Administrator account doesn't appear in Home XP Safe Mode

[Bruce]

Windows XP Home Edition is not showing any user accounts
at the Welcome screen. I tried to boot in safe mode to
circumvent this problem and create new accounts but the
safe mode boot hangs up at the same Welcome screen -
showing no User Accounts including no Administrator
account.

I have tried pressing CTL-ALT-DEL twice to bring up a
login box but it is demanding a password for each existing
account I try to use to log on. At the original
installation, I did not require or establish a password
for any of the user accounts, including those with
Computer Administrator privledges. I have also tried
leaving the password blank.

One possible clue: right before this problem started, my
McAfee VirusScan had found the Bugbear virus and deleted
it. I also noted that the drive letters for all my
partitions had been changed.

 

[Dror Hen]

Hi Bruce.

Which Virus Definitions version detect this Virus? Was it 4.0.4288?

Dror Hen

 

[larryu]

Bruce

My son had a similar problem with his computer this past
weekend at college. No user accounts listed on the Welcome
Screen, could not log in as administrator in safe mode. He
also got an error message 'handle is invalid' when he
would put a user name and password in the logon box.

Hope you are able to find a good solution, we did not.

larry

 

[steve]

Bruce
I've just experienced the same problem as you. Tried all
the same things but can only get back is as a guest and
not given any administrator privaledges so can't reset any
user accounts.

Any ideas what to do next?

Steve

 

[Dave Christiansen [MS]]

It is possible that your account database may have been damaged or changed
(preventing your logon). According to
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_99728.htm#VirusChar, Bugbear can allow
hackers to access your machine remotely. If a hacker has been on your
machine, there's no telling what he may have left behind to re-compromise
your computer later on.

My advice: backup any important files you can, and reinstall Windows XP.
When XP and your virus scanner are reinstalled, virus-scan any files you
saved before using them.

Good luck!
-Dave

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