Hi @Nia Flanagan (MSci Geol & Phys Geog)
Since both Windows Hello and the sign-in screen are misbehaving, this may be more than a fingerprint-reader issue. The blank or very slow password screen can also indicate damaged Windows components.
After signing in with the password, open Command Prompt as administrator and run these commands one at a time:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow
Allow both scans to finish, then restart the laptop and test the PIN and fingerprint again. DISM and SFC can repair missing or corrupted Windows system files that may cause freezing or Windows features to stop working.
If the screen becomes blank again, try pressing Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B. This resets the graphics driver and may bring the sign-in screen back.
Please also let us know whether the error appears when entering the PIN, setting up a new PIN, or using the fingerprint, as that will help narrow down error 0x80090027.
Thank you for your time