Fast User Switching issues

[Sidney]

Hello there...
I'm running a Dell Vostro 460 with Windows 8 Pro with Media Center (64 bit). I have four users set up on the machine, two running as Administrators. I have a big issue when switching between users...

Primarily, I've lost fast user switching, so if someone checks their e-mail or something I lose everything running.

Secondly, after using Win+L to switch users, typing in the correct password removes the Signed in status underneath the user, and then resets the screen to a fresh log-in screen, where I need to retype the password to sign in successfully. This happens intermittently.

The only significant tweak I've made to the system is that I've disabled the Lock Screen using Group Policy Editor.

I've tried looking this up to now avail - does anyone have any suggestions as to what I need to look at/tweak?

All help gratefully received - this whole issue is damn annoying!


Sidney

 

[Sidney]

Any help would be most welcome!

 

[Brink]

Hello Sidney,

You would normally switch users by going to the Start screen, click on your name at top right, then click on the user you want to switch to.

Another way is to press CTRL+ALT+DEL, click on Switch user, then sign in to the user you want.


If you like, you might see how the switch user context menu item in the tutorial below may work for you.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4994-switch-user-add-desktop-context-menu-windows-8-a.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Sidney]

Thanks for the reply Shawn - I really appreciate it. The Ctrl+Alt+Del route stills leads to the same unwanted results. Starting the computer in safe mode and I can switch between users fine; I've turned off non-MS services as a test and still no luck, so it seems likely to be an MS issue... I can't see anything obvious in the MS services that would be causing all this trouble...

 

[Brink]

Since it works while in Safe Mode, let's do some more troubleshooting by disabling all your startup items, restart the computer, and test to see of switch user works properly. If it does, then enable a couple of startup items at a time, restart, test, and repeat to see if one of the startup items may be responsible for this.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5180-startup-items-manage-windows-8-a.html

 

[Sidney]

I've tried the start-up items available via Task Manager, but not the MS services via there or Services.msc; is that what you mean when you reference start-up items? I'm wary of crippling the computer by shutting down a core service and not being in a position to rectify the matter.

By the way, you're a gent for all the help so far Shawn - thank you!

 

[Brink]

Yeah, that was for startup items (programs) in the Task Manager. You don't want to disable any services.

You might see if running sfc /scannow command may help in case a corrupted system file may be at fault.

If not and it hasn't started to long ago, you could try doing a system restore using a restore point (if available) dated when you didn't have this issue to hopefully fix it.

 

[Sidney]

Thanks again Shawn. I tried sfc early on (and indeed just now) to get the message "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations" - so I'm guessing that's a no-go. As to noticing exactly when switching users caused problems, I have no distinct date and am really wary about using an old system restore point.

It's really good to bounce ideas of some-one on this, so thank you for that. Do you have any other suggestions?

 

[Brink]

I'm not sure what else may fix it other than refreshing Windows 8.

 

[Sidney]

Eek! Let's hope it doesn't come to that... If I ever resolve the issue, I'll let you know...

Thanks again Shawn!