Computer Locked and in Use

[KHQuantock]

Okay...I try to make this a concise and possible. I am using a dell Laptop,
running XP Home edition.

I was exploring possibility of using msconfig to help speed up my start up.
I did not make any changes that I know of....but

1. My PC is locked ...my administrator password lets me in, but I still
can't use MSCONFIG..tells me that I am not the administrator. I get the
"Computer in use and has been locked" dialog box. I can get in, but can do
nothing....can't delete programs or use MSCONFIG.
2. I have tried Safe Start up...nothing.
3. I can't access my McAfee
4. Tried to access Windows firewall, but I can't....says services is not
running.
5. One possibility is that my pc locked because I tried to make changes to
the programs and the pc went into a protective mode.....
6. I was using my pc, but using son's cable internet acess thru his router,
with direct connect (not wireless)....I can't imagine that that has any
effect on my problem.
Have spent most the day researching, ...it appears I may have to reinstall
all of my programs on my laptop..

Help.....i really don't want to reinstall my entire hard drive.

Do I have a virus??

 

[Steven L Umbach]

Since you are using XP Home try booting into Safe Mode and logon as the
built in administrator account which may have a blank password to see if you
can access things that are restricted when you are logged onto your other
account. It sounds like your other account may no longer be in the local
administrators group any more for whatever reason which you can easily check
while logged on as the built in administrator by going to Control
Panel/users - change user account or run the command net localgroup
administrators [with any user account] at the command prompt to see what
users are in the local administrators group.

Steve