Mr Myagi computer question - Log On... Log Off...

[Brad Johnson]

Kathy's machine is an older Dell Dimension running Win XP Home.  When she tries to log on to Windows it recognizes the password but immediately kicks over to the "Saving Your Settings... Logging Off" screen.  Does the same thing when I boot to Safe Mode, and also does it when I try to open up in Safe Mode as the administrator.

It recognizes the password.  I checked that by intentionally entering and incorrect password and it popped up the "Did you forget your password" message.

Anyone have a suggestion on where to start?

Brad

[eyebrows]

Did you try here?

[TechMan]

Sounds like either the registry is corrupt or some nasty malware has infected the computer.

How old is the computer?

[lee n. field]

There's a virus that will do this.  I don't remember any details.  Or a seriously hosed profile.

Boot safe mode, log in as administrator.  Make a new user, see if you can log in as that new user.

[Brad Johnson]

Boot safe mode, log in as administrator.  Make a new user, see if you can log in as that new user.

...also does it when I try to open up in Safe Mode as the administrator.

eyebrows, thanks.  Some digging via your link turned up what is apparently a known 2000/XP login loop problem.  I'll try the more common fixes this evening.

Brad

Brad

[Nick1911]

Might try booting into a recovery cd (knoppix, maybe, UBCD), and creating a new profile that way.

[Hawkmoon]

It has to be said:

"DETCORD!"

Not too far off, perhaps. I had two Dell Dimension 4100s (one mine, the other my wife's). Mine got hosed by some kind of virus that acted a bit like that. I was using hers while working on mine, and then HERS got hosed. I ultimately reformatted both hard drives and reinstalled the apps we needed, then restored what data I had been able to recover from both drives by installing each as a slave drive in a third machine of similar vintage. (And my wife wonders why I keep spares.)

I hate viruses. The people who create them are beneath contempt.

[TechMan]

It has to be said:

"DETCORD!"

Not too far off, perhaps. I had two Dell Dimension 4100s (one mine, the other my wife's). Mine got hosed by some kind of virus that acted a bit like that. I was using hers while working on mine, and then HERS got hosed. I ultimately reformatted both hard drives and reinstalled the apps we needed, then restored what data I had been able to recover from both drives by installing each as a slave drive in a third machine of similar vintage. (And my wife wonders why I keep spares.)

I hate viruses. The people who create them are beneath contempt.

I fully support the wrapping of said virus creators with detcord and blowing off each appendage one-by-one.