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User Can't Login to XP Home

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8 replies

by jflash_z

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Last week when I was out of town a user I've helped in the past was going through her computer trying to 'speed it up' by cleaning up the startup registry, etc. I don't think even she was clear on what all she did, but basically she managed to get her computer to the point where when she tries to login either normally with the shared account on her computer (this is a home computer), or through either that or the admin account in safe mode, it will basically log her off (goes through the whole saving settings, closing network connections, etc. thing on the welcome screen). The one solution that does not require reformatting the drive is to replace the c:\windows\system32\userinit.exe file with one from a working computer, which I have tried to no avail. I have also tried using Compaq's system recovery tool (on the computer) to try and get to system restore. That required me to reboot the computer, and I got right back to where I started. Does anyone have any suggestions other than reformatting the drive, or is that the only solution I have left? Thanks!

8 replies

by rkuhn040172

Pop the drive out and put in another PC or use as an external. Scan for viruses.

by jflash_z

but she is able to tell me exactly when it started and what she did right before it started. i even think i know roughly what she did (removed some critical startup items from the registry), and i could most likely fix the problem if i could get to system restore.

by wadamaq

is the user actually able to log on successfully before being logged back out?
because if she is not able to log in it might be worth trying last known good configuration from start up.

by jflash_z

i am not sure whether she is completely logged in and then quickly logged out, or if she never gets logged in in the first place. and besides, under my understanding of the settings that last known good configuration reverts, it would help because none of those have been changed.

by wadamaq

last known good configuration can be used to restore registry settings and drivers according to microsoft.
i read in your post titled 'i had thought that' that you suspected the user to have deleted some registry settings.
i could be wrong, im just thinking out loud.

by johan.burati

I had the same problem: I was unable to log in to my computer after cleaning up the registry, I could not find any solution on the Net so I am posting this for reference.

I was able to solve this problem by exporting the full 'HEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion' registry branch from a working computer, then connect remotely to the registry of the broken computer (regedit -> File -> Connect Remote Registry) and then importing that registry data file.

Hope it helps,
Johan Burati

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