Windows signs in and then logs off again after saving settings

[Ifzal]

Hello,

I really hope someone can help me out with the problem I am experiencing
with my Windows 2000 Professional. I recently installed the free edition of
AVG anti-virus. After updating the virus definitions it scanned my system
and found many viruses which it then deleted, moved to the virus vault and
cleaned.

After re-starting windows it starts up as normal without any error messages
or problems but after signing in at the logon screen it says "windows is
starting" and then, after a few seconds, instead of starting, the message
changes to "windows is saving your settings" and then it takes me back to the
login screen as if I have logged off!

I have tried repairing windows using the windows CD and doing a "full
repair" but this has made no difference. I do not get any error messages and
can not identify the problem on the Microsoft support website. I really hope
someone can help me out with this. Would re-installing windows help or would
I then loose all of the files and software on my hard disk? I suspect that
the AVG Anti-Virus software has deleted or changed a system file when it
dealt with the infected files it found during the scan which is why Windows
is no longer starting up. I am quite sure my version of windows 2000
professional is up to date with all of the recommended updates on Windows
Update.

I was thinking of buying Windows XP Professional but would I be able to
install this without losing my files, settings and the software installed on
my current system and also, perhaps I would have the same problem or even
worse!

I would greatly appreciate it if someone could kindly offer some support or
advice on what I should do.

Many thanks,

Ifzal (London UK)

 

[Meinolf Weber]

Hello Ifzal,

Check out this one, seems your boot partition drive letter is changed:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/249321

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
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[Bob I]

Windows Log on and Log off immediately.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555648/en-us

 

[Ifzal]

Hello again,

Thanks so much for the response.

"Bob I" - Unfortunately I don't have a networked computer so I can not use
regedit.exe to repair the files although I do now wish my computer was part
of a network.

"Meinolf Weber" - I did not mention that I recently installed an external
DVD-RW drive so perhaps I should unplug this USB drive and then try and start
windows again. If windows allows me to log in, I will then attempt to rename
the boot partition drive letter as instructed in the article.

I'll let you know how I get on. Wish me luck!

Ifzal

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

You can connect your hard disk as a slave disk to some
other Win2000 PC, then edit the System registry file with
regedt32.exe to make the modifications recommended in
this KB article.

 

[Ifzal]

Hi,

I tried unplugging my external DVD drive and all other external drives but
still can't log in. Unfortunately, I don't have access to another windows
2000 PC so I don't think I can follow through with the suggestion from
"Pegasus (MVP)". I do however have two internal hard disks both of which
have windows 2000 installed so perhaps I could switch the boot sequence so
that windows loads up the older version of windows 2000 (if I can remember
the username and password of course!) on the other hard disk and then, once
it has started, I could see if I can use regedit.exe.

I hope that this would not affect the installation of windows on my current
newer hard disk and that's if the old installations starts up at all. If it
doesn't start up properly, I could use the windows 2000 CD to repair it.

Any further suggestions are much appreciated.

Kind regards,

Ifzal

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

If your machine is multi-booting then you can certainly boot
into an alternative installation of Windows to edit the flawed
registry. Make sure to edit the correct registry, otherwise
you will end up with two inoperative versions.

With respect to your remark "if I can remember the username
and password" - a robust installation of Windows has two
admin accounts and password, both of which are recorded
on sheet of paper filed away in a safe place.

About your remark "I could see if I can use regedit.exe" -
I wrote "regedt32.exe", not "regedit.exe". Under Win2000,
editing an off-line registry is not possible with regedit.exe.