Unable to log in after XP Home repair

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Guest

Having trouble witha relatives computer. I attempted to repair an XP Home SP2
installation from an installation CD. The repair appeared to go fine -
re-entered the product code, put in a single user name and it started up
okay, up until the welcome screen. The user name I had entered was displayed,
as well as guest, but both accounts now required a password. I hadnt set up a
password on either account, and the relative says they hadnt either. The
error message being displayed was "The system cannot log you on due to the
following error. The specified domain either does not exist or could not be
contacted." Restarted the machine into safe mode, and the administrator
account also required a password - same error. I know that before the problem
the relative had been trying to set up a small home network between this
computer and a laptop, but since both machines were running Home, why would
this domain error be coming up? Im stumped, has anyone any suggestions?
 
Having trouble witha relatives computer. I attempted to repair an XP Home SP2
installation from an installation CD. The repair appeared to go fine -
re-entered the product code, put in a single user name and it started up
okay, up until the welcome screen. The user name I had entered was displayed,
as well as guest, but both accounts now required a password. I hadnt set up a
password on either account, and the relative says they hadnt either. The
error message being displayed was "The system cannot log you on due to the
following error. The specified domain either does not exist or could not be
contacted." Restarted the machine into safe mode, and the administrator
account also required a password - same error. I know that before the problem
the relative had been trying to set up a small home network between this
computer and a laptop, but since both machines were running Home, why would
this domain error be coming up? Im stumped, has anyone any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Looks like the user configuration got changed. Was the computer part of a
workgroup on a LAN?

Have you tried?
(1) the old password
(2) simply hit enter (no password)

I'm sure you have tried the above to no avail. I got into the same
situation and had to reimage the drive. But before that, I booted the
machine using a Linux liveCD, and copied over all the required data (cut it
into a CD).

SB
 
Looks like the user configuration got changed. Was the computer part of a
workgroup on a LAN?
Click to expand...

Yes, it was part of a simple LAN - a laptop was connected to this machine
and shared its internet connection & printer, and I believe they used the
default Microsoft workgroup - MSHOME? I think? A few weeks ago they connected
ADSL, and had been having some troubles setting up their network so both
machines connected directly to the modem (no more internet connection
sharing). Then this computer decides to hang consistently before the welcome
screen, and I do the installation CD repair to get to the current problem. I
didnt think the hangs and the network troubles were related, but now Im not
so sure when I see these domain error messages on logon.
Have you tried?
(1) the old password
(2) simply hit enter (no password)
Click to expand...

(1) There never was a password previously
(2) Ive hit enter, tried password, admin, pass and all the other
default-like passwords to no avail. Ive also used a password-eliminating
bootup disk that I found whilst trawling for answers which didnt work either.
I'm sure you have tried the above to no avail. I got into the same
situation and had to reimage the drive. But before that, I booted the
machine using a Linux liveCD, and copied over all the required data (cut it
into a CD).

SB
Click to expand...

Im starting to think that the real problem isnt the lack of a password - its
the fact that the computer is unsuccessful in trying to connect to a domain.
Ive got not idea why it would want to - I thought that domains were
something that were only a part of XP Pro and both of their machines are Home
editions. Anyway, I better rephrase my original question - is there a way to
reset/clear/unspecify the domain that this silly computer is trying to
connect to?
 
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