M
Matt
A problem came up a couple weeks ago, the first time I rebooted after an
optional Windows Update. I logged in as a non-Admin user, the system
said it was checking user preferences (or something like that) and
showed an hourglass and didn't go much beyond that.
Now when I boot I get the pretty XP greeting screen, but soon the system
shows a blank blue screen with a little hourglass. The hourglass moves
with the mouse, but the computer stays in this state until I unplug it.
It does not respond to Ctrl-Alt-Del or to pings or to the power button.
Using the Dell XP installation CD, I am able to run Windows Setup. I
press R to run the Recovery Console and choose to log onto the
C:\WINDOWS installation (the only choice). Then I type the
Administrator password as prompted and it says the password is not valid.
How do I get past this password problem or otherwise repair my system?
Other possibly-useful information:
============================
Dell Dimension 4500.
Able to run Linux from the other hard drive, so the hardware seems okay.
Had left my system on for a week or more before this happened.
Have a router/firewall between this box and my DSL modem.
Have had the XP firewall turned on.
Have had ZoneAlarm installed and turned on.
Have been using AdAware and S&D regularly.
optional Windows Update. I logged in as a non-Admin user, the system
said it was checking user preferences (or something like that) and
showed an hourglass and didn't go much beyond that.
Now when I boot I get the pretty XP greeting screen, but soon the system
shows a blank blue screen with a little hourglass. The hourglass moves
with the mouse, but the computer stays in this state until I unplug it.
It does not respond to Ctrl-Alt-Del or to pings or to the power button.
Using the Dell XP installation CD, I am able to run Windows Setup. I
press R to run the Recovery Console and choose to log onto the
C:\WINDOWS installation (the only choice). Then I type the
Administrator password as prompted and it says the password is not valid.
How do I get past this password problem or otherwise repair my system?
Other possibly-useful information:
============================
Dell Dimension 4500.
Able to run Linux from the other hard drive, so the hardware seems okay.
Had left my system on for a week or more before this happened.
Have a router/firewall between this box and my DSL modem.
Have had the XP firewall turned on.
Have had ZoneAlarm installed and turned on.
Have been using AdAware and S&D regularly.