Can't login to WinXP

[Head Hunter]

I am am having a (not uncommon) problem on a work PC. It is running WinXP
Pro with all latest updates (NOT SP3, though). It has NAV2008 up to date.
We dodged the UPS virus e-mails yesterday (go a ouple of hundred, but NAV
blocked them all).

However, as of this morning, we can't login into the PC. We get the login
screen, enter the password, the wallpaper flashes, and it goes back to
login. This happens in Safe Mode with Admin also. I have been going
through this newsgroup, and through Google, and have tried the following:

I have tried copying userinit.exe to wsaupdater.exe as mentioned in another
post. No help. I tried to access the registry remotely to check the
Winlogon\userinit entry. I get an error trying to access the HKey_Local
Machine entries.

I downloaded a CD Image program (http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/)
to allow me to change the administrator password (was not setup by me and no
one had record). Great little program. But, it also allows me to make
manual changes to the registry if Windows doesn't load. Got to
Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon, but then it said the Userinit
entry didn't exist. I got out of the program, tried Microsofts way to fix
the registry (copy files from Repair folder to Config folder). Got some
MSSQL error pop up, saved user settings, tries to load user settings, error
pos up, saves, starts, repeat, etc. Ended up having to reset PC to stop it.

Now, when I try to use the above program to check the registry, I get;
NTFS-fs Warning (device sda2) load_system_files:unsupported volume flags
0000 encountered.
NTFS-fs ERROR (device sda2) load_system_files:volume has unsopported flags
(missing info)et. Mounting read only.

Says to reboot in safe mode and shut down properly twice and try again. I
can log in to safe mode once, so I don't know what to do.

I am at my wits end. I have been fighting with this all day, and don't know
what else to do.

 

[db.·.. >]

the problem may be due
to norton installing into
the boot sector of your
drive.

so you may want to look
up faq's at symantec.

the other option is simply
to boot up with a windows
cd and maybe do a repair
install "or" use the recovery
console option and access
the disk system.

however, you may also
encounter an issue with
logging into the disk system
because it may ask you
for a password as well.

but worth a try and when
asked for a password, try
simply hitting the enter
key.

 

[AJR]

Also consider running System Restore from a command prompt.

 

[Pepsilaw]

I have the same problem. (Win XP Pro SP2 OEM version 2002)

I ran the "Repair" install. But make no different after.

Never complete logon even in safe mode and administrator password.

After put in the user names and passwords, it shows the following messages:



Please wait
Loading your personal settings



Please wait
Applying your personal settings



(Wall paper screen)



Please wait
Saving your settings



And then back to the log on screen again.

 

[db.·.. >]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321305/en-us

http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/

see if one of the steps
above can help .

 

[Head Hunter]

I already used the http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/ one. It can't
access the registry as I said in the original post, and the problem isn't a
bad password.

I think it is a missing or invalid key in the registry. I tried to access
the registry using Regedit, and it showed the registry, but said it couldn't
actually access the keys. Does the other PC have to be in safe mode so
Windows isn't using the registry for me to remote access it? I hope you
don't have to be logged in on the non-accessable PC.

I currently have the hard drive in an external enclosure running a virus
scan (nothing so far) and an error check from my laptop. (I HATE Win2000
and WinXP error check. It just says it's done but doesn't say if it finds
anything.) As far as I know, no problems. Is there a way to access the
registry files loaded on the (now external) hard drive?

 

[db.·.. >]

oh ok.

i think i miss some points
you made in your initial
posting - sorry for that.

when i see can't log in
the subject line, i basically
think that this is a password
issue.

but since you are able
to access the disk in some
manner, then it is not a
password issue.

if the registry has been
corrupted, it is not humanly
possible to sort through
the database of keys and
try to figure what you have,
had or need.

further, even if all the
registry keys were intact
and you are not missing
any of them, then the files on
the disk that the keys point to
may be corrupted or missing.

so a dysfunctional key may
simply be the result of a
missing system file.

a) the logical method would
be to either use a system
restore point and restore
the system to a functional
date which include a functional
registry hive.

b) another method is simply
to do a windows repair
which will replace missing
or corrupted system files
and rebuild the registry
via the windows cd automated
method.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx

or

c) you can access the recovery
console and log into the
disk system where you
can use a two step method
to restore a corrupted registry.

the first step entails to utilize a
basic registry hive that is stored
and saved for emergency purposes.

then with that basic registry
file, windows will be able to
load and launch.

the next step would be to
locate a more up to date
registry while in windows and
use it to replace the current
one that is loaded.

here are the instructions:

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

------------------
you did mention that the disk
was installed on another pc.

while installed you may as
well do a chkdsk on it to
ensure that the file system
is tuned up.

then try one or all of the above
steps with that disk installed
as the primary disk.

ultimately, you do have the
option to simply reinstall
windows.

but maybe the steps above
can leave the nuking as a
last resort.

-------

incidentally keep us apprised,
because depending on your
results, others may have ideas
as well.....

 

[Head Hunter]

Tried option a, hitting F8 and selecting to boot from restore point. No
date options doing this way. No change. Can't select date because can't
get into Windows.

Have been trying to avoid doing option b, repair install.

Tried option c, the copy from repair folder, etc. No change.

Didn't find any problems with virus scan, and I don't think Windows found
any problems with error check. As I said, WinXP doesn't give a report like
Win98 used to.

I have tried to access the registry remotely, but it says it can't open any
keys.

 

[db.·.. >]

then, i can see no option for
you except option b.

you should not have any
worries about a repair installation
because it is designed to
repair a corrupted windows
and not replace it like a
new install.

so it is my suggestion to take
the plunge and exercise option b
to begin enjoying your system,
instead of spending any more time.

however, keep in mind that
if option b doesn't work for you,
then the problem you have, whatever
it may resulting from, was not repairable
by any human means and the
only option you had was simply
a complete reinstallation of windows,
perhaps reformatting the drive as well.

moreover if a new install proved to
be a failure as well, then you can conclude
it to be a mechanical failure/faulty
hardware, in which case there was
absolutely nothing you could have
done via software methodology.