Windows 10 Guest Account - screen flashing 3

[BionicJohn]

I upgraded to Windows 10 a few weeks ago and all has been fine since.

However a family member asked to use the PC via the Guest Account, which if memory serves, was the first time it had been used since the upgrade. No password is required for the Guest Account.

The login seemed to take a long time, and when completed, the desktop appeared with this error message:

explorer.exe - System Warning
Unknown hard error.

while the screen is flashes. Clicking OK just closes the error window.

The task bar and the windows button are present but refuse to respond to the cursor arrow which is in "busy" mode. Some of the programs (e.g. Chrome) are not affected and will load but the flashing screen continues.

Ctrl+Alt+Del is the only way to exit. During the forced exit, the following error message appears:

 explorer.exe - Application Error
The instruction at 0x00007FFDF8F1BB98 reference memory at 0x0000000000000000. Memory could not be read.

I searched with Google using one of password protected accounts and found some suggestions. Switching off Windows Error Reporting had no effect and neither did a newer video card driver. I didn't find much in the MS KB other than try other cables and hardware, but I am reluctant to this as the problem is specific to the Guest Account and I don't want to messing up what works.

I can confirm that all other accounts are fine having never displayed this behaviour - the problem is specific to the Guest Account

Malwarebytes reported zero problems.

Has anyone any ideas? Many thanks.

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[rclarke250]

Guest account is disabled in Windows 10, this is known. There are ways around it.


Open command prompt window as administrator
net user vistor /add /active yes
net user vistor * {hit enter until cmd prompt returns, this blanks password}
net localgroup users vistor /delete
net localgroup guests vistor /add

You will have a vistors (aka guest) account bestowed with all the powers of a normal guest account.

 

[BionicJohn]

Thanks for a speedy response, I'll try that.

The guest account was a direct carry over during the upgrade from Win7.

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[linney]

4 Ways to Enable and Disable Built-in Guest on Windows 10

http://www.isunshare.com/windows-10/4-ways-to-enable-and-disable-built-in-guest-on-windows-10.html

How do I make a guest account?

http://www.tenforums.com/user-accounts-family-safety/10385-how-do-i-make-guest-account.html

Built-in Guest account errors

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...t-errors/636d8535-49ec-4312-b03c-5b05cf5827ea

 

[BionicJohn]

Big thanks, rclarke250! I now have an account which I've named Visitor with guest rights. Brilliant.

However, the account "Guest", which carried over from Win 7 still shows as a user on the login screen. How do I delete this account, as it doesn't show in Control Panel -> Users Accounts though the folder tree under Users "Guest" (largely empty) can be easily seen? In other words, how do I delete the guest account Guest!

Thanks again.


Linney, I've looked through your links, but they aren't quite what I'm looking for.

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[rclarke250]

Should be able to right click the folder in explorer and choose delete. At least I could with my old user account that was left over from an earlier Windows 7 install, that I never went back and deleted after I set my SSD.

 

[BionicJohn]

The folder tree "Guest" deleted easily enough but "Guest" still appears on the login page.

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[rclarke250]

Try, control panel, click the User Accounts header, and click remove user accounts, is it there, and can it be deleted?

Also, you could try, control panel, system, Advanced system settings,user profiles settings, and see if the account is there and delete from there.

 

[linney]

What happens if you disable the Guest Account until you ever need it?

4 Ways to Enable and Disable Built-in Guest on Windows 10

http://www.isunshare.com/windows-10/4-ways-to-enable-and-disable-built-in-guest-on-windows-10.html

 

[cdogg]

Yes, it is always better to remove an account from the management console as opposed to just deleting the folder. When removed properly, the history/pointers for that account in the registry are also removed.

 

[BionicJohn]

Looks like I'll have totally disable and re-enable the Guest facility as only the account "Visitor" - "Guest" is absent - appears in Control Panel options.

Thanks for your support.

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[BionicJohn]

Minor update.

I had an occasion to re-install/repair Windows 10 recently and took the opportunity to polish up RClarke250's text commands to read:

Open command prompt window as administrator
net user Visitor /add /active yes
net user Visitor * {hit enter until cmd prompt returns, this blanks password}
net localgroup users Visitor /delete
net localgroup guests Visitor /add

This creates a guest account called "Visitor" rather than "vistor"

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[cdogg]

Nice work guys. Stars to both!!

-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

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