Nasty Windows XP login problem

[grabadude]

Instead of logging in to os when i click on the login prompt i get saving settings message and pc goes back into log in mode, i cant even get to the desktop. Logging in through admin does not work too. The person who owns the computer told me that there was some kind of a pc virus when this problem occured.

Any suggestions?

 

[gsellis]

Is it autologon or as it logs on, logs off?

Try holding the left Shift key.

It may be that something has also replaced the Shell. It can be fixed remotely through the registry or using another OS to access the local registry and fix hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\winlogon\shell

 

[grabadude]

I cant get into OS, registry, etc.

 

[Smilin]

Yes you could have a virus in the mix.

There are other causes as well. See This Thread.

Or the last half of This Thread

 

[grabadude]

I'll try to restore the registry through recovery console. If that does not work i'll have to format. There are some sensitive files i need to back up. How should i do that if i can't get to desktop? There is no cd burner installed, will use floppies for ms word files.

 

[AtTheGates]

Use Knoppix or another live cd and email the files to yourself.

Edit:
At the logon screen, hit ctrl+alt+del twice. This will bring up a win 2000 style logon. This may use a different logon program so give it a try.

 

[grabadude]

Originally posted by: AtTheGates
Use Knoppix or another live cd and email the files to yourself.

Edit:
At the logon screen, hit ctrl+alt+del twice. This will bring up a win 2000 style logon. This may use a different logon program so give it a try.

Isn't the Knoppix prog for Linux?

Oh, and Windows 2000 login trick did not work

 

[gsellis]

First, if the machine will get to the logon screen and you know the local admin account and it is on the network, you can get to the registry. From another computer, you can use REGEDT32 and use File, Network Registry. Also you can remove any Run statements that might be doing.

If it gets to the desktop and then goes off, the left Shift may abort the app doing it.

If you had Windows PE, you could use the REGEDT32 Load Hive to get to the local reg too.

 

[grabadude]

Originally posted by: gsellis
First, if the machine will get to the logon screen and you know the local admin account and it is on the network, you can get to the registry. From another computer, you can use REGEDT32 and use File, Network Registry. Also you can remove any Run statements that might be doing.

If it gets to the desktop and then goes off, the left Shift may abort the app doing it.

If you had Windows PE, you could use the REGEDT32 Load Hive to get to the local reg too.

Computer is not on the network.

 

[AtTheGates]

Originally posted by: grabadude
Isn't the Knoppix prog for Linux?

Knoppix is a version of Linux. It boots from a cd and does a very good job of detecting hardware. Knoppix is the most famous but there are many other live cds including BSD versions. If you have a slow connection you could try something like Damn Small Linux which is only about 50 megs. If you have a broadband connection it should detect everything and will be ready to once booted. The gui is similar to Windows in most and should be easy to figure out with no Linux experience.
You will need access to a working computer with a burner. Download, burn the .iso, boot the broken computer with the cd in, and then save your files.

 

[grabadude]

Originally posted by: AtTheGates

Originally posted by: grabadude
Isn't the Knoppix prog for Linux?

Knoppix is a version of Linux. It boots from a cd and does a very good job of detecting hardware. Knoppix is the most famous but there are many other live cds including BSD versions. If you have a slow connection you could try something like Damn Small Linux which is only about 50 megs. If you have a broadband connection it should detect everything and will be ready to once booted. The gui is similar to Windows in most and should be easy to figure out with no Linux experience.
You will need access to a working computer with a burner. Download, burn the .iso, boot the broken computer with the cd in, and then save your files.

Computer does not have a cd burner, the floppy is the only way to backup.

 

[AtTheGates]

The computer does not need to have a burner. It only needs a normal cd drive. You said the computer is not yours so if have access to any computer with a burner you can create the cd and the use that cd in the broken computer. Live cds do not need to be installed and run directly for the cd drive. There are very useful to have around when dealing with windows problems.
If you boot from one of these cds it will mount the harddrive so that it is readable. You can then use then internet to save backups or use QTparted (Partition Magic clone. Newest version is on Gentoo SystemRescueCD) to create a new partition and backup data on that. I've always found this to be the fastest way to backup large amounts of data. Backing up on floppies will take forever.

Also try booting from an Anti-Virus cd. Norton and many other will check for viruses before loading windows. This may be able to find your problem.

 

[gsellis]

Bart's PE Builder then if you do not want to use the Linux tool...

Bart's PE Builder

You can create a "PE" CD, boot from it and then you should be able to do regedit to open the hive at \windows\system32\config\software (just a dummy name). After editing it, remember to unload the hive.

 

[grabadude]

I downloaded Knoppix, made a bootable cd and it helped me alot. I like the interface too