Windows Hello configuration wiped at reboot
I have a dual boot desktop running 2 versions of Windows 10 20H2, although this issue has been happening for more than the amount of time since I upgraded to 20H2.
I'll refer to the 2 dual boot systems as Win1 and Win2. They are installed in that order.
Win1 is my primary system and I am booted into that OS 90% of the time. Win2 is for testing and I rarely use that OS. Win1 is the default OS to boot to. I log in to Win1 with a domain account (I am remote from the domain controller but use a VPN to get to that network) and Win2 with a local account only. I am an Administrator in both OSes
I have the Microsoft Fingerprint keyboard which I only configure to use my fingerprint to log in to Win1. Win2 is only used with a password at this stage. If I set up Win1 to allow me to authenticate with my fingerprint, then it works perfectly every time until I reboot into the Win1 OS. At this point, the Windows Hello configuration is completely wiped and requires me to set up a PIN and my fingerprint again. It will then work as before until I next reboot into the Win1 OS. It makes no difference if I boot into Win1 and then reboot straight back into Win1 or go via a reboot into Win2. The issue always occurs.
I haven't ever managed to find anyone else with this issue and don't know where to start!
UPDATE1: harrymc gave a solution that initially seemed to work, but the config has been removed and I need to reconfigure Windows Hello again, though not immediately after a reboot this time.
The problem is related to a corruption of the Hello data. The cause is probably some unknown bug in Windows, so only Microsoft can fully fix the problem.
The solution is to clean out the corrupted Hello data and recreate it. This will fix the problem, until the bug happens to strike again in the future, which could unfortunately still happen.
The process is as follows:
- Start the Services applet
- Stop the system service called "Windows Biometric Service"
- Move away the files in
C:\Windows\System32\WinBioDatabasefor backup, to be able to undo this process if you so decide - Restart the service
- Register the fingerprint again
- Now hopefully it will work.