Just wanted to help anyone desperately searching for this: after installing the anniversary update, Windows only showed a black screen with a cursor after login. Even Ctrl+Alt+Del did not work, as that produced an error popup instead.
Uninstalling WindowBlinds in Safe mode fixes this problem. I will now try the latest version, hopefully that will work as well.
The only question I have is: can WindowBlinds be bypassed somehow during boot? Considering Microsoft's current update policy, such potentially breaking changes will get rolled out relatively often.
If you had problems it is likely the 10.0.7 update did not install fully on your computer.
Uninstall, reboot and reinstall 10.0.7 and it should be fine. The reboot is VERY important.
Neil,
Please check reply #11 - https://forums.wincustomize.com/478877/page/1/#3645618
I notice the same thing.
I have been going crazy trying to update my PC to the 10 Anniversary Update. Was getting the black screen after logging in on the lock screen.
Finally, performed a clean boot and narrowed it down to Windows Blinds 10. Not sure of the version, but I have it set to automatically update, so I assume it was the most recent one. Disabling that, fixes the issue.
Just came here to post about it & found that the issue had been already reported. I can confirm!
In addition, Skin Studio crashes. I thought that Start 10 might also cause the issue, but it is OK, though I don't know how useful it is anymore.
PS - It is version 10.07.
Deleting WindowBlinds after the Anniversary Update did allow me to finally avoid the black screen, but Windows still froze if I clicked on anything. I had to roll back the Windows update to the previous version and then reinstall the Stardock utilities. I'm deferring the Windows Anniversary Update for now.
And in replies 16 and 18, I explain further. Thanks, Hank
Bump
Me too, Neil.
To those with black screens: PLEASE UNINSTALL WB, REBOOT and then reinstall WB 10.0.7. It will work fine.
Regarding issues with clock text, please refrain from confusing this post and post in a separate thread as clearly that's a tiny minor visual error rather than what this thread was about.
I fail to see any "confusion". A comment was made on a "separate thread" about the "tiny minor visual error" and a link to that thread was included.
Hope that clears up any confusion.
"Uninstall, reboot and reinstall 10.0.7 and it should be fine. The reboot is VERY important."
This helped me, I'm back on WB . Thanks
I'm another one who was getting a black screen after the Windows anniversary update. I was running Windowblinds 10.0.3
I uninstalled, paid to extend my subscription (grrr), downloaded 10.0.7, rebooted and got my computer back.
I've had emails after my subscription ended telling me that Icon Packager 10 is available and that Windowblinds 10.0.7 is now available. Perhaps it might be helpful to send out an email advising people of the potential incompatibility between Windowblinds 10.0.3 and the Windows anniversary update. That would have been helpful.
I too had a black screen with mouse cursor only after installing the Anniversary update. After much anguish I rolled back to the old version, uninstalled WB and tried the update again and it worked.
I have since downloaded Wb 10.0.07 but I hesitate to reinstall it because it might do the same thing again as I read in some of the posts on this thread
Can we please have a definite re-assurance from Stardocks that they have TESTED this and can categorically say that it won't crash our machines with the Anniversary update insalled? I use my computer for my business and cannot afford to waste another day trying to get it to work after an update
I'm not from stardock , but it worked for me, if you do this and still get the black screen , you could reboot , press ctrl key after you login , should stop any apps that autostart , then you can uninstall WB and reboot to get into windows without wasting too much time.
I also use pc as workstation , so I was very nervous doing this once more , but it worked..
I wish I had seen this post before my upgrade. It's a little too late for me. I never could get to safe mode. It seems my HP laptop works different. After contacting Microsoft and following their instructions, I still could not even bring up task manager. They gave me several options. I finally had to start all over. A recovery to Windows 7 and losing my personal files and apps, because it would not let me back them up. Then I reinstalled Windows 10. I, however, still had personal files and apps stored on the recovery drive (I guess that is why the recovery wouldn't let me backup, because it was already backed up, but I couldn't get to the drive to recover from there). I also have Cloud, Dropbox, and Google Drive, so I felt better. You may find that the new upgrade Windows will not let you reinstall certain things like McAfee Anti-virus, so I am using the anti-virus Defender that comes with the upgrade. I just downloaded Windowblinds and my other apps from my Stardock account and they are working fine. Oh, by the way, the upgrade may delete some apps if it feels they are unnecessary.
Thanks a lot Stardock. I finally figured out on my own the problem with the Anniversary update was Window Blinds 10. I had it set to automatic update but it still screwed up. I downloaded it again after I reinstalled win An Update again. it killed it again really bad!
This is great to know. 10 updated twice for me, and I had to roll back each time. Thought it was an Nvidia driver problem and so was hoping that would fix things.
Did you reboot after uninstalling WindowBlinds and again after re-installing?
Neil is serious: REBOOT after the uninstall.
I was already at 10.0.7 via WB update several weeks ago before the windows update I finally installed this AM & I still ran into this issue.
and since I always run into issues with WB and windows updates, I usually have a good strategy for this (see below)...
I verified a successful windows update install by logging into my 'minimal mod' admin account and then found this issue when I logged into my 'all mods active' admin account to check for such conflicts...
So, I want to emphasize for anyone stumbling upon this thread & still having this issue...really do follow Neil's procedure:
"To those with black screens: PLEASE UNINSTALL WB, REBOOT and then reinstall WB 10.0.7. It will work fine."
Also, since this black screen issues happens frequently for users like me, I encourage anyone who uses WB and has encountered this issue on their machines to create a local windows admin account that does not have WB or Fences, or windowFX loaded/active...and do windows updates from there...
I started doing this since I first ran into this trouble back with WB in one win 8 update several years ago...that way at least windows updates go fine and you can always access your local no/minimal mod admin account to sign into and problems only show up when you are ready to look for them by logging into the 2nd admin account that has mods like WB active.
Also when troubleshooting issues like this, one can also just disable the respective Stardock service process rather than uninstalling the whole Stardock program...I do this to verify if the conflict is just with WB...
(for example, in this case, I confirmed that simply setting my Stardock WB service to start manually enabled me to login just fine to even my 'mods active' admin account check WB configs etc...and as soon as I manually started the WB process I could watch WB apply the style to several windows before devolving to the black screen...interestingly the bitdefender widget & WB config window remained functional but I still had to do a hard shutdown since ctrl-alt-del still gave only an error msg...)
to Neil: Thanks again for your help!
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