You've been hacked or malware'd. Make the changes by confirming userinit exists in the above location and removing everything AFTER, but not including, that first comma, so it looks just like what I gave you. Then boot into that installation and try it.
You've been hacked or malware'd. Make the changes by confirming userinit exists in the above location and removing everything AFTER, but not including, that first comma, so it looks just like what I gave you. Then boot into that installation and try it.
Went into Explorer and verified that userinit.exe exists in the system32 dir. Says it was created on 8/23/2001. I'm guessing this doesn't matter? There's no wsaupdater.exe in the system32 dir. So the only thing I need to delete is that part of the registry? (ie- that particular line after the comma)
Getting ready to head to work, so my next reply won't be until you're probably in bed
Darn time difference here in Japan.
Getting ready to head to work, so my next reply won't be until you're probably in bed
Darn time difference here in Japan.Deleted the wsaupdater section after the comma and rebooted. Seemed to reboot into the new install just fine. I've got the owners coming over in a couple hours to tell me what's important. I'm going to burn it all on DVD for them before I let them have their computer back.
Got a bit o' a mean streak in me. Called and left 'em a msg that I needed to talk to them. Kept a fairly level tone- no overt happiness or anything. When the guy called me back at work, I told him I had bad news. Told him that he needed to come over tonight but that I was started to get a cold. I let it drag on a bit before I let on that the computer was fixed The "bad" news was that they'd have to be around me while I had the signs of the beginning of a cold Karma'll get me someday, but hey- they gotta figure there's a price to be paid for not backing up.
Guess that means I ought to be a little more diligent myself... my vidcard is toast in my notebook
Thanks for everything dclive! (and ev'one else!)
Got a bit o' a mean streak in me. Called and left 'em a msg that I needed to talk to them. Kept a fairly level tone- no overt happiness or anything. When the guy called me back at work, I told him I had bad news. Told him that he needed to come over tonight but that I was started to get a cold. I let it drag on a bit before I let on that the computer was fixed
The "bad" news was that they'd have to be around me while I had the signs of the beginning of a cold Karma'll get me someday, but hey- they gotta figure there's a price to be paid for not backing up. Guess that means I ought to be a little more diligent myself... my vidcard is toast in my notebook
Thanks for everything dclive! (and ev'one else!)
You mean it rebooted into the old, original installation, right?
So it's fixed and working fine now? I'm assuming that's what you meant.
Sounds good. So doing a parallell install on the box and fixing just one single line in the registry (30 seconds of work) resolved the problem and saved us from having to reinstall .... it's good stuff.
So it's fixed and working fine now? I'm assuming that's what you meant.
Sounds good. So doing a parallell install on the box and fixing just one single line in the registry (30 seconds of work) resolved the problem and saved us from having to reinstall .... it's good stuff.
No, it rebooted into the new installation, but I'm able to access all of the files in My Documents so that I can burn them to DVD (which is in progress right now, actually). Friends just left a bit ago. Guy wasn't too worried- he was getting used to not having a computer, but his woman... she was itchin' to have the beast back in action. So they're mighty happy. They can't figure out for the life of them, however, how the Blazefind search thing came to be installed on their computer.
Things aren't pretty. I tried running MusicMatch (installed in the original install) by going into Program Files/MM and clicking on the executable. Didn't work. So things are definitely hosed software-wise. But the couple were happy enough to know that their data was saved that they didn't mind having to reformat/reinstall once they get their Sys Restore disc from their relatives in the States. Other than that, it physically looks like a brand new reinstall. There's really no sign of the previous install unless you open up the C: drive and start poking around in folders.
They didn't quite understand how it was working since XP was installed twice and I didn't have much of an explanation for the Hows and Whys- just the Whats of what I did. I don't know much about the Registry other than not to screw with it lightly. Therefore all the magic that makes buttons flash and knobs turn in there is a mystery to me, too, so I don't know why things work and don't work with the parallel install.
I'm burning DVDs now. If you have anymore questions or things you want me to look at and answer regarding this, ask away. They'll be picking the laptop up tomorrow or the next day once our schedules match.
Things aren't pretty. I tried running MusicMatch (installed in the original install) by going into Program Files/MM and clicking on the executable. Didn't work. So things are definitely hosed software-wise. But the couple were happy enough to know that their data was saved that they didn't mind having to reformat/reinstall once they get their Sys Restore disc from their relatives in the States. Other than that, it physically looks like a brand new reinstall. There's really no sign of the previous install unless you open up the C: drive and start poking around in folders.
They didn't quite understand how it was working since XP was installed twice and I didn't have much of an explanation for the Hows and Whys- just the Whats of what I did. I don't know much about the Registry other than not to screw with it lightly. Therefore all the magic that makes buttons flash and knobs turn in there is a mystery to me, too, so I don't know why things work and don't work with the parallel install.
I'm burning DVDs now. If you have anymore questions or things you want me to look at and answer regarding this, ask away. They'll be picking the laptop up tomorrow or the next day once our schedules match.
The reason it looks like a new install is because it IS a new install.
The programs you're trying don't work because you're booted into the new installation, which doesn't have any registry settings that tell it how to use, say, Musicmatch - that's normal, and not 'hosed'. Please boot into the original installation by choosing, on the initial bootup menu, the second Windows XP option. Let us know how that works and if you can log in fully. The fact that you did a repair operation on that installation may have hurt it, but let's find out. You can view which install goes with which directory by turning on the view all files features (show all hidden files) in Windows Explorer's tools / options menu. Show All, and uncheck the two Hide options. Then go to c:\boot.ini and open it up and look at it; post it here if you like.
Please confirm my understanding is correct - you attempted a repair, that didn't work, so you did a parallel install to c:\winxp-par or somesuch, and that's what you've been booting into. You need to boot into C:\windows (by picking the second choice in the bootup screen) and then you'll be golden. I'm assuming you've already made the change in the registry we discussed.
Oops. Forgot to get the boot.ini file. The computer's going back tonight since the guy was busy yesterday. Not sure if I'll have time to grab it, but I'll try.
I did attempt a repair and for some reason, power wasn't going through my outlet to the computer, so it died in mid-repair. After that, I plugged into a different outlet (after thinking I killed their computer) and was able to redo the repair bit. Didn't seem to really do much. At startup, there are 2 options to choose from, both look exactly the same and both boot into the new installation. I was surprised when I clicked the 1st one and it brought me to the new installation.
I did attempt a repair and for some reason, power wasn't going through my outlet to the computer, so it died in mid-repair. After that, I plugged into a different outlet (after thinking I killed their computer) and was able to redo the repair bit. Didn't seem to really do much. At startup, there are 2 options to choose from, both look exactly the same and both boot into the new installation. I was surprised when I clicked the 1st one and it brought me to the new installation.
Agggghhhh!!
Ok, now that that's out of my system, that's what I initially said - the first line of the boot.ini (the bootup menu) will boot you into the new install.
The second line will boot you into the old install, assuming nothing else is mixed up.
You don't want to repair anything!! You want to try to boot into the initial (old) install, which, because of that one little registry change you made, should now work perfectly (but we don't know what those 'repair' installs did, so there's no telling on that)
What directory was the initial/old install? C:\windows?
What directory is the new install installed to? C:\winxp-par?
Post that boot.ini if you can.
Old install: C:\WINDOWS
New install: C:\xp-par
boot.ini is as follows:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\XP-PAR
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\XP-PAR="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
New install: C:\xp-par
boot.ini is as follows:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\XP-PAR
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\XP-PAR="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
Looks good. So, when you boot into the second install of Windows (the second object on the initial list) --- does it work? Does it log you in fully now, and if not, what happens? Is the original problem solved?
I logged into the 2nd one and went into the first of their two accounts. Very slow to get loaded. I don't know if there was a ton of crap loaded or what, but the systray wasn't filling up with a ton of icons, so I'm venturing a guess that there wasn't a whole lot loaded. Definitely seemed piggish, though. I was short on time and getting ready to head out the door, so I didn't sit and get a good impression of exactly what the problem was. When I went to shut down, it didn't like that. Not sure if it was still trying to load something and I killed it prematurely and it didn't like it or what, but it was grumpy. Told the guy when he picked it up that he could try booting into the original install, but that it seemed a bit wonky to me. He said he'd most likely just stick w/ the new install since I'd burnt all of his info onto DVDs for him.
So, to answer, it seems that yes, the login problem has been solved. I'm not sure if the piggish behavior afterwards is something that was already present (never saw the machine run before it was given to me) or if it's a symptom of me haphazardly running through the system like a bull in a china shop. Either way, it's functional at least and I'm grateful for all the help (hopefully I didn't stress too many of your brain cells). Guy's Compaq restore disc should be here in about a week, so after that, it's all gravy.
Thanks again
As for me, I'm just glad that I don't have to deal w/ that Compaq anymore. Bleh. I'll stick w/ my Sager. Even w/ my VAIO if I had to.
So, to answer, it seems that yes, the login problem has been solved. I'm not sure if the piggish behavior afterwards is something that was already present (never saw the machine run before it was given to me) or if it's a symptom of me haphazardly running through the system like a bull in a china shop. Either way, it's functional at least and I'm grateful for all the help (hopefully I didn't stress too many of your brain cells). Guy's Compaq restore disc should be here in about a week, so after that, it's all gravy.
Thanks again
As for me, I'm just glad that I don't have to deal w/ that Compaq anymore. Bleh. I'll stick w/ my Sager. Even w/ my VAIO if I had to.
Had some problem followed instructions and it worked. thanks MUCH.
Now how do I get rid of the parellel XP install that I had to do?
Now how do I get rid of the parellel XP install that I had to do?
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\XP-PAR
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\XP-PAR="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
Modify your boot ini from the above to this:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
And then once you've confirmed it works AND it boots you into the correct (original) Windows installation, *then* delete c:\xp-par directory.
And do a Windows Update too.
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