No desktop appears after login to Active Directory

[Guest]

Hello

Since yesterday we have problems on some workstations. After entering a
username and password, the logon window disapears, we can hear the HD working
and even the Windows welcome sound but the desktop never appears. It remains
blue for minutes and nothing more happens. On some other PCs with the same
username it works... What could it be ?

Thanks for any reply
Nicolas

 

[Herb Martin]

Hello

Since yesterday we have problems on some workstations. After entering a
username and password, the logon window disapears, we can hear the HD working
and even the Windows welcome sound but the desktop never appears. It remains
blue for minutes and nothing more happens. On some other PCs with the same
username it works... What could it be ?

The first thing I would try would be holding "shift"
when hitting the logon button to STOP the loading
of all extra startup programs.

If that works, I would look for startup programs that
might be the cause -- and you might need professional
program help since there are a dozen or more places
to look.

If that doesn't get you in then I would try the various
safe modes.

 

[Phillip Windell]

1st option
If the IE you are using is newer than what came with the machine (it will
appear in Add-Remove Programs) do a repair on it by selecting it and
continuing as if you were going to remove it except that you will choose
"Repair".

2nd option
If you don't have it in Add-Remove Progrmas then it is the OEM IE,...Install
a newer version of IE,...perferably from a CD and not from the Internet.
Then it will be in Add-Remove Programs and you can run a repair anytime you
need to.

3rd option
May not work, but it might.
1. Reboot the machine up "fresh", log in as an Administrator.
2. Copy the user profile somewhere safe
3. Right-click on My Computer ---> Properties ---> find the User Profiles
Section.
4. Delete the messed up user
5. Log in as the User to recreate a fresh profile,...make sure the Desktop
loads
6. Reboot "fresh", log in as an Administrator
7. Copy important stuff from the old profile into the new one (My Document,
Desktop Folder, Favorites Folder, etc). Do not copy the entire profile back
or you will have the same problem again.
8. Delete the old profile when you don't need it any longer.

 

[Herb Martin]

1st option
If the IE you are using is newer than what came with the machine (it will
appear in Add-Remove Programs) do a repair on it by selecting it and
continuing as if you were going to remove it except that you will choose
"Repair".

So is this (likely) and Active Desktop issue?

 

[Phillip Windell]

It is a combination of Active Desktop and IE (not quite sure which one to
blame). I run into if extremely often with NT4.0 Workstation that has had
the Active Desktop installed. Usually running the repair in IE fixes it
(until next time it happens). On a few occasions reinstalling the Video
Driver corrected it,..and on even more rare occasions running the old
"RegClean" fixed it. But the IE repair seemed to be the one thing that most
consistantly corrected it. It does not happen at all on NT4.0 Workstation
if it never had Active Desktop installed.

It has been very rare to see it happen on newer OS's, but I suspect it is
still the same old story even then. That is not to say that there couldn't
be some other "new" cause out there that I am not aware of.

 

[Herb Martin]

It is a combination of Active Desktop and IE (not quite sure which one to
blame). I run into if extremely often with NT4.0 Workstation that has had
the Active Desktop installed.

[I think I missed the real problem originally,
which is the focus of my followup question.]

I wasn't really asking for the culprit, you had
explained the likely fixes in your previous email,
but rather for the clarification (I believe you are
providing) that this is due to some problem with
showing the Active Desktop content.

The original poster never implied a desktop only
problem and so I likely missed the problem by
thinking of problems with startup programs that
would prevent (regular) Explorer from showing
the desktop in a general way or which would lock
up Explorer or the system before it could show it.

Usually running the repair in IE fixes it
(until next time it happens). On a few occasions reinstalling the Video
Driver corrected it,..and on even more rare occasions running the old
"RegClean" fixed it. But the IE repair seemed to be the one thing that most
consistantly corrected it. It does not happen at all on NT4.0 Workstation
if it never had Active Desktop installed.

It has been very rare to see it happen on newer OS's, but I suspect it is
still the same old story even then. That is not to say that there couldn't
be some other "new" cause out there that I am not aware of.

Good catch.

I have also seen a "goofy desktop" (usually on NT4 or earlier)
due to "too small a profile cache setting" (Remember this
setting used to be in the System Control panel near the
memory cache size?)

"Goofy" means the icons and windows never seem to be
drawn or drawn correctly and tend to flash and bleed
through.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your response

I think the IE or Active Desktop has nothing to do with it, though each
computer is installed the same way in our company. The IE has not been
changed for a while and even if SUS is deployed to update each workstation, I
don' remember any new update in the last days. I did'nt know the SHIFT option
so I'm happy for that trick. I will try it on Monday.

It seems that on the problem workstation, when you declare the username as a
domain admin, the desktop appears. I will also verify it once more.

I will tell you soon what goes on. Thanks for all your replies.

Nicolas

"Herb Martin" a écrit :

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your response

I think the IE or Active Desktop has nothing to do with it, though each
computer is installed the same way in our company. The IE has not been
changed for a while and even if SUS is deployed to update each workstation, I
don' remember any new update in the last days. I did'nt know the SHIFT option
so I'm happy for that trick. I will try it on Monday.

It seems that on the problem workstation, when you declare the username as a
domain admin, the desktop appears. I will also verify it once more.

I will tell you soon what goes on. Thanks for all your replies.

Nicolas


"Phillip Windell" a écrit :

1st option
If the IE you are using is newer than what came with the machine (it will
appear in Add-Remove Programs) do a repair on it by selecting it and
continuing as if you were going to remove it except that you will choose
"Repair".

2nd option
If you don't have it in Add-Remove Progrmas then it is the OEM IE,...Install
a newer version of IE,...perferably from a CD and not from the Internet.
Then it will be in Add-Remove Programs and you can run a repair anytime you
need to.

3rd option
May not work, but it might.
1. Reboot the machine up "fresh", log in as an Administrator.
2. Copy the user profile somewhere safe
3. Right-click on My Computer ---> Properties ---> find the User Profiles
Section.
4. Delete the messed up user
5. Log in as the User to recreate a fresh profile,...make sure the Desktop
loads
6. Reboot "fresh", log in as an Administrator
7. Copy important stuff from the old profile into the new one (My Document,
Desktop Folder, Favorites Folder, etc). Do not copy the entire profile back
or you will have the same problem again.
8. Delete the old profile when you don't need it any longer.


--

Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com

Hello

Since yesterday we have problems on some workstations. After entering a
username and password, the logon window disapears, we can hear the HD working
and even the Windows welcome sound but the desktop never appears. It remains
blue for minutes and nothing more happens. On some other PCs with the same
username it works... What could it be ?

Thanks for any reply
Nicolas

 

[Herb Martin]

Thanks for your response

I think the IE or Active Desktop has nothing to do with it, though each
computer is installed the same way in our company. The IE has not been
changed for a while and even if SUS is deployed to update each workstation, I
don' remember any new update in the last days. I did'nt know the SHIFT option
so I'm happy for that trick. I will try it on Monday.

It seems that on the problem workstation, when you declare the username as a
domain admin, the desktop appears. I will also verify it once more.

I will tell you soon what goes on. Thanks for all your replies.

We have been assuming we understand your problem
(i.e., "desktop never appears") but the fact it that we
are just guessing....

What specifically happens and doesn't happen that
you describe this way...and subsequently?

Is the machine usuable? Are you just missing some
icons? Is it locked up? Can you press CTRL-ALT-DELETE
and bring up the TaskManager?

What specifically is happening and not happening?

 

[Guest]

After entering the username and password and validate it, the blue background
appears, you can hear the Windows 2000 welcome sound, but the background
remains blue and there seems nothing you can activate. The CTRL + ALT + DEL
combination does not work. The only thing you can do is to reset the computer.
When you log on locally, with the local administrator account it works. When
the user is set as domain admins it also works, but as I already mentioned, I
can logon with the same account and no special rights on another computer...
I tried also to import once again the computer object in the AD using the
wizard from the Network Identification and let the object being recreated.
But that didn't solve the problem. There would probably be a simple solution:
reinstall the whole PC with a fresh image. To get over the problem on Friday
morning I defined each user as a Domain Admin, but that doesn't tell me how
many computers are affected by the problem (I had about 10 calls from
different locations absed on about 220 workstations on Thursday and Friday).

I would better know what really happens and I'm very pleased you give me
some advices. Thanks a lot. I'm not a Windows 2000 Network GURU, we just
installed AD for about 9 months with just one main purpose: having a
centralized user management tool for all the DB servers. The rest runs on
Novell Netware.

Nicolas


"Herb Martin" a écrit :

 

[Herb Martin]

After entering the username and password and validate it, the blue background
appears, you can hear the Windows 2000 welcome sound, but the background
remains blue and there seems nothing you can activate.

Ok, but recognize that "blue" isn't a very specific
term -- I call my "aqua" and in any case it is
configurable.

What happened when you pressed SHIFT while
attempting the logon?

The CTRL + ALT + DEL
combination does not work. The only thing you can do is to reset the

computer.

Ok, that means you can't even get Explorer fully running
or something is taking over control.

Although somewhat unlikely viruses and trojans are
a possibility as are a damanged (bad file etc.) Explorer
or Active Desktop.

I would also be suspisious of the "Profile size" setting
for this user -- but that problem hasn't shown up in
several versions (i.e., profile size set too small.)

When you log on locally, with the local administrator account it works. When
the user is set as domain admins it also works, but as I already mentioned, I
can logon with the same account and no special rights on another computer...
I tried also to import once again the computer object in the AD using the
wizard from the Network Identification and let the object being recreated.

That was likely a waste of time since you can logon
as a Domain Admin -- although the difference might
be the ROAMING profile for a user (especially if
my idea about "too small" is the case.)

Also watch out for any LARGE downloads from AD
like MSI installations OR even Script files that never
finish (actually they time out after 5 minutes usually.)

But that didn't solve the problem. There would probably be a simple solution:
reinstall the whole PC with a fresh image.

If you like, but this is probably not necessary.

I would try deleting the users profile before I
did that.

I would also consider a REPAIR install before
I rebuilt the OS (unless you really don't care about
any local settings or other things on the current
machine.)

To get over the problem on Friday
morning I defined each user as a Domain Admin, but that doesn't tell me how
many computers are affected by the problem (I had about 10 calls from
different locations absed on about 220 workstations on Thursday and

Friday).

This tends to imply some sort of permission
problem -- that it isn't that THE Admin can
get on, but that making an existing (problem)
user an admin bypasses the problem.

This makes permissions on files and also GPOs
somewhat more suspect.

I would better know what really happens and I'm very pleased you give me
some advices. Thanks a lot. I'm not a Windows 2000 Network GURU, we just
installed AD for about 9 months with just one main purpose: having a
centralized user management tool for all the DB servers. The rest runs on
Novell Netware.

My first guess then would be the Netware LOGON piece
is HANGING (maybe due to some permission.)

Probably changed due to some upgrade (AUS etc.)

 

[Guest]

Everything seems to be OK this morning.

It seems that our Zenworks Server (SMS like server based on Netware) was no
longer able to apply the user policies.

The server has been restarted on Friday afternoon and I tested successfully
some workstations this morning.

Thanks for your help

Nicolas

P.S. : I suspected AD because of the "Domain Admins" that worked...

 

[Herb Martin]

Everything seems to be OK this morning.

It seems that our Zenworks Server (SMS like server based on Netware) was no
longer able to apply the user policies.

The server has been restarted on Friday afternoon and I tested successfully
some workstations this morning.

Thanks for your help
Sure.

Nicolas
P.S. : I suspected AD because of the "Domain Admins" that worked...

You still should have told us about the Netware (logon
stuff and policy stuff) though.

 

[Guest]

I'm back once again because the problem reappeared this morning. But now at
least I know what did happen.

Our workstations tried to connect through drives to some old member server
shares (probably because the connection was set to be persistent at a time)
and I realized yesterday that a group policy that gave local admin rights to
our domain users also gave those rights to member servers. So I separated the
member servers from the workstations and because this morning the users had
no longer rights to connect to these member server shares, the computers hung
(or some of them)... I'm happy that I've found the error but feel a bit
strange that computers that cannot map drives to resources do not continue
their logon process after a while...

Nicolas

 

[Herb Martin]

I'm back once again because the problem reappeared this morning. But now at
least I know what did happen.

Our workstations tried to connect through drives to some old member server
shares (probably because the connection was set to be persistent at a time)
and I realized yesterday that a group policy that gave local admin rights to
our domain users also gave those rights to member servers. So I separated the
member servers from the workstations and because this morning the users had
no longer rights to connect to these member server shares, the computers hung
(or some of them)... I'm happy that I've found the error but feel a bit
strange that computers that cannot map drives to resources do not continue
their logon process after a while...

Mine all do, but they aren't running that Novell client
software etc.

On Windows it either times out and goes through or
at worst displays a dialog requesting user guidance.

 

[Phillip Windell]

(or some of them)... I'm happy that I've found the error but feel a bit
strange that computers that cannot map drives to resources do not continue
their logon process after a while...

They will continue eventually but to have to wait till it times out. That
is another good reson to never use mapped drives. That would never happen if
you used Shortcuts instead.