Resolved XP Home Login Problem

Hi, I really hope someone can help me and that I dont need to re-install.

I am working on a laptop that contains XP Home. It was struck by several viruses. The system was working for me and I used MalWare Bytes and AntiVir 9 Free to remove the files.

I also updated the machine to SP-3, installed all Post SP-3 updates, IE 8 and WMP 11 installed, and did some maintenance.

The problem is I can't log in now. I don't see the 3 user icons I used to see after restart or shutdown and turn on. I think what happened is the following.

If you go into My Computer and then Right Click the C: Drive, Click on Properties, You get that window with the tabs and one is Security. There you see the Groups or Usernames and what permission each has. I remember booting into Safe mode to see what was listed there.

Unfortunately I don't know if it was me or the virus but I think all of it is blank. Basically no user or the Admin or System has permission to use the C:\ Drive and now I can't log in.

Is there a way to get this back so I can finish this machine without having to reinstall the system?

Thanks for any answers and pardon my foolishness if it was my fault..

 

Hi flynempire, try this: Start > Run and type control userpasswords > Enter. When screen opens under "Pick a Task" click on Change the way users log on or off. On next screen Uncheck Use the welcome screen.
Now go Start > Run and type control userpasswords2 (the 2 is important) > Enter. When screen opens Uncheck Users must enter a name and password to use this computer. Click OK and the Automatically log in box will appear.
Enter your username and password (twice). If you don't have a password leave that last two boxes blank. Click OK.
This worked for me when my Start & Shutdown boxes were upset by a MS Update. Neil.

 

Re:

Thanks for the tip, I knew that. The problem is I cant log into Windows at all. There is no more welcome screen.

All I see is a black screen and a white cursor. It just stays there for good.

 

Wont work

Thanks for trying to help, but I cant get into Windows at all. Where the welcome screen should be with 3 user accounts to log in, is completely gone.

It is just a black screen with a white cursor.

 

This is out of my league. I didn't read that you had Black screen & white cursor. You may well be faced with using OS CD XP and repair section. I don't think you lose any files when doing a repair, but someone else will be able to step in and advise correct procedure. Neil.

 

It's probably the virus that disabled all your user permissions... I had a similar problem once in that I could not log onto Windows XP. I typed in the password that I'd set for myself in User Accounts into the "Password" box, and it wouldn't log me on! Turns out the problem was that when you hide all your files from outsiders, it disables your login so you can't log in. How annoying! Anyway it's all sorted out now and I'm fine.
But back to the problem: I think you'll need to reinstall your system (sorry if this upsets you) but from the damage that the viruses have caused I don't think it's possible to get your user permissions back without putting them back yourself. Sorry. :-(

 

Yes, I did not have a chance to respond sooner. I had to back up all files and then I just reformatted and installed XP again.

It truly was the only way to fix this problem. I do appreciate all the help and responses received. If all permissions from a disk are erased for a user or all users, you will never be able to log in and you will never see the Welcome/Log In Screen either. I guess it makes some sense there. Still it is very frustrating and I never have come across a Virus like that.

Most times when bad I could use a Linux Boot CD or Bart PE and fix it. I could even take the disk out, connect to a USB device and hoook it up to my PC and scan from there. I hope many people read this post and can learn from it. Do not let your permissions get erased from a disc..