[simonp]

Left the machine running and returned to find the screen displaying lists of files being recovered.
When this finished the log on screen showed the user list with some original icons, some default. clicking an icon prompted a password request. Passwords acepted, error message then states that Windows cannot load local profile, windows tried loading registry item which is not in registry format.

Screen remains blank. Tried a safe mode start using last known good menu did not resolve the problem.

Any ideas other than a total XP installation, as I do not want o risk losing the user account/my documents etc.

[Advertisements]

In safe mode, were you able to load the administrator account? (for future reference)

In the meantime, load safe mode from command prompt,
at the prompt, type

chkdsk /r
<enter>

Say yes to run on next reboot.

Reboot, go take a walk this will take some time.

[gerryf]

In safe mode, were you able to load the administrator account? (for future reference)

In the meantime, load safe mode from command prompt,
at the prompt, type

chkdsk /r
<enter>

Say yes to run on next reboot.

Reboot, go take a walk this will take some time.

[simonp]

Thanks for the reply.

I was asked to select the Win application which only gave me the 1 application
It then asked for admin password which then gave me a C/ Windows promt
Typing help then gave me the command list

[gerryf]

did you then type

chkddsk /r

at the command prompt?

[simonp]

Yes,
It seemed to find all OK, just one error on disk if I remember correctly.
Rebooted the machine the machine but problem persists.
From the error message it seems that there is something wrong with a registry it is trying to load.
What else should I do after running chkdsk /r and I will post up the results tomorrow

[gerryf]

Can you load the administrator account

Reboot into safe mode, choose the administrator account

If yes, then we know the user hive (part of registry) is the issue.

[simonp]

Have run chkdsk /r took a few hours, reported that one or more problems had been found and repaired.
Started in safe mode, admin and users accounts with admin rights were available though the user accounts had default icons.

Selected administrator and got as far as a black safe mode screen and no further. The mouse pointer works on the screen but all it displays is the build number and "safe mode" in the four corners of the screen.

[gerryf]

you can try running an xp repair as outlined here:
http://www.geekstogo...ws-XP-t138.html

Be aware, though, that is sounds like a harddrive failure. If it were me, I would probably get a new drive, then slave the old drive and try and recover as much data as possible.

You might consider just slaving this drive on another machine and seeing what it looks like (maybe even running a chkdsk on it as a slave and then reading the report to determine what is going on)

[simonp]

Everything else seems to be fine, it asks for passwords etc and then stops.

What concerns me is the error message stating that it cannot load a registry item as it is not in registry format.
Of the 5 user accounts three have defaulted to the "chess" icon, two have remained as they were.
One account logs in as far as bringing up the background and then stops.......

Everything seems to revolve around a log in problem, in safe mode the machine is recognizing the admin user accounts too.

Would a system restore under safe mode with command prompt be worth a try???

[gerryf]

Maybe I misunderstood--didn't you say that you could not log in in safe mode?

"Selected administrator and got as far as a black safe mode screen and no further."

[simonp]

Sorry, was not thinking straight. Thanks for the help. It is now academic, my wife decided she knew better and went and did a re-install and wiped the lot ......
I would have likedto have tried to slave the drive to retain data.........but it's too late now.