Computer Help- Perfectly working computer can't get into Windows xp after black out

[Splitter77]

Whats up guys- Im hoping somebody can help me with this.
My Dell Demension was running perfectly since I got it (3yrs ago). Yesterday while I was on it, the power went out for about 5 minutes. When I powered the pc back on, everything looked as normal, then when it asked me to log on to my account, I see it say logging in, I quickly see my background screen at the desktop, then it quickly logs out, then saves the settings, then goes right back to saying click account to log in. It wont let me into Windows xp. It does the same thing if I try doing this in safe mode- only in safe mode there is also an option to enter in the admin accout. I tried entering that as well, and the same thing happens- logs in, quickly see my background screen in desktop, then it quickly logs out and saves settings. I should note it also says I have one unread message under my username to log in. Not sure if this is worth noting or not.

I cant seem to get around this. I never shut off my computer when it was working, so normally to start using it, I would just move the mouse, and windows xp would be right there. I do have it set up to a surge protector, and it has passed all the test I could run outside of windows. It passed all tests for "not being able to start OS". There is sound, and the mouse and keyboard work. I should also note, that while messing around in the set iup screen, I checked the event log, and there were about 10 keyboard errors. It does work though, so Im not sure why thats there.

Is there a way to fiddle with the system to maybe bypass this entering of the account?
Maybe so it goes straight to windows without having to sign on?? I know some stuff about computers, but this is killing me. I dont have any of the recovery disk for this pc either. My uncle has the same pc, so if there isnt a way to fix this, I'll try his disks out when he returns from vacation in a couple weeks.

Thanks for any help guys.

Thanks for your help.

[mudtiger]

Re: Computer Help- Perfectly working computer can't get into Windows xp after black o

I would hope the power failure didn't do any hardware damage, but you never know. Cheap surge suppressors don't always protect well.

http://www.winxptutor.com/wsaremove.htm

start towards the bottom where it says

Here is the solution to the logon - logoff issue in Windows XP.

If that doesn't work, you may have to get familiar with a repair install.

http://www.eng.auburn.edu/~kummasr/download/FixLogoffXP.html

which is doing basically the same thing as the first solution, but may fix more than that problem if there are more problems.

If neither of those work...well, one of those will work.

Interesting that this is a very old problem (like 2005) usually caused by spyware and I thought MS released a patch to fix this. Do you keep up to date with MS updates? The problem being so old makes me wonder if this is the problem you are having.

[Splitter77]

Re: Computer Help- Perfectly working computer can't get into Windows xp after black o

thanks for your help. I hope my aunt still has her xp CD so i can try these out.
Nobody understood what i meant by the log on/log off issue.

[Splitter77]

Re: Computer Help- Perfectly working computer can't get into Windows xp after black o

Interesting that this is a very old problem (like 2005) usually caused by spyware and I thought MS released a patch to fix this. Do you keep up to date with MS updates? The problem being so old makes me wonder if this is the problem you are having.

I do keep it updated. Whenever it said an update was available, Id would update it.
I had also just recently cleared the system with spybot and adaware.

But like I said, I dont remember the last time I actually shut my computer off.

[mudtiger]

Re: Computer Help- Perfectly working computer can't get into Windows xp after black o

Did you have up to date antivirus software running?

You don't remember when the last time you shut the computer down as in it's been a month or two? Or more like 6+ months? Some updates need a restart to be applied, but they'll usually prompt you for a restart when needed.

Unless the computer is networked to another computer, I can't think of a way to get at your registry other than with the xp cd. Even if it is networked, sometimes xp will throw a fit when trying to check out the registry over the network.

And you are 100% sure despite the keyboard events, you're keyboard works fine?

[mudtiger]

Re: Computer Help- Perfectly working computer can't get into Windows xp after black o

If you do have a networked computer you can work off, you can try this

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555648

[mudtiger]

Re: Computer Help- Perfectly working computer can't get into Windows xp after black o

I had also just recently cleared the system with spybot and adaware.

I'm going to take a stab that this is the problem then

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/892893/en-us

Basically the same problem as the previous links I posted, but you got it because adaware removed a needed file due to spyware/virus. It's the same solution as the previous link I posted from winxptutuor.com You need to get to the recovery console by booting off the xp cd.

[Splitter77]

Re: Computer Help- Perfectly working computer can't get into Windows xp after black o

I'm going to take a stab that this is the problem then

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/892893/en-us

Basically the same problem as the previous links I posted, but you got it because adaware removed a needed file due to spyware/virus. It's the same solution as the previous link I posted from winxptutuor.com You need to get to the recovery console by booting off the xp cd.

ok- I got the xp cd from my aunt. I'll try these when i get home.
I'll try and post from my ps3 browser if it doesnt work and I still need help.
Thanks mudtiger.

[Splitter77]

Re: Computer Help- Perfectly working computer can't get into Windows xp after black o

Did you have up to date antivirus software running?

You don't remember when the last time you shut the computer down as in it's been a month or two? Or more like 6+ months? Some updates need a restart to be applied, but they'll usually prompt you for a restart when needed.

Unless the computer is networked to another computer, I can't think of a way to get at your registry other than with the xp cd. Even if it is networked, sometimes xp will throw a fit when trying to check out the registry over the network.

And you are 100% sure despite the keyboard events, you're keyboard works fine?

Id say the last time I actually turned off the pc was 6+ months. During the night sometimes I would hear it boot by itself because the windows tune would wake myself and the wife up. This happened probably 3 or 4 times over the past year or so.

It was protected with avg 8.0 free.
Keyboard seems to work, because the keys worked whenever I went in set up screen etc

[mudtiger]

Re: Computer Help- Perfectly working computer can't get into Windows xp after black o

Ok, hopefully getting those 2 files onto the computer from the xp cd and making the registry changes will fix things.

[Splitter77]

Re: Computer Help- Perfectly working computer can't get into Windows xp after black o

Ok, hopefully getting those 2 files onto the computer from the xp cd and making the registry changes will fix things.

Update-
I got the 2 files on there, but it didnt help any. I tried everything, and couldnt get it to log in. Seeing how I didnt have anything worth really saving on the pc, I re-installed windows.

Now I dont have any sound, no internet, and my display wont go over 16 bits in windows.
I probably installed it wrong.
Is there any hope to saving this system, or am I better off just getting a new one? I only need it for internet, so it doesnt even have to be a good one.
If I install windows xp, it should have sound, internet, and better than 16 bit display, correct??
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks for all your help mudtiger.

[mudtiger]

Re: Computer Help- Perfectly working computer can't get into Windows xp after black o

If you reinstalled the operating system, you need drivers.

You have to get a video card driver, network driver, audio driver, chipset driver. Dell should have those all in a central place to download on their website.

[Splitter77]

Re: Computer Help- Perfectly working computer can't get into Windows xp after black o

If you reinstalled the operating system, you need drivers.

You have to get a video card driver, network driver, audio driver, chipset driver. Dell should have those all in a central place to download on their website.

what a newbie I am. Thanks for you help mudtiger, but this problem got the best of me long enough. I just bought a dell desktop for $249 as the tore was closing.
I'll tell you what....my internet has never run this fast in I dont know how long.