[jacalkins]

I used MSCONFIG instead of F8 to specify SAFE mode startup. The problem is that at the Windows login screen my user name is provided correctly by default, but when I enter my password correctly I receive a message saying "the system cannot log you on".

I am the only user on this PC, and my password works fine for the same username during normal startup. I don't know of any other Administrator login on this machine.

I have tried using F8 and choosing the "Start Windows Normally" and "Use Last good configuration" options, but these choices seem to be overriden by that fact that I used MSCONFIG to specify SAFE mode before I last restarted the machine when things were normal.

How can I get back to a normal startup?

Thanks!

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FYI to anyone reading this.....the problem was solved but eventually required an '"in place reinstall (upgrade) of Windows XP.

My advice is to use "F8" versus MSCONFIG to switch between normal startup and safe startup modes......at least if that way if something unexpected happens--like the PC not recognizing a valid password--you will be able to toggle the system back to normal startup mode very easily.

No replies needed.

[jacalkins]

FYI to anyone reading this.....the problem was solved but eventually required an '"in place reinstall (upgrade) of Windows XP.

My advice is to use "F8" versus MSCONFIG to switch between normal startup and safe startup modes......at least if that way if something unexpected happens--like the PC not recognizing a valid password--you will be able to toggle the system back to normal startup mode very easily.

No replies needed.

[gerryf]

not that this is of any use to you now, msconfig places a startup entry in your registry, that you can remove to start back in normal mode.

Honestly, I do not think that was your problem though, and removing it would not have helped...the password not being recognizes is more indicative of a registry corruption then msconfig misbehaving

[jacalkins]

gerryf:

Thanks very much for your reply, and I've learned something from it about MSCONFIG for future reference.

You're correct about the bigger picture being another problem......once I got everything started up again the PC began to go crazy with pop-up ads, and it turns out it has the Trojan-Spy smithfraud c infection. I'm now working on solving that and have aready enlisted the help needed to guide me through.

Again, I really appreciate your reply.