Windows 10: 10-second blank screen when switching accounts in Windows 10

I have a 2020 Dell G3 15 that was working perfectly until yesterday. Now there's a roughly 10-second blank screen when switching accounts from the lock screen. The blank screen only occurs when actually switching accounts (it comes back just fine if you Windows-L to the lock screen and then choose the currently-logged-in account again). Also the blank screen doesn't occur when first logging on after a restart.

Looking at recent updates, the only possible driver culprits that were installed yesterday are:

• Intel - System - 9/19/2017 12:00:00 AM - 11.7.0.1000
• Dell, Inc. - Firmware - 0.1.6.0

Searching online turns up lots of issues with people having slow boot problems, but they tend to last 3-4 minutes, not 10 seconds. Some folks suggested the App Readiness service as a possible culprit, but I played around with restarting the service or changing the recovery behavior, none of which seemed to work.

<edit: specs>

Dell G3 3500
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-10300H CPU @ 2.50GHz 2.50 GHz
Installed RAM 16.0 GB (15.8 GB usable)
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Edition Windows 10 Home
Version 20H2
Installed on ‎10/‎10/‎2020
OS build 19042.685
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.551.0

submitted by /u/Kierran
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:)

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

As you may already know, Windows 10 (as well as Windows 8) allow you to log in with a valid Microsoft account, instead of creating a local account that only works on your machine. However, you may prefer to keep a local account for privacy reasons. If you do, though, some Windows 10 features—like Cortana—may not work. Despite the default behavior, the Windows 10 Store is not one of them. You can still log in to your Microsoft account for just the Store without switching to a full Microsoft account. The process, however, is not terribly obvious. To do so, follow these steps:

• Launch the Store from your Start menu.
• Click the user icon next to the search box.
• Click “Sign-in” from the menu that appears.
• Choose “Microsoft account” and log in like normal.
• When the “Make it yours” box appears do not enter your password. Instead, click “Sign in to just this app instead.”

from Lifehacker

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.

 

Strange Windows 10 User Account issue.

Unfortunately I had done those steps numerous reboots, it just, reappears for no good reason. The base account isn't even a Microsoft account, it's a local account.

I haven't quite tried the built in administrator account on W10, but so far in my experience on my own computer, the built in account seemed to have absolutely no more control than I did on my own.

It's just strange, I go in, it warns me twice about deleting the account, then it's gone. Reboot, and it's back?

EDIT: Just to specify, both command line and Netplwiz both say only HIS account exists on the computer, it doesn't list this rogue account. This is what I meant in my first post about the fact that even Windows doesn't seem to believe it exists, HALF the time. *Frown