Windows XP login, hijacked by Media Center

[Jaymar]

Help, I can't log in to Windows!!! 'Media Center" has taken over my log in
prompt. We have a few different user accounts, but cannot get to them. When I
turn on the computer, Media Center login comes up instead of the normal XP
page that shows all the user accounts. This being the case, I cannot access
my desktop to make any changes. When we enter one of our user account names
and the corresponding password, it acknowledges the password as being correct
then briefly displays the wallpaper, plays the "login chime" then goes back
to the media center login prompt, surrounded by a black background. I'm
thinking about using the reinstall disk to see if there's a repair option.
Anyone out there have any experience with this?

 

[Ron Badour]

Have you tried booting in safe mode to see if you can get in that way? If
you can get in, I'd start by running full scans with up to date anti virus
and malware programs. A very good malware program is: Anti-Malware 1.33,
which can be downloaded from here:

http://www.download.com/Malwarebyte...l-10804572&subj=dl&tag=button&cdlPid=10997763
--
Regards

Ron Badour
MS MVP
Windows Desktop Experience

 

[Jaymar]

Yes, both safe mode as well as "last known good configuration" after hitting
F8 while booting, same login prompt pops up in both cases. Thanks for the
Malware tip though, I'll run it as soon as I'm able. I guess at this point
my best option would be insert the windows reinstall disk that came with the
unit and hope that if there is a repair option it works and if not make the
$49.00 (min) phone call. Thanks for your response Ron. Please feel free to
throw out any more ideas.

 

[Kelly]

Change the way users log in or off under Control Panel/Users.

If this has to do with a netserver, run the edit on line 45 (right hand
side):
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

 

[Jim]

Help, I can't log in to Windows!!! 'Media Center" has taken over my log in
prompt. We have a few different user accounts, but cannot get to them.
When I
turn on the computer, Media Center login comes up instead of the normal XP
page that shows all the user accounts. This being the case, I cannot
access
my desktop to make any changes. When we enter one of our user account
names
and the corresponding password, it acknowledges the password as being
correct
then briefly displays the wallpaper, plays the "login chime" then goes
back
to the media center login prompt, surrounded by a black background. I'm
thinking about using the reinstall disk to see if there's a repair option.
Anyone out there have any experience with this?

You mean that you can't get the username prompt through ctrl-alt-del?

My XP Media Center machine shows the same screen for logins as does my XP
Pro machine.
Jim