What happened???? Ughhh!!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Robert
  • Start date Start date
R

Robert

Windows XP Home SP2

It seems there are no real administrators on my pc now. I am unable to get
many of the icons in the control panel to launch, as well as unable to
change my firewall settings or even access the security center. It's as
though all users are guests or something. I have three accounts plus the
administrator. Logging on under the administrator in safe mode doesn't
change anything. I'm able to access msconfig, or even get a cmd prompt.
I've checked using control userpasswords2 to see which groups the users
belong to. They are all members of the administrator group. I've tried
restoring to a previous date and the desktop icons won't even come up. Any
ideas other than doing a complete restore from the vendor disks?

Robert
 
Robert said:
Windows XP Home SP2

It seems there are no real administrators on my pc now. I am unable
to get many of the icons in the control panel to launch, as well as
unable to
change my firewall settings or even access the security center. It's
as
though all users are guests or something. I have three accounts plus
the
administrator. Logging on under the administrator in safe mode
doesn't
change anything. I'm able to access msconfig, or even get a cmd
prompt. I've checked using control userpasswords2 to see which groups
the users
belong to. They are all members of the administrator group. I've
tried
restoring to a previous date and the desktop icons won't even come up.
Any ideas other than doing a complete restore from the vendor disks?

Robert
Click to expand...

What changed between the time things worked and the time you didn't? Are
you the only person with access to your computer? Do you have a current
version (no earlier than 2003) antivirus installed using updated
definitions?

Can you log in under another user account, one that has administrative
privileges? Are you saying that you can't get to the desktop in any
account? Please post back with a better description of your computer,
what changed, and what happens. If you get error messages, let's have
the text of those, and the answer to the antivirus question.

Malke
 
The only thing that changed was that I attempted to delete a user. I have
McAfee's virus scan, and I've run Trend Micro's Housecall on it, neither
have found anything. I can log in under other accounts that are also
administrators with the same difficulities. I've run Spy-Bot and Giant
Company's Spyware with positive results. I have found that when attempting
to run these programs if I select run as... and then uncheck the protect my
computer from harmful programs they run just fine.

To clarify restoring the computer to a previous date causes the computer to
hang just after loading the desktop background, no desktip icons appear and
no start menu or taskbar.

What would happen if I did an in place OS repair? What types of things are
likely be overwritten? Will I need to reinstall SP2?

Robert
 
Robert wrote:


Please see comments inline. I know you think you are being clear, but
you aren't getting across the true situation. I hate to suggest that
anyone do anything drastic unless I'm quite sure of what is going on.
After all, I can't see your computer from here.
The only thing that changed was that I attempted to delete a user. I
have McAfee's virus scan, and I've run Trend Micro's Housecall on it,
neither
have found anything. I can log in under other accounts that are also
administrators with the same difficulities.
Click to expand...

So this means that when you log in using *any* account, you get to the
desktop but nothing works properly? The users haven't actually lost
their permissions or had them changed - parts of the system don't
function properly?
I've run Spy-Bot and
Giant
Company's Spyware with positive results.
Click to expand...

What does "with positive results" mean? That your computer is clean or
that malware was found and removed?
I have found that when
attempting to run these programs if I select run as... and then
uncheck the protect my computer from harmful programs they run just
fine.
Click to expand...

So some programs run OK, just not parts of the system?
To clarify restoring the computer to a previous date causes the
computer to hang just after loading the desktop background, no desktip
icons appear and no start menu or taskbar.

What would happen if I did an in place OS repair? What types of
things are
likely be overwritten? Will I need to reinstall SP2?
Click to expand...

Are you able to run the System File Checker?

Start>Run sfc /scannow [enter]

If that doesn't work, then the next step would be a Repair Install. I
would certainly back up all your data at this point. A Repair Install
should not lose any of your data, but there is no guarantee. I don't
really know why your system has gotten in such a twist without seeing
the computer. Since you've already applied SP2, you're going to need to
use an XP CD that has been slipstreamed to include SP2. Without that,
the Repair Install will fail with the error that you are trying to
install an older operating system over a newer one.

Here are links for the Repair Install and for slipstreaming:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

How to slipstream sp2 into XP
http://www.msfn.org/articles.php?action=show&showarticle=49
http://www.windows-help.net/windowsxp/winxp-sp2-bootcd.html

Malke
 
I've tried several restore points previous to the date this problem
orginated. However, under my username they all load to a desktop with just
the background photo. I was able to boot into safe mode and select last
known good configuration. The system now has desktop icons however, as you
put it, parts of the system don't function properly, mainly windows
operations.

I also just tried to login as the "administrator" by pressing CTRL-ALT-DEL
twice at the windows xp login window, which gives the classic windows login
prompt box. When logged in as the administrator there is no desktop,
however pressing CTRL-ALT-DEL does bring up the the Task Manager which has
what seems to be normal windows tasks running around (29) of them. When
right mouse clicking on the desktop, no menu appears, when selecting run
from the Task Manager file menu I am unable to "run" anything.

To answer the virus and spyware issues, all scans came up clean and virus
and spyware free.

I am unable to run the system file checker by logging on under my username
and selecting run from the start menu. I type the command...the harddrive
light flashes a few seconds and nothing happens.

Malke said:
Robert wrote:


Please see comments inline. I know you think you are being clear, but
you aren't getting across the true situation. I hate to suggest that
anyone do anything drastic unless I'm quite sure of what is going on.
After all, I can't see your computer from here.
The only thing that changed was that I attempted to delete a user. I
have McAfee's virus scan, and I've run Trend Micro's Housecall on it,
neither
have found anything. I can log in under other accounts that are also
administrators with the same difficulities.
Click to expand...

So this means that when you log in using *any* account, you get to the
desktop but nothing works properly? The users haven't actually lost
their permissions or had them changed - parts of the system don't
function properly?
I've run Spy-Bot and
Giant
Company's Spyware with positive results.
Click to expand...

What does "with positive results" mean? That your computer is clean or
that malware was found and removed?
I have found that when
attempting to run these programs if I select run as... and then
uncheck the protect my computer from harmful programs they run just
fine.
Click to expand...

So some programs run OK, just not parts of the system?
To clarify restoring the computer to a previous date causes the
computer to hang just after loading the desktop background, no desktip
icons appear and no start menu or taskbar.

What would happen if I did an in place OS repair? What types of
things are
likely be overwritten? Will I need to reinstall SP2?
Click to expand...

Are you able to run the System File Checker?

Start>Run sfc /scannow [enter]

If that doesn't work, then the next step would be a Repair Install. I
would certainly back up all your data at this point. A Repair Install
should not lose any of your data, but there is no guarantee. I don't
really know why your system has gotten in such a twist without seeing
the computer. Since you've already applied SP2, you're going to need to
use an XP CD that has been slipstreamed to include SP2. Without that,
the Repair Install will fail with the error that you are trying to
install an older operating system over a newer one.

Here are links for the Repair Install and for slipstreaming:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

How to slipstream sp2 into XP
http://www.msfn.org/articles.php?action=show&showarticle=49
http://www.windows-help.net/windowsxp/winxp-sp2-bootcd.html

Malke
--
MS MVP - Windows Shell/User
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
Click to expand...
 
Robert said:
I've tried several restore points previous to the date this problem
orginated. However, under my username they all load to a desktop with
just
the background photo. I was able to boot into safe mode and select
last
known good configuration. The system now has desktop icons however,
as you put it, parts of the system don't function properly, mainly
windows operations.

I also just tried to login as the "administrator" by pressing
CTRL-ALT-DEL twice at the windows xp login window, which gives the
classic windows login
prompt box. When logged in as the administrator there is no desktop,
however pressing CTRL-ALT-DEL does bring up the the Task Manager which
has
what seems to be normal windows tasks running around (29) of them.
When right mouse clicking on the desktop, no menu appears, when
selecting run from the Task Manager file menu I am unable to "run"
anything.

To answer the virus and spyware issues, all scans came up clean and
virus and spyware free.

I am unable to run the system file checker by logging on under my
username
and selecting run from the start menu. I type the command...the
harddrive light flashes a few seconds and nothing happens.
Click to expand...
Then if you are sure your hard drive is healthy, try the Repair Install.
Remember about the necessity for a slipstreamed CD.

Malke
 
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