[therick5000]

I have Windows XP home edition. All of a sudden, I can't get past the
blue welcome screen, which features the various login usernames for
me and my family. When pressing a name, it goes to the desktop for
a second, then right back to the bluescreen, and says 'logging off'. No
error messages or anything, I just can't get past the welcome screen.
This is all on my D drive.

I am typing this from an old Windows 98 OS I have on my C drive, by the
way. I do have a copy of the XP disk I originally used to install XP on the D drive.

I have already tried safemode and 'last known configuration' or whatever
that's called when booting up, same thing:welcome screen, logs on for a second, then right back to welcome screen.

I have not downloaded anything that may have caused a virus, but a houseguest
did unplug the ethernet cord to use in her laptop, while windows was running on my
PC, maybe that caused an issue? I know about system restore to a previous date,
but again, can't get past the welcome screen. Thanks to all for help...

RICK

Edited by therick5000, 29 September 2008 - 01:08 PM.

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System Restore from the Recovery Console. {adapted from Geeks to Go. Original source unknown to me}. Xp installation CD required. Boot with the CD and when given the option choose to repair the computer by pressing "R", opening the Recovery Console. Type 1 when asked for OS installation (assuming there is only one OS installed. Type the administrator password when asked to do so and press Enter. Press Enter if there is no password.

* At the prompt Type: CD \
* Press Enter
* Type: cd system~1\_resto~1
* Press Enter
* Type: dir
* Press Enter

After you press enter you will see a list of folders (like rp1, rp2) If the list of restore points has more than one page then press the Enter key untill you reach the end of the list

* Type: cd rp {number of the second to last folder in the list). Example: cd rp9, if rp9 is the second to the last restore point where the last restore point no. is 10
* Press Enter
* Type: cd snapshot
* Press Enter
* Type: copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system
* Press Enter
* Type: copy _registry_machine_software c:\windows\system32\config\software
* Press Enter
* Type: Exit
* Press Enter

Your PC will reboot.

If you get an access denied error when doing the above, then do the following at the recovery console:

* Type: CD \
* Press Enter
* Type: cd windows\system32\config
* Press Enter
* Type: ren system system.bak
* Press Enter
* Type: Exit
* Press Enter

Your PC should reboot

If you still cannot get access in anyway to your installation in the recovery console then your SAM database files are corrupt. There is no way you can restore these with the recovery console. You may need to do a fresh install.

[The Skeptic]

System Restore from the Recovery Console. {adapted from Geeks to Go. Original source unknown to me}. Xp installation CD required. Boot with the CD and when given the option choose to repair the computer by pressing "R", opening the Recovery Console. Type 1 when asked for OS installation (assuming there is only one OS installed. Type the administrator password when asked to do so and press Enter. Press Enter if there is no password.

* At the prompt Type: CD \
* Press Enter
* Type: cd system~1\_resto~1
* Press Enter
* Type: dir
* Press Enter

After you press enter you will see a list of folders (like rp1, rp2) If the list of restore points has more than one page then press the Enter key untill you reach the end of the list

* Type: cd rp {number of the second to last folder in the list). Example: cd rp9, if rp9 is the second to the last restore point where the last restore point no. is 10
* Press Enter
* Type: cd snapshot
* Press Enter
* Type: copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system
* Press Enter
* Type: copy _registry_machine_software c:\windows\system32\config\software
* Press Enter
* Type: Exit
* Press Enter

Your PC will reboot.

If you get an access denied error when doing the above, then do the following at the recovery console:

* Type: CD \
* Press Enter
* Type: cd windows\system32\config
* Press Enter
* Type: ren system system.bak
* Press Enter
* Type: Exit
* Press Enter

Your PC should reboot

If you still cannot get access in anyway to your installation in the recovery console then your SAM database files are corrupt. There is no way you can restore these with the recovery console. You may need to do a fresh install.

[therick5000]

thanks for the advice, this won't delete any files/data/downloads, etc...from my
PC will it? Better safe than sorry to ask....also, if I do this, instead of typing C, would I type D, because that's where XP is installed...

Edited by therick5000, 30 September 2008 - 01:20 PM.

[The Skeptic]

No, it will not.

[therick5000]

Skeptic, it worked! I actually had to use the third to last folder on the list, but i now am back into XP! thanks! anything else I should do now to guard against this in the future...a windows update, or anything? thank again..

Edited by therick5000, 30 September 2008 - 11:48 PM.

[The Skeptic]

Thanks for letting us know.