HELP! No password dialog at login!

This morning I turn on the computer (Windows XP pro /w SP1) and it loads until it gets to the nice blue screen, with the XP logo... but the dialog box, where I'm supposed to enter my password, doesn't come up! So the computer is just stuck and I can't log into windows! Same thing happens in "safe mode".

I started computer with stratup disk and ran "scandisk". No errors. "scanreg" (to try to backup registry to earlier date) didn't work though. It says I have an error in system files. I think it's a registry problem. All the WinXP console and restore (from XP disk) didn't help. I have not changed anything lately and have not installed anything. I have NAV 2004 updated daily and SpySweep is bought and is updated and have no viruses or spyware or worms of any kind. Any ideas how to restore registry besides "scanreg"? Or maybe someone had a similar problem and can help me?

Thank you.

Does the error specify which system files are involved?

Have you tried running a repair by booting from the XP CD ?

Also,try the solution here

Ok, Great! The solution you gave from Microsoft got logged on. It is even better then they say, for they say that ALL settings will be like they were originaly when I installed XP, but most of my settings were intact! Including desktop settings and most programs working, even Internet settings were ok. Some important programs are not working like Norton AV.

Now that I'm loged in, Microsoft wants me to restore to a point that's not close to today. The problem is that the only restore files I have were created in December - which is no good for me because I have lots of updates since then. Since I know that the only registery problem is with the login password dialog I want to ask as follows:

According to Microsoft, I have backed up 5 hive files from C:\windows\system32\config:
1. System
2. Software
3. Sam
4. Security
5. Default.

Microsoft writes!
"Make sure to replace all five of the registry hives. If you only replace a single hive or two, this can cause potential issues because software and hardware may have settings in multiple locations in the registry."

So I wanted to know if anyone knows which hive of the 5 above, stores data regarding the password dialog at login, and maybe I can only replace that hive from the December one.

Thank you.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zvi_Twersky

So I wanted to know if anyone knows which hive of the 5 above, stores data regarding the password dialog at login, and maybe I can only replace that hive from the December one.

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SAM ;)

Ok. Sam is not the hive. This is what I did: I put back ALL 5 hives that gave me original problem. (I even then restarted the computer before continuing what I had in mind, hoping for a miracal, but to no avial... :) ). Then I restored each of the five hives, one at a time, each time putting back the hive I changed before and rebooting. In other words, I wanted to have restored only ONE old hive (from c:\windows\repair) at a time, That way if the password dialog would come up, I'd know excactly witch hive was the problem one.

Guess what? It worked. The "software" hive was the problem one! (too bad for me). So, after restoring the software hive from the repair folder to c:\windows\system32\config (this can only be done in Recovery Console) The computer asked for password at login and loged in ok. The only problem is that since it's the SOFTWARE hive I recovered, I still have that problem about my Norton and some other things don't work.

SO! If you guys out there can help... here is what I want to know:

I have my old "software" hive backed up in a tmp folder. I know that if I restore it, I will have the login problem. What I would really like to do is to decode the security hive file and find the registry key that is preventing windows to ask me for my password at login.. fix that key, and retore it. I don't know how to decode it.. and I don't know which key is in charge of the above.

Please anyone??

P.s. I just thought of another idea I will try now and tell you all about if it works...
Now that I'm in windows, I will disable my password so Windows will just login and won't even show a username or ask for password. Then I will restore my software hive and see what happens.

Ok. First, thank you for all your help. After much research, I found a solution. I had to go to Restore Console and copy 5 hives from c:\windows\repair to c:\windows\system32\config. The only problem is that some programs didn't work. Luckuly, I had a ghost image from last month (that I didn't want to use as a primirary solution) but I was able to extract from the ghost image, (with Ghost 2003 browser) the "software" hive from c:\windows\system32\config. After restoring this hive, everything was back to normal!!!

Thanks again.

trouble shooting is the key to most computer problems and you were able to find the error create some possible solutions and find a cure.

nice work!!!

cheers
egghead