Logging on trouble

[Guest]

I've been tidying up my Startup Menu and must have removed something
incorrectly. When I try to log on by clicking on my username it starts off
correctly by getting my settings then says it is saving my settings and
stops. This is in Safe Mode as advised in an earlier thread. Trying to log in
as Administrator has exactly the same result. In Ordinary Windows mode I am
immediately logged off after XP gets my settings. Any help greatly
appreciated.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

See if a System Restore rollback from Safe Mode helps.

See also:

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I've been tidying up my Startup Menu and must have removed something
incorrectly. When I try to log on by clicking on my username it starts off
correctly by getting my settings then says it is saving my settings and
stops. This is in Safe Mode as advised in an earlier thread. Trying to log in
as Administrator has exactly the same result. In Ordinary Windows mode I am
immediately logged off after XP gets my settings. Any help greatly
appreciated.

 

[Guest]

I tried but I cannot gain access as Administrator so cannot access the
Command Prompt to do a restore.

 

[Guest]

Just to add to my last post to clarify a little more, when I try to log in as
Administrator exactly the same thing happens as with my own username, ie it
opens with my settings then immediately saves my settings then won't go any
further. So I simply cannot do anything at all. Still in need of help please
and getting increasingly desparate.
--
TL

I tried but I cannot gain access as Administrator so cannot access the
Command Prompt to do a restore.
--
TL

See if a System Restore rollback from Safe Mode helps.

See also:

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I've been tidying up my Startup Menu and must have removed something
incorrectly. When I try to log on by clicking on my username it starts off
correctly by getting my settings then says it is saving my settings and
stops. This is in Safe Mode as advised in an earlier thread. Trying to log in
as Administrator has exactly the same result. In Ordinary Windows mode I am
immediately logged off after XP gets my settings. Any help greatly
appreciated.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

If you're unable to logon using Safe mode also, then inspect the "userinit" registry value, as mentioned here: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/peboot.htm

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Just to add to my last post to clarify a little more, when I try to log in as
Administrator exactly the same thing happens as with my own username, ie it
opens with my settings then immediately saves my settings then won't go any
further. So I simply cannot do anything at all. Still in need of help please
and getting increasingly desparate.
--
TL

I tried but I cannot gain access as Administrator so cannot access the
Command Prompt to do a restore.
--
TL

See if a System Restore rollback from Safe Mode helps.

See also:

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I've been tidying up my Startup Menu and must have removed something
incorrectly. When I try to log on by clicking on my username it starts off
correctly by getting my settings then says it is saving my settings and
stops. This is in Safe Mode as advised in an earlier thread. Trying to log in
as Administrator has exactly the same result. In Ordinary Windows mode I am
immediately logged off after XP gets my settings. Any help greatly
appreciated.

 

[Guest]

I've created the BartPE CD as suggested but the PC refuses to load from the
CD, despite having selected it as the Boot medium. I get the messages INVALID
BOOT.INI & Loading from C:\Windows, which leaves me in exactly the same
position as before. Is there any other approach I can try?
--
TL

If you're unable to logon using Safe mode also, then inspect the "userinit" registry value, as mentioned here: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/peboot.htm

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Just to add to my last post to clarify a little more, when I try to log in as
Administrator exactly the same thing happens as with my own username, ie it
opens with my settings then immediately saves my settings then won't go any
further. So I simply cannot do anything at all. Still in need of help please
and getting increasingly desparate.
--
TL

I tried but I cannot gain access as Administrator so cannot access the
Command Prompt to do a restore.
--
TL

See if a System Restore rollback from Safe Mode helps.

See also:

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I've been tidying up my Startup Menu and must have removed something
incorrectly. When I try to log on by clicking on my username it starts off
correctly by getting my settings then says it is saving my settings and
stops. This is in Safe Mode as advised in an earlier thread. Trying to log in
as Administrator has exactly the same result. In Ordinary Windows mode I am
immediately logged off after XP gets my settings. Any help greatly
appreciated.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Two other options that I can think of:

1. From a parallel XP installation (if available), load the SOFTWARE hive, fix the "Userinit" value and unload the hive. If a parallel installation of XP is not available, you may slave the hard drive to another system running XP and do the modifications from there.

2. If remote registry service is enabled (XP Pro), you can connect to your system from other computer on the network, and fix the registry setting.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I've created the BartPE CD as suggested but the PC refuses to load from the
CD, despite having selected it as the Boot medium. I get the messages INVALID
BOOT.INI & Loading from C:\Windows, which leaves me in exactly the same
position as before. Is there any other approach I can try?
--
TL

If you're unable to logon using Safe mode also, then inspect the "userinit" registry value, as mentioned here: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/peboot.htm

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Just to add to my last post to clarify a little more, when I try to log in as
Administrator exactly the same thing happens as with my own username, ie it
opens with my settings then immediately saves my settings then won't go any
further. So I simply cannot do anything at all. Still in need of help please
and getting increasingly desparate.
--
TL

I tried but I cannot gain access as Administrator so cannot access the
Command Prompt to do a restore.
--
TL

See if a System Restore rollback from Safe Mode helps.

See also:

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I've been tidying up my Startup Menu and must have removed something
incorrectly. When I try to log on by clicking on my username it starts off
correctly by getting my settings then says it is saving my settings and
stops. This is in Safe Mode as advised in an earlier thread. Trying to log in
as Administrator has exactly the same result. In Ordinary Windows mode I am
immediately logged off after XP gets my settings. Any help greatly
appreciated.

 

[Guest]

As a relatively inxperienced user I'm afraid you've left me behind now! I'm
on XP Home so remote registry service is unavailable I assume.

I'm not at all sure what is meant by a parallel XP installation. I have a
laptop running XP Home, which I'm using for these emails, and a desktop,
which is the one in trouble, also on XP Home. Does this enable me to do what
you suggest, and if so how please? If I can't do it, ie can't load the
SOFTWARE hive etc, then how would I slave the hard drive to another system?

Sorry to be so clueless!
--
TL

Two other options that I can think of:

1. From a parallel XP installation (if available), load the SOFTWARE hive, fix the "Userinit" value and unload the hive. If a parallel installation of XP is not available, you may slave the hard drive to another system running XP and do the modifications from there.

2. If remote registry service is enabled (XP Pro), you can connect to your system from other computer on the network, and fix the registry setting.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I've created the BartPE CD as suggested but the PC refuses to load from the
CD, despite having selected it as the Boot medium. I get the messages INVALID
BOOT.INI & Loading from C:\Windows, which leaves me in exactly the same
position as before. Is there any other approach I can try?
--
TL

If you're unable to logon using Safe mode also, then inspect the "userinit" registry value, as mentioned here: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/peboot.htm

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Just to add to my last post to clarify a little more, when I try to log in as
Administrator exactly the same thing happens as with my own username, ie it
opens with my settings then immediately saves my settings then won't go any
further. So I simply cannot do anything at all. Still in need of help please
and getting increasingly desparate.
--
TL

I tried but I cannot gain access as Administrator so cannot access the
Command Prompt to do a restore.
--
TL


:

See if a System Restore rollback from Safe Mode helps.

See also:

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I've been tidying up my Startup Menu and must have removed something
incorrectly. When I try to log on by clicking on my username it starts off
correctly by getting my settings then says it is saving my settings and
stops. This is in Safe Mode as advised in an earlier thread. Trying to log in
as Administrator has exactly the same result. In Ordinary Windows mode I am
immediately logged off after XP gets my settings. Any help greatly
appreciated.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Parallel installation is nothing but another XP installation (on a different drive). Not all users have this setup in their systems.

This involves removing the case/disconnecting the hard disk drive (altering the jumper setting in the drive, if need be) and connecting it to another computer running Windows XP. It's advisable to visit a PC repair shop nearby to do this, since you say you're an inexperienced user. Sorry! This is the only option that I can think of, apart from doing a repair installation of Windows.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


As a relatively inxperienced user I'm afraid you've left me behind now! I'm
on XP Home so remote registry service is unavailable I assume.

I'm not at all sure what is meant by a parallel XP installation. I have a
laptop running XP Home, which I'm using for these emails, and a desktop,
which is the one in trouble, also on XP Home. Does this enable me to do what
you suggest, and if so how please? If I can't do it, ie can't load the
SOFTWARE hive etc, then how would I slave the hard drive to another system?

Sorry to be so clueless!
--
TL

Two other options that I can think of:

1. From a parallel XP installation (if available), load the SOFTWARE hive, fix the "Userinit" value and unload the hive. If a parallel installation of XP is not available, you may slave the hard drive to another system running XP and do the modifications from there.

2. If remote registry service is enabled (XP Pro), you can connect to your system from other computer on the network, and fix the registry setting.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I've created the BartPE CD as suggested but the PC refuses to load from the
CD, despite having selected it as the Boot medium. I get the messages INVALID
BOOT.INI & Loading from C:\Windows, which leaves me in exactly the same
position as before. Is there any other approach I can try?
--
TL

If you're unable to logon using Safe mode also, then inspect the "userinit" registry value, as mentioned here: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/peboot.htm

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Just to add to my last post to clarify a little more, when I try to log in as
Administrator exactly the same thing happens as with my own username, ie it
opens with my settings then immediately saves my settings then won't go any
further. So I simply cannot do anything at all. Still in need of help please
and getting increasingly desparate.
--
TL

I tried but I cannot gain access as Administrator so cannot access the
Command Prompt to do a restore.
--
TL


:

See if a System Restore rollback from Safe Mode helps.

See also:

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I've been tidying up my Startup Menu and must have removed something
incorrectly. When I try to log on by clicking on my username it starts off
correctly by getting my settings then says it is saving my settings and
stops. This is in Safe Mode as advised in an earlier thread. Trying to log in
as Administrator has exactly the same result. In Ordinary Windows mode I am
immediately logged off after XP gets my settings. Any help greatly
appreciated.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Ramesh. One final thought perhaps. I have an external hard drive to
which I copied my whole C drive a while ago. This does not show up as an
option from which to boot when in Safe Mode. Is there any possibility of
forcing a boot from there? Wouild it get over the problem anyway?
--
TL

Parallel installation is nothing but another XP installation (on a different drive). Not all users have this setup in their systems.

This involves removing the case/disconnecting the hard disk drive (altering the jumper setting in the drive, if need be) and connecting it to another computer running Windows XP. It's advisable to visit a PC repair shop nearby to do this, since you say you're an inexperienced user. Sorry! This is the only option that I can think of, apart from doing a repair installation of Windows.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


As a relatively inxperienced user I'm afraid you've left me behind now! I'm
on XP Home so remote registry service is unavailable I assume.

I'm not at all sure what is meant by a parallel XP installation. I have a
laptop running XP Home, which I'm using for these emails, and a desktop,
which is the one in trouble, also on XP Home. Does this enable me to do what
you suggest, and if so how please? If I can't do it, ie can't load the
SOFTWARE hive etc, then how would I slave the hard drive to another system?

Sorry to be so clueless!
--
TL

Two other options that I can think of:

1. From a parallel XP installation (if available), load the SOFTWARE hive, fix the "Userinit" value and unload the hive. If a parallel installation of XP is not available, you may slave the hard drive to another system running XP and do the modifications from there.

2. If remote registry service is enabled (XP Pro), you can connect to your system from other computer on the network, and fix the registry setting.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I've created the BartPE CD as suggested but the PC refuses to load from the
CD, despite having selected it as the Boot medium. I get the messages INVALID
BOOT.INI & Loading from C:\Windows, which leaves me in exactly the same
position as before. Is there any other approach I can try?
--
TL

If you're unable to logon using Safe mode also, then inspect the "userinit" registry value, as mentioned here: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/peboot.htm

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Just to add to my last post to clarify a little more, when I try to log in as
Administrator exactly the same thing happens as with my own username, ie it
opens with my settings then immediately saves my settings then won't go any
further. So I simply cannot do anything at all. Still in need of help please
and getting increasingly desparate.
--
TL


:

I tried but I cannot gain access as Administrator so cannot access the
Command Prompt to do a restore.
--
TL


:

See if a System Restore rollback from Safe Mode helps.

See also:

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I've been tidying up my Startup Menu and must have removed something
incorrectly. When I try to log on by clicking on my username it starts off
correctly by getting my settings then says it is saving my settings and
stops. This is in Safe Mode as advised in an earlier thread. Trying to log in
as Administrator has exactly the same result. In Ordinary Windows mode I am
immediately logged off after XP gets my settings. Any help greatly
appreciated.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Booting from the external hard drive (C: drive clone) may lead to the same situation, due to change in the system drive-letter.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Thanks Ramesh. One final thought perhaps. I have an external hard drive to
which I copied my whole C drive a while ago. This does not show up as an
option from which to boot when in Safe Mode. Is there any possibility of
forcing a boot from there? Wouild it get over the problem anyway?