Error login to Azure Remote Environment (Automatically Restarting Server)

Hello Bhashura Perera

The screenshot indicates a Windows guest OS restart, not primarily an Azure/RDP connection issue. Because it happens when users sign in, first determine whether a critical Windows process is failing.

Use Azure Portal → VM → Operations → Run command → RunPowerShellScript and check recent events:

Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{
    LogName='Application'
    Id=1000,1001,1015
    StartTime=(Get-Date).AddDays(-2)
} | Select TimeCreated, Id, ProviderName, Message

Also check unexpected restart events:

Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{
    LogName='System'
    Id=41,1074,6008
    StartTime=(Get-Date).AddDays(-2)
} | Select TimeCreated, Id, ProviderName, Message

Pay particular attention to an event immediately before the restart identifying a failed process such as lsass.exe.

Boot Diagnostics and Serial Console are also useful if the VM enters a restart loop
Boot Diagnostics

Go to:

VM → Help → Boot diagnostics

Check the current screenshot and serial log. This helps determine whether Windows is reaching the login screen, crashing during startup, or entering a restart loop.

If disabled, open Boot diagnostics → Settings, enable it using the managed storage option, and save.

Microsoft: Azure VM Boot Diagnostics

Serial Console
If RDP disconnects before you can troubleshoot:

VM → Help → Serial console

For Windows Server, you should normally see:

SAC>

Then enter: cmd

Switch to the created channel: ch -si 1

Press Enter and authenticate with a local/admin account. You can then run CMD or start: powershell

and inspect Event Logs/services without using RDP. Newer Azure Windows Server images normally have SAC enabled; older images might require Run command → EnableEMS.

Microsoft: Azure Serial Console for Windows

I would first capture the 1000/1015/1074 event immediately before the restart. That should identify whether this is a critical-process crash, software-triggered restart, or another Windows issue.

Hi @Bhashura Perera

Root Cause :

• Windows service crashed.
• Corrupted user profile.
• Corrupted system files.
• Windows update issue.
• Driver crash after logon.

Solutions :

1. Open Event Viewer on the VM and review:

Windows Logs

├─ System

└─ Application

Look for events just before the forced restart:

• Event ID 1074
• Event ID 6008
• Event ID 7031 / 7034
• Event ID 1000 (Application Error)

2. Verify these services are running:

sc query RdAgent

sc query WindowsAzureGuestAgent

Or check Services:

• Remote Desktop Agent Loader
• Windows Azure Guest Agent

If the VM agent is corrupted, it can cause login-related issues.

3. In Azure Portal:

Virtual Machine

→ Help

→ Boot Diagnostics

Check screenshots and serial logs around the reboot time.

This often reveals driver failures or startup crashes.

4. Test in Safe Mode

If possible, use Azure Serial Console and boot to Safe Mode.

If users can log in without rebooting in Safe Mode, the cause is typically:

• Antivirus/EDR
• Monitoring agent
• Backup agent
• VPN client
• Recently installed software

Thanks.