Can't logon, keeps cycling Logon process

[E-Double]

For some reason we can not log on to a Windows XP, sp3 laptop. This machine
should be free of viruses, spyware, etc... as it was scanned extensively last
week. But for some strange reason today it will not allow us to logon either
in regular mode or Safe mode. It will boot to Windows in both modes and
accept the logon credentials, but after accepting those credentials it will
immediately logoff (before Windows loads) and go back to the WinXP Logon
dialogue box.

TIA for any help on this one ...

e.

 

[Saucy]

When at the logon screen try:

Ctrl + Alt + Del

This will call up the manual logon box - then attempt to log on to the
Administrator account. At least you might get a clue as to whether the
problem is system or account related.

 

[Jose]

For some reason we can not log on to a Windows XP, sp3 laptop.  This machine
should be free of viruses, spyware, etc... as it was scanned extensively last
week.  But for some strange reason today it will not allow us to logon either
in regular mode or Safe mode.  It will boot to Windows in both modes and
accept the logon credentials, but after accepting those credentials it will
immediately logoff (before Windows loads) and go back to the WinXP Logon
dialogue box.

TIA for any help on this one ...

e.

If you mean no matter how you try to login you see something like:

Loading your personal settings...
Saving you settings...

This is a common symptom of malicious software installed on your
system.

You must boot your system somehow to diagnose and fix the problem.

The best way to start troubleshooting this problem is from the
Windows
Recovery Console.

You can boot the Windows Recovery Console (RC) from a genuine bootable
XP
installation CD or if you don't have a genuine bootable XP
installation CD,
make your own Recovery Console CD using another system. There is no
XP media
required to make your own bootable RC media.

This is not the same as a system recovery or system restore type CD
that may
have come with your system. If you are not sure what you have, create
a bootable
Recovery Console CD using the following instructions.

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic276527.html

When the Recovery Console is successfully loaded, post back telling us
what
method you used to get the Recovery Console loaded and we'll tell you
what
to do next.