Cannot login locally to my XP Pro Laptop

[Guest]

Hi Guys:

I was wondering if anyone could help me. I have a laptop that has never
been on a network, attached to a domain or workgroup but will not allow me to
login as it states:

Logon Message

The system cannot log you on due to the following error:

The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted.

Please try again or consult your system administrator.

Ok

I have tried safe mode, I have tried regular mode, to no success. There are
no passwords enabled. I tried using a recovery console but it doesn't allow
me to clear the dns cache or run those utils. I am stumped. What can I do?

Do I have to reisntall XP Pro?

Any help you could provide would be awesome?

Thank yo so much

Rebecca Owesn

 

[Steven L Umbach]

Did this just start happening all the sudden or is this a computer that you
just obtained that you can not logon to?? You might try using Last Known
Good configuration if this is a problem that suddenly started happening. If
you have an operating install disk for that laptop you might try a repair
install if you have not luck which should preserve your applications and
data being sure NOT to select any option to format your system drive.

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm --- XP repair
install

You say you can logon in Recovery Console and that is encouraging though I
don't know what you expect to accomplish by clearing dns cache. You can
repair registry problems in Safe Mode if you are up to the challenge as per
the info in the Microsoft article below where you copy registry files from
System Restore snapshots from a point in time before the problem began..
Keep in mind that if you do reinstall the operating system you could
permanently lose access to any files you encrypted with the built in EFS
file encryption.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

 

[Guest]

Thanks Steve. I tried the Last Known option but it gave the same error. It
is very strange in that it was never hooked up to a network. It is a stand
alone laptop. It just all of a sudden they said it started giving the domain
error.

I will do a repair install. I need to get the data off it and if I have to
do that then so be it. I appreciate the advice and the links.

Rebecca

 

[Steven L Umbach]

OK. I have heard of that issue on occasion before but never have read of a
resolution though registry restore could work. A repair install is almost
always a safe bet but if the data is very important to you I would try to
take steps to backup it up first. One way would be to pull the laptop hard
drive and use an IDE to USB converter to essentially turn your laptop drive
into an external hard drive that could then be accessed by another computer
[other than encrypted files if any]. Laptop hard drives are usually not hard
at all to remove but as any electronic device should be handled with care.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002 --- IDE to
USB that I use

Steve