User accounts gone help needes

[Guest]

XP sp2

Somehow all the user accounts were wiped off the computer though still in
Documents and Settings. I can create user accounts but the only way to get
to them is to type it on the windows login popup window after doing ctl alt
del twice. How do I get it to work normal. I had separate user accounts. I
need it to be user friendly like the past. Reinstalled (still reinstalling
sp2) does not seem to add missing needed files for this issue.

Oh by the way, I cannot access the old user accounts in user accounts. I
wanted to change back to old user names when I fixed the accounts.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

XP sp2

Somehow all the user accounts were wiped off the computer though still in
Documents and Settings. I can create user accounts but the only way to
get
to them is to type it on the windows login popup window after doing ctl
alt
del twice. How do I get it to work normal. I had separate user accounts.
I
need it to be user friendly like the past. Reinstalled (still
reinstalling
sp2) does not seem to add missing needed files for this issue.

Oh by the way, I cannot access the old user accounts in user accounts. I
wanted to change back to old user names when I fixed the accounts.

What kind of install are you doing? A repair install won't change much of
the registry, and so won't address much of this problem. A clean install
will give you a fresh registry, but will also start with wiping the drive,
destroying your old data. A parallel install will also create a new
registry,but will give you two full Windows installs and will not delete
your old user account folders.

Download and install TweakUI and ensure that the accounts you've created are
set to appear on the Welcome screen.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

If you have to create new user accounts, use the directions here to migrate
whatever data and settings you can, from the old account folders:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811151


Would suggest, if you wish to use the same account names as previous, that
you rename the "old:" account folders at the Explorer level, for example
from "bob" to "olduser1.bob" and "doug" to "olduser2.doug". That will
allow the new folders to be created using the account names you enter, while
still helping you keep track of which folders are which.

HTH
-pk

 

[Guest]

I just did a repair, and really, really dont want to start fresh at this
time. Too many issues. Regarding TweakUI, I already had that installed, but
don't know what is suppose to be done with it. What do I do with it.

Thanks for the instruction of renaming the folders.

I tried the support sight once before same issue. If my memory is correct
it wanted me to transfer my nt??? files. Windows said I cant because it is
being used. Do you know what I am talking about.

My original thought was to create new user accounts and transfer the from
old user. The problem is I can not create any new user accounts. I go
through the motions but nothing on the welcome screen. Will TweakUI solve
this problem? How?

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I just did a repair, and really, really dont want to start fresh at this
time. Too many issues.

You may find that there are *fewer* issues from doing a clean install if
the existing install and registry are sufficiently damaged. Repair
installs do little to the registry, and so if that's where the problem is,
they don't help much if at all.

With proper preparation, a new install can be done in a few hours, most of
which is spent doing other things.

How much time have you spent so far?

Regarding TweakUI, I already had that installed, but
don't know what is suppose to be done with it. What do I do with it.

In TweakUI, go to Logon and put checkmarks next to the accounts you want to
appear on the welcome screen.

If the accounts aren't listed, they weren't created and don't exist. Try
again from the Administrator account. If it's broken there, problems are
larger.

Thanks for the instruction of renaming the folders.

I tried the support sight once before same issue. If my memory is correct
it wanted me to transfer my nt??? files. Windows said I cant because it
is
being used. Do you know what I am talking about.

Probably ntuser.dat files, and these won't transfer from the account that's
in use. You have to be in another account.

My original thought was to create new user accounts and transfer the from
old user. The problem is I can not create any new user accounts.

Below, you said that you *can*.

I go
through the motions but nothing on the welcome screen.

Can you log on if you use control+alt+delete at the welcome screen, entering
the new user name and password?

Will TweakUI solve
this problem? How?

TweakUI will help you show the accounts on the welcome screen *if* the
accounts are actually being created.

Log off, log on in Safe Mode to the Administrator account. Create a new
admin-level account from there. Log off, log on to the new user. The
folders for a user account are not created until the first time you log in.

If you can't create a new user account from Administrator in Safe Mode, the
problems are much deeper, will take longer to fix, and you should consider
just starting over. Back up first, or get another hard disk - where I am,
160 gig drives are around $70. Remove the old drive, install to the new
one, don't forget to install the motherboard drivers. When XP is installed
and updated, create the new user accounts and install the software you need.
Use the directions to migrate the files from the old accounts on the old
drive to the new ones on the new drive.