Can't login to WinXP

U

Unknown Variable X

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222
K, here my problem. I've got my friends tower sitting here and I'm trying to fix it. Its a Dell PC 700mhz or something like that running WinXP Service Pack 1 and It wont let me login. I get to the login screen that shows the two account, neither have passwords, after I click it logs in then immediately logs me out and back to the users screen where I can try it again to no avail. I've done some searching around and cant find anything.
 
Well, I hate to be the barrer of bad news, but that sounds very virus-esque. I would say it's a registry deal, so try and boot in safe mode, by pressing F8 on boot-up and trying to get in that way. If you can, try and adjust the account/s to have a password/s, in the control panel>user accounts. If that fails you, you'll need to re-format. But, if you can get into safe mode, atleast you'll have options. Post how things go.
 
I would agree with toyomatt84. I can't think of any normal event that would cause a machine to log out automatically without some form of message being displayed.
 
Booting into safe mode still doesnt help at all so I searched around for a while and agree that its gotta be something in the registry. Other people have found it to be the fault of ad aware deleting something in the registry so I'm just formatting it. Thx for replies.
 
Well, I've never had a problem like that with Ad-Aware. What's possible is that a virus infected a system file, and Ad-Aware is under the assumption that it's tainted, so it spots it. There is a ton of reasons that there could be for an explanation to what happened.
 
I've had a similar problem. On my WinXP laptop (Firefox as the web browser), it won't let me even get that far. I just get to the "Ctrl-Alt-Del to logon"-type screen, and as soon as I press that, The computer freezes, including the mouse. Any ideas?
 
240Z
I've had a similar problem. On my WinXP laptop (Firefox as the web browser), it won't let me even get that far. I just get to the "Ctrl-Alt-Del to logon"-type screen, and as soon as I press that, The computer freezes, including the mouse. Any ideas?
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That could be any number of things. The Ctrl-Alt-Del box is thrown as soon as the Netlogon service starts. This can be before all of the other services have started, and thus your freeze could be to do with you trying to log on or to a service failing.

A large Exchange Server, for example, will allow you to log in some 10 minutes before the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service has started.

Try leaving the laptop for five minutes. If it is still responding to keystrokes and mouse movement, but freezes when you hit Ctrl-Alt-Del, then it is something bad interfering with the login service. If the computer crashes when you're not using it, then a service is failing on startup. You'll need to start in Safe Mode and look through the Event Log.
 
An update on my situation. I started it up and would only let me do a low level format with madboot. It went on for a good 24 hours trying to format the entire 120gb harddrive. I ended up cutting the power to the computer by accident while replacing a couple switches and a recepticle in my bathroom. Started the format again and cut the power again by accident when I was troubleshooting the circuit!
 
You should format it the simpler (and much more effective way). Insert the Windows XP install disc into your main disc drive, and restart the pc. As long as you have "Boot from CD" as the first thing to boot on your boot order, then a command will come up saying "Press any key to boot from Disc..." and you'll press a key to do so. It will then run through the standard windows installation, but before it does, it will ask what partition to use. Delete the existing one and create a new one. Then install Windows.
 
toyomatt84
You should format it the simpler (and much more effective way). Insert the Windows XP install disc into your main disc drive, and restart the pc. As long as you have "Boot from CD" as the first thing to boot on your boot order, then a command will come up saying "Press any key to boot from Disc..." and you'll press a key to do so. It will then run through the standard windows installation, but before it does, it will ask what partition to use. Delete the existing one and create a new one. Then install Windows.
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I dont have the windows xp disc, this was with my friends comp. I'm running windows 2000 until thurs when I get my new comp. I couldnt get the xp disc of my friend either because he bought the entire system off tv with everything preinstalled. Oh well, they're computer illiterate so I'll just tell him I tried everything and formatting was the only choice. He just wants it working again, the only important thing on that comp were the games, hes got everything else backed up. This wasnt a simple fix, something was seriously messed up, there must be something physically wrong with it inside.
 
Umm.... If you don't have the XP install disc, it's not going to really get rid of all the problems. Usually Virus' don't attack anything but the OS, so you'll need to re-install it.
 
toyomatt84
Umm.... If you don't have the XP install disc, it's not going to really get rid of all the problems. Usually Virus' don't attack anything but the OS, so you'll need to re-install it.
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Its done, I've formatted and will be reinstalling xp after I get the cd.
 
I can still see the old dll files causing problems on the re-install, but, no matter. You'll have the XP disc anyway, so if problems arise, you can reformat using that.
 
Unknown Variable X
How could the dlls still exist after a complete format?
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Well, in order to get rid of kernel32.dll (from my experience), I've needed to completely swipe the whole drive outside of windows. Since it is a constantly running, system-dependent .dll file, it will not dissapear while in windows, nor have I seen a re-install completely replace it.
 
GilesGuthrie
That could be any number of things. The Ctrl-Alt-Del box is thrown as soon as the Netlogon service starts. This can be before all of the other services have started, and thus your freeze could be to do with you trying to log on or to a service failing.

A large Exchange Server, for example, will allow you to log in some 10 minutes before the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service has started.

Try leaving the laptop for five minutes. If it is still responding to keystrokes and mouse movement, but freezes when you hit Ctrl-Alt-Del, then it is something bad interfering with the login service. If the computer crashes when you're not using it, then a service is failing on startup. You'll need to start in Safe Mode and look through the Event Log.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I will try this. Where can I find said event log?
 
240Z
Thanks. I will try this. Where can I find said event log?
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Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Event Viewer. Usually also accessible from the Start Menu.
 

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