HELP NEEDED! Dell Won't get passed the log on

chin_grin

Hi, quick background to this problem.

Dell Dimension 4200, XP SP3. It'll boot to the log on screen. After entering the password the machine it'll show the wallpaper and then immediately show the "logging off" prompt again.

I've tried using the Recovery CD to run chkdsk -p and also booting to last known (same problem) and also safe mode (get same problem too).

Anyone had this before?

Thanks for your help!

feylya

Sounds like your local profile is corrupt. Rename the user folder in Documents and Settings and log in with the account.

chin_grin

feylya wrote: »

Sounds like your local profile is corrupt. Rename the user folder in Documents and Settings and log in with the account.

Hey man, thanks a mil for the prompt reply. But can't even get that far in to the machine. Ooh no, wait I can do that from cmd can't I!? Sorry a bit of a blonde moment!

feylya

Stick in your XP disc, go to recovery mode.

cd docume~1
rename {username} {username}.old

Boot into Windows normally.

chin_grin

feylya wrote: »

Stick in your XP disc, go to recovery mode.

cd docume~1
rename {username} {username}.old

Boot into Windows normally.

Cheers. Though, I'm in recovery mode and all I can "cd" to is C:\Windows. Can't change the drive to documents and settings!

feylya

Hmm, ok. F8 at boot to Safe Mode with Command Prompt and you should be able to do it from there. Of course, if you have a second administrative account, you can boot into that and rename from there.

Once you've renamed your profile folder btw, the account won't have any desktop icons, favourites or anything like that but they can be recovered from the renamed folder.

seanybiker

system restore?? Might do it

calex71

so you have the command prompt at safe mode

try this at the prompt

net user testaccount add


this will create a test account , see if you can log in with that of if the same thing happens.
user name will be testaccount with no password

chin_grin

feylya wrote: »

Hmm, ok. F8 at boot to Safe Mode with Command Prompt and you should be able to do it from there. Of course, if you have a second administrative account, you can boot into that and rename from there.

Once you've renamed your profile folder btw, the account won't have any desktop icons, favourites or anything like that but they can be recovered from the renamed folder.

Plot thickens! When logging in with the default account (in Safe Mode with CMD) and also the Administrator it'll do the same thing. Start to login then log right out again. Jesus, this is going to be the death of me! Thanks for your help!

tadgh

Had a similar problem in the past.
Booted from the windows xp CD and did a repair install (not a new install).
The problem was fixed with all programs and user settings unchanged, but had to reinstall SP3, since my recovery CD was only SP1

chin_grin

Hey all, thanks a mil for the replies. Found this and going to see if this does the trick.

http://thinkinginpixels.com/quick-fixes/fix-windows-xp-log-onlog-off-loop/

Failing that, it's going to be beat up Office Space Printer style.

Mountjoy Mugger

chin_grin wrote: »

Cheers. Though, I'm in recovery mode and all I can "cd" to is C:\Windows. Can't change the drive to documents and settings!

If you're at c:\windows you need to go to root - cd\

Then try cd docume~1 and rename profile there.

Sparkicks

not very probable but i thought i'd just throw this in. Make sure you don't have any scripts on startup i've seen lots of these used by kids or friends who just want to pull a prank in the startup folder of all users or something to auto logout or restart as soon as you log in.

Capt'n Midnight

try logging on in safe mode to see if the same happens if not then something in startup, or just run a system restore, if you can't logon in safe mode try logging on as administrator with blank password

if you have recently cleaned they system, it could also be malware

stuff below is for when all else fails

XP Pro logs off immediately after you log in


1. Navigate to
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon"

2. If there is a key named "OldUserinit", delete the "Userinit" key and rename the "OldUserinit" key to "Userinit".

3. The "Userinit" key should now say
"WINDOWS_PATH\system32\userinit.exe,"

"WINDOWS_PATH" is relative to where you have your windows installed.
Mine would be "C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe,"

Now you can log in again



Who changed my Userinit key?

Spyware. The program is called "Search Assistant" and is located at "\Program Files\WindowsSA". It also has some "omni*.*" files in "\WINDOWS\system32\" dir that are linked to "Userinit" key. If you remove this spyware (using Ad-aware, etc.) the "omni*.*" files are deleted and you can't log in.

or


1.- Get into the recovery console (with boot disks, you can get them from microsoft page).

2.- Get the file userinit.exe from another NOT INFECTED computer. (located in windows/system32 folder)

3.- Overwrite the userinit.exe original file (from the infected computer) with the new one (use a cd or disk to transport it) (COMMAND: COPY e:/userinit.exe c:/windows/system32/userinit.exe)

4.- Rename the userinit.exe to wsaupdater.exe

5.- Exit and ENJOY.