Windows 7 Pro 64 bit computer working normally or recently rebooted. User tries to logon and the access denied message displays. I try to logon with local admin account and get the same error. Sometimes rebooting the pc will allow you to logon correctly
but we have had to boot into safe mode and choose "active directory repair" on several machines. This has happened on several windows 7 desktops and one 2008 r2 server running Terminal Services. We have about 80 user computers and so far 10 have
had this issue over the last month.
Our 2 DC servers are Windows 2008 R2. I couldn't find any AD errors.
To "fix" the pc we had to:
1.Boot into Safe Mode with Command Prompt
2.At the DOS prompt (Cmd) window, type MSCONFIG and press Enter
3.When MSCONFIG opens click the "Boot Options" tab
4.Click the option for "Active Directory Repair"
5.Exit MSCONFIG, and reboot the PC
The PC will boot into Safe Mode regardless of what you choose (e.g. "Start Windows Normally")
You may need to reboot more than once for the repair to be completed, mine needed 2 times.
When a computer has the issue I cannot logon with the domain credentials or the local admin user credentials. Unplugging the network cable doesn't help. The only way to "fix" the issue is to boot into safe mode, login with local admin account and run msconfig, safe boot, active directory repair.
Does anyone know what Safeboot Active Directory repair does? I reboot into this mode and then I reboot again normally and the issue is resolved. If I knew what exactly happens when I boot into safe mode with active directory repair checked then maybe I can understand the problem more.