Windows Log on/off problem

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drstupid

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Hi folks, i could do with some help on this as it's driving me mad. PLEASE!!.
Had a couple of different probs with my desktop, starting with a Windows update 48 hours ago. I started to get the COM surrogate error message, but seemed to have fixed it after uninstalling DivX, Nero, ffdshow and turning off DEP on the COM surrogate. However (and this may be related... or have no relevance) after an AVG update today i was asked to restart the computer. When it restarted i had the annoying log on then straight back off thing going on.
I can get into safe mode, and have tried a couple of things to no avail. the userinit.exe file is still where it should be in the registry, as is the explorer.exe in the shell etc.

I should point out that after the COM thing i ran a spyware check, and deleted a trojan from a windows file (is this related?)(was it a false positive?), and hadn't restarted since then (i think).

Please help with my computer inadequacy.

I'm using Windows XP Pro SP2.
 
What have you done to try and fix the problem so i don't type a suggestion to what you've done and makes it quicker for you to read as well :p

Try and clean the PC and do a registry scan with CCleaner...its weird how it works sometimes. Ive got instructions Here.

See what happens
 
Try to do a System Restore to a date before this started happening.
What Windows Update was it you downloaded?
 
What have you done to try and fix the problem so i don't type a suggestion to what you've done and makes it quicker for you to read as well :p

Try and clean the PC and do a registry scan with CCleaner...its weird how it works sometimes. Ive got instructions Here.

See what happens

Cheers for the replies guys.
Firstly, i did a system restore almost straight away i think, but have just discovered that this hasn't removed the windows updates i installed...
Security update for Windows XP (KB958215)
Security update for Windows XP (KB960714)
Security update for Windows XP (KB956802)
Update for Windows XP (KB955839)
Security update for Windows Media Player (KB952069)

It didn't make any difference, however maybe uninstalling these updates manually will!

Don't know if posting links is allowed, but i followed all the steps here except the last (recovery console) to try to get rid of it.
http://www.winxptutor.com/wsaremove.htm

I'm currently running scans using AVG, AVG Spyware, AdAware, SpyBot and will try CCleaner again afterwards just to be sure.
I use CCleaner on an almost daily basis, but i'll follow your instructions just so we're on the same page.

I'll get back to you when the scans are finished.
Cheers.
 
OK, i ran all the scans and the only one that pulled anything other than tracking cookies was AVG spyware which found a trojan (sorry, can't remember where... i know that's particularly unhelpful).
When i tried to do a scan with CCleaner after the rest had finished, it wasn't there. It's definitely installed, but for some reason wasn't available in safe mode.

... this is where it gets fun...

So i rebooted to see if the scans had worked and to try and get at CCleaner, only to find that not only did they not resolve the issue, but i can't use safe mode now without the same issue happening.

Really frustrating.
 
wow that's really messed up (obviously you knew that but just making sure you knew i knew :p)

Can you go through what exactly happens when you go onto safe mode just to clear it up

also seeing as though its changed something on safe mode what if anything has happened to normal boot mode?
 
Both modes boot the same. They seem normal until it loads Windows and gets to the account selection screen. In normal mode i have a choice of one user account which when selected tries to log in but then logs straight back out again while staying on the user selection screen. (might be irrelevant, but i never used to have to sign in in normal mode, it just loaded Windows automatically)
In safe mode, the same happens except i have a choice of my user account or administrator. (both do the log in/out thing when selected)
 
Oh ok then.

I found this thread Here that may be of interest.

The user had the same problem as you and the registry was repaired and all was fine again. It requires the Windows CD if you have it.

The instructions are in the last post on that thread above and should hopefully solve your problem...if you have a windows CD.
 
Sorry to say, every time I've seen this issue, even after trying LOTS of ideas, I had to do a complete wipe and reload of the OS.
Good Luck.

Edit: Actually, I take that back, post #8 jogged my memory. I did some registry swaps, repair, and such. Hmm, let me see if I can dig up the info I used.
 
Actually, I take that back, post #8 jogged my memory. I did some registry swaps, repair, and such. Hmm, let me see if I can dig up the info I used

Cheers for that it would be really helpful, if this doesnt work ive run out of ideas but that sort of thing seem's to work in some cases
 
Sorry to say, every time I've seen this issue, even after trying LOTS of ideas, I had to do a complete wipe and reload of the OS.
Good Luck.

Edit: Actually, I take that back, post #8 jogged my memory. I did some registry swaps, repair, and such. Hmm, let me see if I can dig up the info I used.

Yeah, if you could find anything of use that'd be fantastic.


rev_olie - I have the Windows cd somewhere, i'll just have to dig it out. I think i was hoping it wouldn't come to that, as my knowledge tends to stop when i have no point and click interface. Even the instructions above go over my head somewhat.
They start out fairly well, but by the end seem to be skipping over sections rather than wording in full like at the start of the post. (annoying to have to write it out in full i'm sure)
 
Use Windows XP Installation CD to go to Repair mode

Then type:
dir "c:\system volume information

Then we are going to change the target to point to the Restore Point folder by entering:

cd "c:\system volumeinformation\_restore{bb7e35f9-d278-45fa-9dde-fe709cd0f23d}
Like it says in the list the values in the {} will be different depending on the key

List the Restore Points by typing
,

choose the second to the latest one, and change to its snapshot folder by typing
cd "c:\system volumeinformation\_restore{bb7e35f9-d278-45fa-9dde-fe709cd0f23d}\rp1219\snapshot

Copy the files config files to the \config folder by entering
copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system

Repeat for sam, security, and software

Then copy 'default' by entering:
copy _registry_user_.default c:\windows\system32\config\default

Ive not really doen this much so im not going to be alot of help and it was a while ago but hopefully its a bit clearer now laid out
 
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