After I log on to a Windows Vista-based computer that has the Desktop folder redirected, I see a black screen for 30 to 120 seconds before the desktop or the Start menu appears

• On a Windows Vista-based computer, you redirect the Desktop folder to a network redirection folder.
• You enable the Always Available offline option to make the Desktop folder available offline.
• The computer is connected to a network that does not contain the redirection folder.
• You restart the computer, and then you enter your user credentials on the Welcome screen to log on to the computer.

In this scenario, you see a blank screen for 30 to 120 seconds before the desktop or the Start menu is displayed. This behavior occurs because the network cannot find the redirection folder, and Windows must wait for the network time-out interval to pass. After you follow the steps in this article, you will see the Welcome screen instead of a blank screen while you wait for the network time-out interval to pass.

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During the logon process, Windows Vista switches from the Welcome screen to the desktop either when Windows Explorer is ready or when the desktop switching time-out interval has passed. Additionally, when client-side caching tries to access the redirected Desktop folder from a network share that is inaccessible, the system must wait for the network time-out interval to pass. (The network time-out interval is longer than the desktop switching time-out interval.) Therefore, Windows Vista switches from the Welcome screen to a blank screen to wait for the network time-out interval to pass before the desktop appears.

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: To work around this issue, extend the desktop switching time-out interval by changing a registry key. After you do this, you will see the Welcome screen instead of a blank screen while you wait for the network time-out interval to pass.

To extend the desktop switching time-out interval, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
2. Locate the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
3. Right-click System, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
4. Type DelayedDesktopSwitchtimeout, and then press ENTER.
5. Double-click DelayedDesktopSwitchtimeout.
6. In the Value data box, type 45, and then click OK.
7. Close Registry Editor.

Check whether the problem is fixed. If the problem is fixed, you are finished with this article. If the problem is not fixed, you can contact support (http://support.microsoft.com/contactus) .