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#194051 - 2009-05-29 11:55 AM Kix32 Script Results in Blank Screen Following Login (Vista)
bschlinker Offline
Just in Town

Registered: 2009-05-29
Posts: 3
Loc: San Jose, CA
Currently experiencing problems when basic domain users login to their desktops. I have three desktops running Windows Vista Business experiencing the same problem.

Here is the problem:
- User will login to their account as they normally do -- no problems occur before the login process.
- Windows Vista will display the "Welcome" dialog along with spinning orb thing.
- After a few moments, the entire screen will go black. Pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL will not result in a security dialog. There is no way to start explorer or task manager. The system will never unfreeze (as far as I know). I believe I have been able to move around the mouse on the screen, but I do not remember at this time.

Notes:
- An administrative user logging into the system (with Domain Admin privileges) will not experience these problems. This user does not need to be given local admin rights (although I believe Domain Admin's already have them already).
- Enabling / disabling UAC does not affect this problem.
- The system event log does not show any relevant information to this problem. It appears that no information is ever written to it.
- This problem only began recently -- and occurred within a few days on each of the systems. Around that time, IE8 was installed automatically along with other updates via WSUS and Windows Updates.
- System Restore does not appear to help this problem -- despite how it does attempt to undo the most recent Windows Updates.

Temporary solution:
- I disabled three login scripts which are based on the kix32 platform. I disabled these scripts by simply moving the files to another location from their previous location in NETLOGON.
- Systems will work after I have moved these login scripts.
- If I run these login scripts interactively from the users desktop via a command prompt, I experience no problems.
- Guessing that there was a permissions problem, I checked permissions on these scripts and granted access to 'Everyone'. This did not help solve the problem -- I had to disable them again.
- There have been no other major changes made to these systems. There is no reason why these simple login scripts should simply stop working.

Whats wrong with these scripts?

 Code:
--- Example of one of the script files ---
If InGroup("QuickBooks Users")
        Use q: /delete /persistent
        Use q: "\\twinserve\quickbooks"
EndIf
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#194052 - 2009-05-29 01:20 PM Re: Kix32 Script Results in Blank Screen Following Login (Vista) [Re: bschlinker]
Glenn Barnas Administrator Offline
KiX Supporter
*****

Registered: 2003-01-28
Posts: 4402
Loc: New Jersey
Welcome to KORG!

Since you say you have that "spinning orb" during login, lets start with this registry setting on one of your Vista systems:
 Code:
$RC = WriteValue("HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System", "DelayedDesktopSwitchTimeout","0","REG_DWORD")
This will change the default 60 second "spinning orb" welcome screen to disabled, effectively letting you see what the login script is doing. Also, add a
 Code:
$ = SetConsole('Maximize')
to the beginning of your script to insure you can see what's happening. This might provide more clues, since the example you posted seems OK (assuming you placed a description in the code tag and it's not really a missing comment tag ;\) )

Just a guess, but do any of your scripts rely on copy/paste capabilities? This would employ external UDFs and not built-in functions.

Glenn
_________________________
Actually I am a Rocket Scientist! \:D

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#194058 - 2009-05-29 08:32 PM Re: Kix32 Script Results in Blank Screen Following Login (Vista) [Re: Glenn Barnas]
bschlinker Offline
Just in Town

Registered: 2009-05-29
Posts: 3
Loc: San Jose, CA
Glenn,

Thanks for your feedback. I have posted this problem on a few different websites and your feedback has been the most helpful I have received on this problem.

I have tried the fixes which you recommended -- here is what I have noticed:
- The 'delayed desktop switch timeout' change allows me to no longer see the Welcome screen. However, instead of seeing the welcome screen, I just see that same black screen.
- Putting that line at the beginning of the script doesn't seem to help -- I am still unable to see the script.

Another note -- it doesn't appear to have anything to do with the scripts themselves. If I just put the kix32 file back into the netlogon directly with no scripts, the system will still crash. I should just be getting a message telling me it can't open filename.kx or something similar to that.
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#194059 - 2009-05-29 08:39 PM Re: Kix32 Script Results in Blank Screen Following Login (Vista) [Re: bschlinker]
Allen Administrator Online shocked
KiX Supporter
*****

Registered: 2003-04-19
Posts: 4567
Loc: USA
I've seen the network card drivers in Vista produce all kinds of weird results. Make sure you have the latest version of the drivers, OR roll back and see if that might help.
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#194060 - 2009-05-29 10:47 PM Re: Kix32 Script Results in Blank Screen Following Login (Vista) [Re: Allen]
bschlinker Offline
Just in Town

Registered: 2009-05-29
Posts: 3
Loc: San Jose, CA
Checked on the network cards -- the drivers have never been changed. Since I am doing this work remotely and the drivers worked for close to a year without a problem, I am hesitant to change them.
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#194061 - 2009-05-29 11:00 PM Re: Kix32 Script Results in Blank Screen Following Login (Vista) [Re: bschlinker]
Glenn Barnas Administrator Offline
KiX Supporter
*****

Registered: 2003-01-28
Posts: 4402
Loc: New Jersey
Thanks!

The point of making the welcome screen go away is to see what's happening behind the curtain, so to speak. You can return it to a normal setting if you wish by deleting the key, or setting it to a smaller value - 15-30 or so.

I'd leave the command to drive the script to full-screen in until you can find the underlying problem..

Lets get down to basics - create a batch file with a simple Echo and Pause commands and see if they present during login. If they do, then it can be related to Kix32.. I'd try a simple kix script then, just a "hello" message followed by a Get $ to wait for a keypress.

With the black screen coming up during login and not happening with the login scripts disabled, it's related to the process.. need to divide/conquer now through simplification.

Also - try running the commands explicitly in the user profile - "kix32.exe kixtart.kx" - no path needed. Might want to wrap that in a bat file so you can tell if the bat file at least launches, and add the pause to that so you can see the result. Do it for just one user account to test.

If you're running WSUS, make sure you don't auto-approve driver updates. Have had some nasty experiences with that, compared to an overall good experience with WSUS otherwise.

Glenn
_________________________
Actually I am a Rocket Scientist! \:D

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