my PC, the internet won't disconnect.
After I enter my password to unlock Windows, it will freeze at Welcome screen. When that happen I did try to wait for 2 hours, the Internet will not disconnect.
But when I force restart my PC, the internet will disconnect.
If I shut down my PC for troubleshoot, the internet wont reconnect back, until I login back to Windows.

4. Is my SATA cable faulty?
Another forum I read where his SATA cable is faulty, and unlock back Windows might take a while.
I did try to wait for 2 hours, still stuck at Welcome screen.

5. Is CPU / GPU voltage issue?
Another forum I read where they say when CPU voltage might not kick up after idle.
I leave my CPU settings as it at BIOS, never overclock. GPU as well.

6. I am using back Norton Antivirus 2014.
As I know, latest Norton Antivirus will run some scanning or something when idle.
I haven't tried uninstall Norton Antivirus yet. Need to know if anyone having similar problem with latest Norton Antivirus.


Need solution for this badly.
Sorry for the long post, and thanks for reading.


Sincerely,
Me

 

[exFugitive]

Yes, my prediction are correct. It did happen after 2 days of 24/7 running.
This time I enable CTRL + ALT + DEL to unlock Windows, and it freeze at that screen, can't even see my account and type in password.
- Mouse working
- CAPS lock light working (means keyboard is working too)
- Can't click Accessibility button (seems like screen freeze)
- Shut Down button not working too

I unplug my network cable and force restart my PC, and internet did not disconnect.
No critical event log, only this:-

Event filter with query "SELECT * FROM __InstanceModificationEvent WITHIN 60 WHERE TargetInstance ISA "Win32_Processor" AND TargetInstance.LoadPercentage > 99" could not be reactivated in namespace "//./root/CIMV2" because of error 0x80041003. Events cannot be delivered through this filter until the problem is corrected.

Browse at Microsoft forum and they say can be ignored.

Still no one have any idea what's going on?
This problem seems like a time bomb, only happen after 2 days.

Anyone can explain to me what are the symptoms for memory leak?
Will it be like this too? Or any similar?
Can memory leak cause by software? Or mostly hardware?
My RAMs are brand new, hope it is not faulty.
Will try to Memtest if I have the time.

Hope someone can reply me, thanks.

 

[sdeshpande]

OMG

I am having the same exact issue with several machines in our Active Directory network. Tried so many things but no luck yet.

 

[exFugitive]

What is your symptoms?

 

[gregrocker]

What is unlock?

Where do you tell us in the original post what the exact problem is? You tell us everything that you've tried to do but I see no direct explanation of the issue itself. Is it the freeze at boot animation screen in the link you inexplicably posted to Technet?

Compare the install you did to the perfect install compiled in http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164, particularly how drivers are handled in Win7 which is not at all like XP. Problems with animation freezing are during the driver-loading phase so if you forced a bunch of drivers WIn7 doesn't want then it can cause that problem.

Enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) then Check For Updates to install all Important and Optional Updates now. After restart Check again until no more are offered. You may have drivers which Win7 wants or important patches missing.

If these don't help and you're not ready to do a perfect reinstall now with our help then work through the http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/220165-troubleshooting-steps-windows-7-a.html

 

[sdeshpande]

Symptoms

Usually the computers in our office are running 24x7 (No one wants to shut down there PCs)
Since last few months users are complaining that there computers are Stuck on Welcome Screen when they enter their passwords on the password box.
Tried changing the power settings, tried updating bios and other drivers, installed couple of microsoft KBs. But so for no luck.
Also this is totally random, i mean I cannot predict which computers would exhibit this particular behaviour.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[gregrocker]

Don't you have company IT to handle this as is normally the case?

I'd set Sleep to 30 and Hibernate to 60 so you can walk away from PC without concern about your work being saved; it will also Resume much faster. But your IT dept may want them on at all times for updates. I'd ask.

 

[sdeshpande]

I am the Company IT guy.
Trying to fix this problem.

 

[gregrocker]

I'd look first at what is starting with Windows. Then test offline without AV.

Do these interact with a Server or are the kept online to push Updates or for other group policy?

I'd test a perfect reinstall from tutorial below letting Win7 provide all drivers and patches to test before importing any missing drivers. Then test after each program install. Run a clean boot. Test with lightweight MSE or Panda free. This is a slow motion Diagnostic install with testing after adding or changing anything.

 

[sdeshpande]

The problem is that whenever we reboot these computers they log in just fine.
The issue only occurs after a prolonged use / idle session on workstations.

One of the thing that I do see in the event viewer is as follows and this is consistent with all the machines that are facing this issue

1. The winlogon notification subscriber <Sens> is taking long time to handle the notification event (Unlock).
2. The winlogon notification subscriber <Sens> is taking long time to handle the notification event (Lock).
3. The protocol host process 7740 did not respond and is being forcibly terminated {filter host process 1036}.


Any help would be appreciated.

 

[exFugitive]

I fixed my issue by changing new antivirus software, thanks.

 

[gregrocker]

What did you change it to and from?

Thanks for letting us know this to help others..

 

[exFugitive]

From Norton to ESET NOD.
Lock and unlock Windows now working, no more freezing at Welcome screen.
I got no problem login to Windows after restart / shutdown, only when lock and unlock.

This thread mark as solved because it did solve my lock and unlock Windows problem.
My computer has been running for 4 days without any problem.
I will keep monitor and update if I encounter other problem, thanks.

P.S. I did run Memtest+ and pass 8 tests last month (on my old unit), forgot to mention that on my first post.

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

sdeshpande,

I am not professional on IT field, but you might need to check your Active Directory server hard disk.
Or maybe your network might be congested / poor routing / DHCP.
Just my opinion, thanks.