So, I'm not sure if it's a login screen or a logon screen. I know Microsoft has defined the difference between login and logon. I'm too lazy to look it up though.
We ran across an issue the other day and I wanted to share it with all you SysAdmins and SysEngineers out there.
When logging into a certain server, whether using RDP, SMS, VNC, or RiLO, we would get the MSGINA login screen, but there was blackness all around it. I don't have a screenshot, but it looked, well... dark.
I'm guessing the cause was of the issue was a webAdmin (this was a web box) with too few skills. But here's what the technical cause was, and the solution too:
Looking at the server's registry, the following key had all it's values set to zero:
HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\CONTROL PANEL\COLORS
I exported the key from another server and imported it to the server that had gone GOTH on me.
I didn't feel like bumping my way through the login process so here is what I did:
1. I exported the settings from a known good computer and copied the exported file to the c: drive on the bad computer.
2. I then logged onto the bad computer using this command: psexec \\servername cmd.
3. I then did a quick "cd \" to get me to the root of c:.
4. I then did this: "regedit /s <exportedfile.reg>"
5. Lastly I rebooted.
One thing still remains unanswered. How the HECK did those settings get changed?
Oh, if you want to copy the below text and make your own regfile, or if you want to manually set the values, here is the contents of my regfile:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Colors]
"ActiveBorder"="212 208 200"
"ActiveTitle"="10 36 106"
"AppWorkSpace"="128 128 128"
"Background"="102 111 116"
"ButtonAlternateFace"="181 181 181"
"ButtonDkShadow"="64 64 64"
"ButtonFace"="212 208 200"
"ButtonHilight"="255 255 255"
"ButtonLight"="212 208 200"
"ButtonShadow"="128 128 128"
"ButtonText"="0 0 0"
"GradientActiveTitle"="166 202 240"
"GradientInactiveTitle"="192 192 192"
"GrayText"="128 128 128"
"Hilight"="10 36 106"
"HilightText"="255 255 255"
"HotTrackingColor"="0 0 128"
"InactiveBorder"="212 208 200"
"InactiveTitle"="128 128 128"
"InactiveTitleText"="212 208 200"
"InfoText"="0 0 0"
"InfoWindow"="255 255 225"
"Menu"="212 208 200"
"MenuText"="0 0 0"
"Scrollbar"="212 208 200"
"TitleText"="255 255 255"
"Window"="255 255 255"
"WindowFrame"="0 0 0"
"WindowText"="0 0 0"