welcome screen has no users

[Guest]

I have Windows XP home, SP2

The welcome screen comes up with message "to begin, click your user name",
but no user names/icons are listed.

There is (should be) only one user account ("Owner") on the machine, with no
password (I've had this since 2002)

I did Ctrl+Alt+Del to get to the log on screen. "Owner" was in the user name
field, but I get the message "The system could not log you on, make
sure...etc.
Administrator gave the same result. (I have no passwords set up for
Administrator or Owner.)

I tried F8 and then "Last Know Good Configuration", and also "Safe Mode"
with always the same results.

What can I do to get in as Administrator? Right now I have no access to my
machine.

Thanks,
Mac

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi,

At the welcome screen do a Ctrl+alt+del twice.
This will bring up the "Log On to Windows" box.
Type in administrator as the User Name, leave the Password blank and press
enter unless you know there is one, then enter it.

 

[Guest]

I had already tried that (in fact, that's the only way I am able to get the
logon box to come up that is giving me the "The system could not log you on,
make sure...etc." message.) I get the same message whether I try
administrator or owner. I have no passwords on any accounts. And I've
already tried Last Know Good Configuration, and Safe Mode with the same
result.

Any other ideas?

Mac

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi,

As I see it there are two choices, restore the registry or perform a repair
install.

How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=307545

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install by Michael Stevens MS-MVP:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

 

[Guest]

Thanks Bert,

A few questions about those 2 options:

With both these options:
Is it true that they will not impact the data files on my hard drive? All
my files should still be there when I'm finished?

Which would be a better option to try first:
- recover corrupted registry with recovery console?
- repair install?


Option 1 -- How to recover from a corrupted registry has a warning: Do not
use the procedure that is described in this article if your computer has an
OEM-installed operating system.
Does that mean I shouldn't do this? (The computer came from Gateway with XP
installed)

Using a CD when I log on as administrator then will it find the
administrator account on the CD? (Otherwise wouldn't I expect the same error
I'm getting now?)

Also, to restart from my XP CD can I (should I) use an SP2 CD?

Thanks again for your time!

Mac

 

[Bert Kinney]

Thanks Bert,

A few questions about those 2 options:

With both these options:
Is it true that they will not impact the data files on my hard drive? All
my files should still be there when I'm finished?

Yes, and Yes. Now that doesn't mean that something couldn't go wrong. I hope you
have a backup!

Which would be a better option to try first:
- recover corrupted registry with recovery console?
- repair install?

I would lean to the repair install.

Option 1 -- How to recover from a corrupted registry has a warning: Do not
use the procedure that is described in this article if your computer has an
OEM-installed operating system.
Does that mean I shouldn't do this? (The computer came from Gateway with XP
installed)

Go with the repair install.

Using a CD when I log on as administrator then will it find the
administrator account on the CD? (Otherwise wouldn't I expect the same error
I'm getting now?)

Also, to restart from my XP CD can I (should I) use an SP2 CD?

What type of SP2 CD do you have?

Thanks again for your time!

Mac

 

[Guest]

I have a CD from Microsoft that I installed SP2 from; I'll look at it when I
get home, is there a chance I can use that instead of my original XP CD? I
just read about slipstreaming the 2 together so maybe not.

If I do the repair using my original XP CD will I have any issue with SP2?

I wish I had a backup...this wouldn't be quite so dire.
Unfortunately, I have not backed up in months (I know, I know...) If I
could just get back on the machine and save all the stuff I don't want to
lose, I'll be happy.

 

[Bert Kinney]

Slipstreaming it the way to go.
How to use AutoStreamer to Slipstream Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://www.simplyguides.net/guides/using_autostreamer/using_autostreamer.html

Putting the drive into another XP machine as a secondary drive you should be
able to take ownership of the files and back them up before proceeding.
How to take ownership of a file or folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421