Cannot log in to Windows

Up to yesterday I had a perfectly functioning Windows XP system. As of yesterday, however, when I switch on the computer I get the familiar screen inviting me to click on my username to begin, BUT - no username is displayed (it exists, otherwise how did I use the system for several months?) and the only part of the screen to react to a mouse click is the "Restart Windows" part. So what can I do? It's no use telling me to go into some remote part of Windows to reset something - remember my problem is that I CAN'T GET INTO THE RUDDY SYSTEM!! And it's driving me mad!

Any suggestions, please?

By the way the system is working underneath all this because I can access all my shared files from another computer on the network.

 

Try pressing the Ctrl - Alt - Del - Del (press the Del key twice) key combination at the screen where the User Accounts should be displayed. If you're running XP Pro, that will bring up the main, usually hidden, Administrator account. If you never passworded that account (most people don't), leave the password field blank and press the Enter key.

 

Not a lot to go one.
But what happens if you hit the F8 function key early and often beginning at startup and choose Safe Mode? Can you logon as Administrator?

See:
http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...port/kb/articles/q310/3/96.asp&NoWebContent=1

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314503

Report back. The absence of any names in the Welcome Screen llogon, if they were there previoously is a little worrisome.

 

Thank you so much Miz. I read your reply, tried the <crtl_alt_del>-del and hey! there was a logon screen! Great to be back. All I have to do now is to find what I did to get rid of the thing in the first place and hope it doesn't recur.

Bill, thanks for the links, they make interesting reading, especially the first one. I don't think they quite fitted my problem but they're sufficiently close to be worth checking on. Thanks a lot.

 

Perhaps your username got hidden somehow. Have a look at this registry key.

Code:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList

In the right pane, in the name column, look for your username. If it's there and if it's data value is set to 0, either change it to a 1 or alternatively you can delete it all together.

 

I like Zander's suggestion, but unless TweakUI or similar was run it is difficult to fathom how the registry change was made.

Some other possibilities from some notes from MS-MVP Kelly Theriot ( http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_wel_screen.htm ) :

VPN Disabled the Welcome Screen

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\WinLogon. In the right pane, remove the entry for Gina.DLL.

.

 

I thought the same. Sometimes people use tweaking tools like that and don't realize the consequences of some the tweaks. And, let's face it. Sometimes Windows seems to have a mind of it's own. Things seemingly get changed with no user intervention although I always have to wonder if the user has inadvertently done something to cause the change without realizing it. Whatever the case, it's worth a look to see.

 

I could not agree more.

Best.