Can't Log in to Windows

[mickeyV]

Thanks to the kids, my system XP Pro became infected with Trojans and a Virus which had disabled Norton SystemWorks 2002 to the point where it became totally inaccessable.
It would not scan.
Auto protect would not run,
Live update would'nt connect.
So I Downloaded and installed AVG Free it found 72 items and cleaned them out.
NOW....I can't log into Windows, Welcome page loads, I type in password, my desktop appears for a split second and instantly returns to 'log out' saving your settings page.
Anything I do will not allow access to Windows.
Safe Mode, same problem
Safe Mode with networking same problem
Last know good configuration - same problem.
Reset BIOS to default settings - nothing.
Even put XP Pro load up and recovery disc in - won't read it, won't boot up from it.
Is everything lost gents or is there a magic programme out there.

[RoaringOne]

Try this. Start --> run --> regedit

1. Navigate to
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon"

2. If there is a key named "OldUserinit", delete the "Userinit" key and rename the "OldUserinit" key to "Userinit".

3. The "Userinit" key should now say
"WINDOWS_PATH\system32\userinit.exe,"

"WINDOWS_PATH" is relative to where you have your windows installed.
Mine would be "C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe,"

[Jafar]

well he can not even log into windows, so he can't access the registry....

anyways, my friend had the same problem. it's a virus, a very bad one.i formatted his hard drive and everything was back to normal. don't format yet, see if anyone has any better opinions.

[RoaringOne]

Can you log in as the Administrator?

[_=KTF=_]

try booting in safe mode and log in as admin if that doesnt work i think your only option is to format.

[Drewmeister]

You can still save your files and installed program files if you have access to another pc. If you don't have your drives set up as raid then you can plug your hard drive into another pc as a slave and transfer the files. If you have enough space on the second pc you can transfer whole program folders. While installed in another pc you could also run a virus scan and check disc to possibly repair it. In the future you may want to use a smaller drive for the operating system and a larger slave drive for all your important programs and files. Good Luck!

[Daniel56]

i would not bother going through the trouble to fix it, i always reformat.

[mickeyV]

I can't log in as administrator it doe's the same thing.
The virus AVG came across was FUNNER.A
A techie I once used had a self booting virus disc that scanned and cleaned it out 2 years ago when I had a similar prob but I think the damage is now to severe. Or AVG has deleted infected registry ?
Never reformatted before, how do I go about that.

[Akadjjoel]

Just put in the windows XP cd in the drive before it boots up. This way it will start from the cd. you can format thrugh winxp setup its pretty easy. Read all the instructions on the screen and it should be a breeze.

[mickeyV]

I have tried that, you can hear disc spinning in the drive but nothing appears only the 'Welcome' page for logging in.

[Jafar]

that's because you have to go into the BIOS and switch the booting device from hard drive to optical drive.

[coup]

Originally Posted by Jafar

that's because you have to go into the BIOS and switch the booting device from hard drive to optical drive.

yes. at the moment ur BIOS boots ur HDD before ur CDROM drive, thus loading the installed windows, before the CD. to format, u want to load the CD, instead of the HDD.

so boot with ur XP cd in, click install windows (not repair) click full format of drive in NTFS, install, and then start the mundane task of reinstalling and setting everything up.

[mickeyV]

Got to the Set Up page.
No format function available.
Click 'Enter' to install, next page read:

C:Partition 1 (FAT32) 9539Mb (2988) free (this line is highlighted)
9539Mb disk at Id OonBusO on Atapi (MBR)

error ocurred cannot install press F3 to exit installation.
It won't allow deletion of this partition either.
So have also tried 'Recovery Console' nothing happens.
Tried 'Repair' it then asks 'which windows function do I want to log on to'. ?
I now totally lost.

[coup]

there is no format function there, u click install and overwrite the listed partition, but u already figured that.

this seems awfully odd. windows issues shouldnt transfer to the raw HDD which is what ur trying to work with..

i dunno what to suggest, i dont think deleting everything in FDISK will achieve anything, could rig that HDD into someone elses machine..


erm... shrugs.

[JMH11788]

Try this...it shouldn't have any problems whiping your drive...http://dban.sourceforge.net/

[mickeyV]

Gentlemen 'SUCCESS' wiped HDD clean inserted XP Disc and full menu options appeared and have reinstalled.
It's dead easy when someone else knows how.
Thanks again gentlemen.

PS. First thing I have done is remove MSN Messenger, thats pleased the kids :-(

[Grimm]

Originally Posted by mickeyV

PS. First thing I have done is remove MSN Messenger, thats pleased the kids :-(

Second thing you should do is create password protected user accounts. Password the Admin account too. Do not give your kids admin privliages on the computer. It will make it harder for them to install viruses.