(SOLVED) For everyone who is having black screen after login problems

[JHOP007]

Thank you. This recently started happening to me and is very disruptive. I spent hours doing all types of suggestions listed on HP and Windows 10 sites.

I do not expect perfection, we are human. However, I found people with this issue from 2015. Why not address this issue and make is easy for customers to find the solution.

Either way, I am very grateful.

[mdklassen]

> The problem isn't resolved until HP releases a hotfix that allows newly unboxed machines to go through the update process properly.

That is not going to happen. Ever. It is not a "HP-specific" problem.

The first time that a "fresh" install of Windows 10 (either from HP or from Dell or from Acer or from Lenovo or ...) is allowed to connect to the Internet, Windows Update will launch in the background, and will download all the latest updates -- for Windows, for Microsoft Office, for the built-in Flash player, for the Windows Defender anti-virus, and more -- over the Internet.

Of course, this will consume some of the computer's resources -- network, CPU, RAM, and disk-drive.

How much of each, you may ask.

The speed of your network depends on how much you pay your ISP each month.

Most new computers have either "dual-core" or "quad-core" CPUs. 

Even if Windows Update is running at 100% on one CPU, the remaining CPUs are available for the user.

You probably won't notice that one CPU is fully committed.

(Actually, you'll see that each of the 4 CPUs is at least 25% busy, because the Windows "kernel" spreads that 100% over the 4 CPUs, on a "round-robin" dispatching schedule.)

Most new computers have 4GB or 8GB of RAM -- Windows Update uses less than 1GB -- leaving lots of RAM available for the user.

The disk-drive probably is the bottle-neck, especially if it is only a 5400 RPM "spinning" disk-drive, instead of a 7200 RPM disk-drive, which is 33% faster, or instead of a SSD, which can be 15 times faster than a 5400 RPM disk-drive.

Take your "fresh" install, and start the Windows "Task Manager", and switch to the "Performance" tab, as soon as possible, and watch the usage of CPU/RAM/disk/network, caused by that first run of Windows Update.

When the updates have been downloaded, Windows 10 will reboot, to finish the updating.

Again, this consumes the computer's resources.

Just sit at the prompt for the Windows login password, and watch the LED that flashes when there is disk input/output.

Let it work for a while, until the LED is "mostly-off".

Then, login, and the "App Readiness" service will do some more updating, before you see the Windows desktop.

Then, logoff from Windows, and login again.

This follow-up login should be much faster to get to the Windows desktop.

Final note: a Windows "service" can be enabled or disabled.  It can also be stopped or started.

So, if you don't want "App Readiness" to run, first "stop" the service, and then "disable" the service.

The next time that you boot Windows, the service will still be "disabled" -- no need to have a '.bat' file to "stop" it.

If you "stop" the service, and do not "disable" it, then the next time you boot Windows, the service will start.

Experiment: when Windows Update has finished for the very first time, and asks you to reboot, disconnect from the network (disable wireless, or disconnect the Ethernet cable), and then reboot. After the reboot, if "App Readiness" launches, and finds no Internet access, the Windows desktop should appear, immediately.

[Lainchir]

Well said @mdklassen

This service is part of Windows. If HP and other manufacturers don't talk to Microsoft, then the issue will NEVER be fully resolved.

HP - you STILL NEED to help resolve this.

[IT-Consultant-]

I am under the impression that this is an isolated issue just involving HP. None of my other machines have had issues nor have I heard of any reports indicating other companies are having this issue. If that is the case HP might have to re-write that app ready driver so that it plays nice.

[iseiler]

Thank you for the fix. It worked great for me.

[PointPath]

Thank you SO MICH. It was also the "App Readiness" that fixed it for me - and thanks to you I did not have to go through every line on the screen to figure it out.  Thanks for sharing your fix.

[LisaScobee]

Does disabling app readiness stop windows updates?

[Lainchir]

You guys need to be aware that Windows 10, according to various sources, uses "App Readiness" to apply it's hotfixes... including security patches.

Some patches won't go in without having this enabled.

[Wavemechanic]

In response to post by mdklassen:

1) Lots of interesting information in your previous post on resource consumption! (so I followed-up on it...see below).

2) In regards to your "experiment" (good idea), I found on my machine that the black screen persists for about 10-minutes at startup even if I am not connected to the internet/network. I suspect that will be true for others having this specific problem. I also notice that while stuck on the black screen, very few resources are being consumed...the system is almost idle...it just "sits there", apparently doing almost nothing. So on my machine, if "App Readiness" launches, and finds no internet access, the Windows desktop still does not appear for at least 10 minutes. Might be interesting to hear from others.

3) As stated in one of my previous posts, I use the .bat file I created to stop the App Readiness service in order to allow it to restart (it does so automatically on my machine). I'm afraid of just disabling it because if Windows attempts an update with it disabled, it could cause problems. Since I don't know exactly what App Readiness does, I want it to restart.

I hope a proper fix is coming soon, but I do fear you may be right in stating that it may never happen. HOWEVER...a previous post in this thread noted that an HP person has stated that Microsoft is looking into this, which gives us some hope. Also, as stated in a previous post, the whole PC ecosystem seems to be very fragile these days. PC's do much more than they used to, but I fear that reliability is suffering, and responses to almost all problems is to simply "update your drivers...". While this may work in some cases, it's often about as good as saying "make sure it's plugged in...". Even these support groups, while helpful, are hit-and-miss, and suggestions/workarounds/solutions can have unintended consequences. And...just look at how long this thread is getting! How is the average user supposed to sort it all out?

My old Atari 400, Commodore 64 and Amiga computers always worked perfectly, but now I'm really digressing...

T

[Wavemechanic]

The experts in this group are already aware of the following clarifications, but for those that are here just to get their PC working again, please note the following:

1) Most of what is being proposed in these posts involves workarounds intended make your PC usable again until an actual proper fix/solution is provided by Microsoft or HP.

2) Workarounds are NOT fixes or solutions. They do NOT restore your PC to its design basis. A proper fix/solution restores the PC to operate as designed. That is why we must be very careful of just disabling a Windows 10 service such as App Readiness. Everyone please heed all the previous posts that state that App Readiness is a service that is needed for the PC to operate as designed. Stopping or disabling it is NOT a fix/solution, but rather just a workaround, and may have unintended consequences (such as failed updates).

3) We are waiting for HP and/or Microsoft to provide an actual solution that will restore our PC's to their intended operational state.

Cheers!

T