Can't get past logon to safe mode

[Andy]

I want to go to safe mode, but when the logon prompt comes, it shows a
previous user, but that can't be changed nor can a password be
entered. ??

Regular Windows GUI works fine.

Any ideas how to fix it ?

Andy

 

[Paul in Houston TX]

I want to go to safe mode, but when the logon prompt comes, it shows a
previous user, but that can't be changed nor can a password be
entered. ??

Regular Windows GUI works fine.

Any ideas how to fix it ?

Andy

Delete that user using regular mode, then try safe mode.

 

[Andy]

Delete that user using regular mode, then try safe mode.

Tried it. Nothing happened.

I have also tried:

sfc /scannow

net user -- all accounts are still active

Have you heard of this idea ?

Load the file (ntuser.dat) as a hive in the registry editor to see if it's loaded correctly and the contents looks ok.

 

[Paul in Houston TX]

Tried it. Nothing happened.
I have also tried:
sfc /scannow
net user -- all accounts are still active
Have you heard of this idea ?
Load the file (ntuser.dat) as a hive in the registry editor to
see if it's loaded correctly and the contents looks ok.

I am not not familiar with that procedure.
Can't help with that one.
Does net user list all the accounts?
Can you log in and make changes using the hidden XP
Administrator account?
You will be an XP pro by the time you get tired
of messing with XP.
Then on to 7 !

 

[Ben Myers]

Tried it. Nothing happened.
I have also tried:
sfc /scannow
net user -- all accounts are still active
Have you heard of this idea ?
Load the file (ntuser.dat) as a hive in the registry editor to see if it's
loaded correctly and the contents looks ok.

See if this applies to you.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/298252

If this doesn't help, please repost with more information, including the
procedure
you are using for a Safe mode start.

Ben

 

[Andy]

I am not not familiar with that procedure.

Can't help with that one.

Does net user list all the accounts?

Can you log in and make changes using the hidden XP

Administrator account?

You will be an XP pro by the time you get tired

of messing with XP.

Then on to 7 !

I did a reinstall of XP and I am using sp2.

I have the sp3 package on my hard drive.

I can't figure out how to install it.

Andy

 

[Paul in Houston TX]

I did a reinstall of XP and I am using sp2.

I have the sp3 package on my hard drive.

I can't figure out how to install it.

Andy

The useful version of xp3up is only one exe file.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389#method21
Don't worry that it says for IT pros only.
Get it here:
WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86-ENU.exe
I have never had a problem with xp3. IMO, its
faster and more stable than xp2.

 

[Andy]

The useful version of xp3up is only one exe file.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389#method21

Don't worry that it says for IT pros only.

Get it here:

WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86-ENU.exe

I have never had a problem with xp3. IMO, its

faster and more stable than xp2.

Thanks for the link.

During the install, XP asked if I wanted to keep the old partition and install to my D: drive, which I did.

The sp2 version of iexplore is definitely slower than the sp3 version.
Once it had to close down.

Andy

 

[Paul in Houston TX]

Thanks for the link.

During the install, XP asked if I wanted to keep the old partition
and install to my D: drive, which I did.

The sp2 version of iexplore is definitely slower than the sp3
version. Once it had to close down.

Andy

Hope the O/S is not spread over 2 drives.
I once had the boot system on C; and the rest of the
O/S on D; It worked but was not a good thing to do.
Eventually had to reinstall xp on one drive only.

 

[Andy]

Hope the O/S is not spread over 2 drives.

I once had the boot system on C; and the rest of the

O/S on D; It worked but was not a good thing to do.

Eventually had to reinstall xp on one drive only.

I did a reinstall and had it install on drive c:

I tried to get down to one partition but couldn't.

I resized the primary one and left 8 Gb on the other.

There are some windows files that it needs on the d: drive.

I suspect those files are why I could not eliminate the second partition entirely.

Everything is running fine.