logon loop after aborted disc clone operation

[mikewillnot]

With Windows xp pro, sp-2, a Gateway 700, with Windows XP Pro, SP-2,
fully updated. The rest of this is from my personal memory, as the
machine is down. I believe it's a Pentium IV, 2.66ghz; 1.5gb RAM,
existing HD 80gb NTFS.

While installing a replacement HD, using Western Digital's clone HD
program (Data Lifeguard, LOL), to format, partition, create new boot
disk, and copy all files to the new HD. The copy files operation was
at about 60% and the program seemed to hang on a _restore* file in the
System Volume Information folder.

I followed the onscreen instructions and canceled out, ran chkdsk /f
(got no errors), and rebooted, thinking I'd get a do-over. Instead, I
get the logon prompt, enter the pwd, and immediately the system logs
off, and gives me the logon prompt again. I can't boot into safe mode
either; same loop.

I researched the XP "logon loop" problem and found lots that had to do
with a trojan (I forget the name), which I don't believe is my issue.
One or two posts mentioned something having to do with drives not
being identified correctly, which seems more in the ballpark. I tried
unplugging the new HD and booting into the original C drive, and same
symptom. The reverse doesn't work at all.

From the Recovery Console I tried some of the suggestions in Kelly's
website tweaks, line 263 (http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/
xp_wel_screen.htm) with no improvement.

I'd be VERY grateful for any suggestions. This is a business machine,
at home, and I desperately need to get it back up. I emailed the HD
mfgr customer support, but it was late Friday night, and no chance of
a response before Monday, if I'm lucky at all. THANKS.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

With Windows xp pro, sp-2, a Gateway 700, with Windows XP Pro, SP-2,
fully updated. The rest of this is from my personal memory, as the
machine is down. I believe it's a Pentium IV, 2.66ghz; 1.5gb RAM,
existing HD 80gb NTFS.

While installing a replacement HD, using Western Digital's clone HD
program (Data Lifeguard, LOL), to format, partition, create new boot
disk, and copy all files to the new HD. The copy files operation was
at about 60% and the program seemed to hang on a _restore* file in the
System Volume Information folder.

I followed the onscreen instructions and canceled out, ran chkdsk /f
(got no errors), and rebooted, thinking I'd get a do-over. Instead, I
get the logon prompt, enter the pwd, and immediately the system logs
off, and gives me the logon prompt again. I can't boot into safe mode
either; same loop.

I researched the XP "logon loop" problem and found lots that had to do
with a trojan (I forget the name), which I don't believe is my issue.
One or two posts mentioned something having to do with drives not
being identified correctly, which seems more in the ballpark. I tried
unplugging the new HD and booting into the original C drive, and same
symptom. The reverse doesn't work at all.

From the Recovery Console I tried some of the suggestions in Kelly's
website tweaks, line 263 (http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/
xp_wel_screen.htm) with no improvement.

I'd be VERY grateful for any suggestions. This is a business machine,
at home, and I desperately need to get it back up. I emailed the HD
mfgr customer support, but it was late Friday night, and no chance of
a response before Monday, if I'm lucky at all. THANKS.

This usually happens when the system is unable to find userinit.exe,
either because the file no longer exists or because Windows looks
for it in the wrong place. The cure is simple or complex, depending
on your setup:
- Is the machine networked with some other machine, e.g. a laptop?
- Can its disk easily be connected to some other machine?
- None of the above?

 

[mikewillnot]

THANKS for the reply.
userinit.exe seems to be in the right place, but I can't vouch for its
integrity. Also, following some of the posts I found, the key in HKLM/
SW/MS/WindowsNT/CurrentVersion/Winlogon points to userinit.exe. The
machine is connected wirelessly to a home network, but I'm not sure
that's what you mean, or how userful it is, especially as I can't boot
it. I can boot into the recovery console, and I can boot using a
bartPE disc, and I believe I can copy/add a file that way.

I tried following the method in the Charley White (name?) article that
everyone cites, but none of his steps addressed a userinit problem,
and at a certain point in his process it became clear that it wasn't
fixing the logon loop.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Sorry, I don't know anything about a "Charley White" article.

If the machine is networked then you can perform this little
test:
- Turn on the problem machine but do not log on.
- Get a copy of psexec.exe from www.sysinternals.com.
- Click Start/Run/cmd on one of your networked PCs.
- Type this command:
psexec \\ProblemPC cmd{Enter} or perhaps
psexec \\ProblemPC -u SomeUserName cmd {Enter}

Instead of {ProblemPC} you can enter the IP address of
the problem machine. If you don't know that one either then
you will probably see it when you type this command:
net view {Enter}

The question now is: After you execute psexec.exe, you
will land in the "system32" folder. Which drive is it on?
c:\system32? d:\system32?

 

[mikewillnot]

Sorry, I don't know anything about a "Charley White" article.

Sorry about the unclear reference to an article. It's HERE:
http://webcast.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=8658

I'm not sure I'll be able to get the networking connectivity necessary
to try your steps; I'll have to work on it tonight.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Sorry about the unclear reference to an article. It's HERE:
http://webcast.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=8658

I'm not sure I'll be able to get the networking connectivity necessary
to try your steps; I'll have to work on it tonight.

This article refers to cases where Windows crashed, resulting in a
BSOD. Your installation did not crash and did not result in a BSOD.
The article appears to be irrelevant for your case.