Windows XP not logging in (freezing?)

[melsautomatic]

My computer at work is not logging in under my user account. I logged into our Administrator account under Safe Mode and took off all the passwords and also ran a Norton full system scan, which didn't find anything. I can log in to my account under Safe Mode with no problem. When trying to log in under my account without Safe Mode, it says that it's loading my personal settings, but it doesn't ever load -- I've left it loading for 10+ minutes without anything happening. It's strange because I do hear the CPU running/processing. Did it freeze?

I've been away for Christmas and I haven't touched the computer since Tuesday, the 23rd and it was running fine then. The two other accounts (Administrator & Guest) are running perfectly right now. What can I do?

 

[kimsland]

Go back to Safe Mode Administrator account

Start -> Run -> control userpasswords2
Once in the User Accounts window
Tick the square "users must enter..."
Single click (highlight) your user name
Click Apply
Untick the square "users must enter..."
Click Apply
Enter your password (if you don't have one, leave blank)
Click OK
OK

Restart your computer to confirm automatic logon of your Normal account

 

[melsautomatic]

Wonderful, that worked perfectly and it logs automatically into our Administrator account. Thank you! The funny thing is that when looking through the list of users on the computer so I could highlight my user name, it has an old list that needs to be updated (my User Account isn't listed), so although I'd like the computer to log directly into my account, I can't. Is it possible to update that list?

 

[kimsland]

(my User Account isn't listed),

Yes it is

It's just that someone (you?) has renamed your Username to something else (ie one of the names in there)
That list shows all names and there are none missing
You need to work out who your name is, or bluntly, who you are !
Maybe your the Administrator, not sure, that's your area to work out (one of them is you, and that's that!)

Let me know how it all eventuates, did you find you

 

[melsautomatic]

Oh gosh, you know, I figured that out a little bit too late I'm afraid. I actually deleted one of the accounts because I thought it was old and never used, but apparently, it's my account that I had renamed... I have no clue what to do! I know it's not deleted because I can still find all the files on the computer, but it's not appearing in the User Accounts Window and neither in the User Accounts tab when I go through the Control Panel. When I tried to add a new user (with the same name and password) through the User Accounts Window, it just created an entirely new account. Is there anyway to restore my user account to the log in screen?

Edit: I spoke too soon... there are 3 computers here in the office and they're all networked. The files I can still find are those that are shared on the network. The user account is no longer available, so I think this may be a lost cause. How are the files still available, but not the user account? Also, I noticed that under the Administrator profile, I can't get into the network to start up Quickbooks and other programs. What happened?

 

[kimsland]

That's because the default action when removing a User is for Windows to save the data
Also many programs ie: Quickbooks don't actually use any User account to store the program or data. Think of it this way:
You removed: C:\Documents and Settings\YourUserAccount
Still exists is: C:\Program Files
ie Two separate areas

Anyway the original account (and all account settings) is gone, the data and programs still exist
So that's good at least