Two computers with identical log on issue

[jrw558]

I have two computers from the same owner. XP Pro and XP home. The computer boots to the Log On window then will immediately goes to saving settings, and then logs out. Sometimes I will see the desktop without icons and then the log out window.

If I F8 to the options menu, no matter what option I choose brings me back to the same screens. Both computers do the exact same thing.
This means if I choose "safemode command prompt", I go to the XP log on window or screen. The log on screen accepts only two log on, Owner's name and Administor. It then sends me back to the beginning.

The only curiousities are possible Windows Update may have been in process of restarting. The second issue is an antivirus program I have never seen before, StopSign by eAcceleration.com.

Please submit your ideas. I'm at a loss. I don't know what search words to google.

 

[crispy2010]

Virus. Prob tried to remove a virus and it now virus just reboots machine. This has happened to me. Anyone say "fresh install".

 

[jrw558]

I have looked for viruses. I have tried chkdsk /r. I have tried reloading the OS on top of itself. Each option has not changed my condition.

Any other opinions? Please?

 

[wgoldfarb]

One possibility is that an Antispyware program may have perceived Stopsign to be spyware, tried to fix it, and in the process damaged the AV installation, causing the logon problems. Check this post for one example, or Google for "stop sign eacceleration" for more information on this issue.

Apparently eacceleration software used to be Spyware until around 2004-2005 when new management cleaned the company's act. Some posts suggest that it is no longer malware, others suggest it is. Some antispyware programs still classify eacceleration software as spyware. I don't know for a fact if Stopsign is spyware or not, but the fact that it might have been detected as such (and "fixed") by an Antispyware scanner could be the cause of the problems.

Otherwise I agree with crispy2010 that another likely cause is a virus or damage from having repaired a virus infection. The virus could have infected one machine and spread to the other, or infected both machines at once through email from a "friend". This would explain why it happened on both at once. Depending on the damage, reinstalling the OS without doing a fresh install might not fix the problem.

 

[Smilin]

Sounds like Winlogon is unable to launch userinit. A drive letter shift is the most common cause of this although there can be others. If you have another machine on the network that you can use to regedit remotely while the busted machine is sitting at the logon screen this is a very easy fix.

223188 How to restore the system/boot drive letter in Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;223188

249321 Unable to log on if the boot partition drive letter has changed
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;249321

If a drive letter shift was the culprit this may help you understand how it happened:
234048 How Windows 2000 Assigns, Reserves, and Stores Drive Letters
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;234048

I wouldn't format and reinstall in any case. This really isn't as bad as it may seem. Post again if the above doesn't help.

 

[jrw558]

Thankyou for the responses. Although I have reformatted each computer, I plan to look a little further at a cloned drive of my problem. I like both suggestions. The only way I have been able to access the drives are sticking them into a different computer and by way of the recovery console in the nonworking units.

Thanks for your suggestions. I will study them.

 

[wgoldfarb]

Let us know if you find anything!

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: jrw558
Although I have reformatted each computer...

You've made me sad

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: Smilin


Sounds like Winlogon is unable to launch userinit. A drive letter shift is the most common cause of this although there can be others. If you have another machine on the network that you can use to regedit remotely while the busted machine is sitting at the logon screen this is a very easy fix.

223188 How to restore the system/boot drive letter in Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;223188

249321 Unable to log on if the boot partition drive letter has changed
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;249321

If a drive letter shift was the culprit this may help you understand how it happened:
234048 How Windows 2000 Assigns, Reserves, and Stores Drive Letters
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;234048

I wouldn't format and reinstall in any case. This really isn't as bad as it may seem. Post again if the above doesn't help.

i agree with this being the first try, just went thru it with the owners laptop here.

 

[Oyeve]

Originally posted by: Smilin


Sounds like Winlogon is unable to launch userinit. A drive letter shift is the most common cause of this although there can be others. If you have another machine on the network that you can use to regedit remotely while the busted machine is sitting at the logon screen this is a very easy fix.

I got this error after overclocking one of my spare gaming systems too far. Corrupted too much data on the HD.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: Oyeve

Originally posted by: Smilin


Sounds like Winlogon is unable to launch userinit. A drive letter shift is the most common cause of this although there can be others. If you have another machine on the network that you can use to regedit remotely while the busted machine is sitting at the logon screen this is a very easy fix.

I got this error after overclocking one of my spare gaming systems too far. Corrupted too much data on the HD.

chkdsk would be a good start in that case. If it spews a lot of recovery info but you're still getting the same thing, grab a copy of userinit from a slipstreamed CD or another machine.