Windows 8.1 - After restart can't click start/blank icons

GregI

GregI

GregI

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So whenever I restart the PC, I can't search for files immediately and my desktop icons are blank. My wireless icon also shows it's not connected. This happens for approximately 1 minute and then the PC is fine.

It gets even weirder as if I Windows Update to latest, I then can't click the Start button till after a minute has passed.

I've tried from multiple fresh Windows installs and it always seems to happen after awhile. However, I should say that this only happens after restarting the machine and if you shut the PC down and re power on, it's usually fine.

I've booted the machine into Safe Mode and it works perfectly fine from a restart there so don't know if that helps diagnosis.

Software installed from fresh OEM Win 8.1 USB install:

1. Classic Shell with skip metro screen.
2. netplwiz configured to allow auto log on.
3. dxwebsetup for DirectX 9.0c

I restarted after these installs earlier and it seemed fine but maybe after 2-3 restarts they might have been the problem but I doubt it.

Someone told me this might be a Windows Update error but I've not installed any. Maybe MS is secretly installing some packages or something?
 
Okay if anyone else has the issue, I figured it out. I did a process of elimination on services.msc and can confirm it's CNG Key Isolation causing this issue.

Can anyone like even begin to explain how this is relevant to not being able to use the PC for a minute or is it "technology" and leave it at that?
 
Ive been experiencing this since yesterday too.

I auto login to windows, see just the My PC icon on the desktop, then slowly everything else loads up after a while and then my pc works perfect.

It's a bit annoying. I'm guessing a windows update has introduced this. I'm also on a SSD but mine is a Samsung Evo.
 
GregI said:
Okay if anyone else has the issue, I figured it out. I did a process of elimination on services.msc and can confirm it's CNG Key Isolation causing this issue.

Can anyone like even begin to explain how this is relevant to not being able to use the PC for a minute or is it "technology" and leave it at that?
Click to expand...

I had a massive lag at login too using an SSD

Disabling this service cured it for me too :confused:
 
Okay just an update on this. Done more digging and figured out what actually causes it.

CNG Key Isolation is not the problem, just a way for it to work. I asked on MS Support forums and was told this about CNG:

"CNG Key Isolation will not start, if the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service is stopped or disabled.

If the CNG Key Isolation is stopped, the Extensible Authentication Protocol fails to start and initialize."

So first, I put CNG back to Manual and issues happened. I then looked at the Remote Procedure Call and Extensible Authentication Protocol services.

RPC was not running so I didn't touch it but Extensible was so I set that to Automatic and it works still! :)

It seems to be something to do with wireless security and public/private keys. Can't believe the storage of wireless keys would cause so much issues but there we go.
 
So I just set the Extensible Authentication Protocol service to Automatic

It allowed me to enable the CNG Key Isolation process

Now all is ok again :confused:

Really appreciate your help with this :)

Must be a windows update that's broken something
 
russell664 said:
Have you had any recent updates prior to the use at all?
Click to expand...

Nope. I've reinstalled Windows 8.1 15 times the past 3 days to make absolutely sure that updates aren't causing it. Done a mixture of the Asus factory recovery image and a brand new MediaCreationTool image.

I am like 99% sure after 15 attempts that Windows is stealth installing some updates that you can't delete or see. To make absolutely sure I'll need to run Wireshark on a new install before connecting any access to internet.

Like I said in OP, the only software I installed is minimal stuff that I verified as fine if you're fast to install and then do the necessary restarts to check it. After some time of prolonged use, the stealth update must kick in.
 
Other people have had the same issue and are reporting that it is caused by nvidia shield stream or the geforce experience.

Haven't had a chance to test it myself to see if it fixed it for me. Will update when I get the chance.
 
MrMacca said:
Other people have had the same issue and are reporting that it is caused by nvidia shield stream or the geforce experience.

Haven't had a chance to test it myself to see if it fixed it for me. Will update when I get the chance.
Click to expand...

I had the same problem with a fresh 8.1 install this weekend and it was driving me mad. Uninstalled GFE 2.5.11.45, downloaded 2.5.12.11, run as administrator, installed and all fine now.
 
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