Re: Can't get past the "Welcome" screen

From: Larry Samuels (larry_at_mvps.org)
Date: 09/20/04 

Date: Sun, 19 Sep 2004 20:49:11 -0400

Hi TDickey,

Boot from the XP CD and enter the recovery console by pressing R when
prompted.
type:
Copy c:\windows\system32\userinit.exe c:\windows\system32\wsaupdater.exe
Reboot the system and you should be able to log on normally to complete
repairs. 

-- 
Larry Samuels MS-MVP  (Windows-Shell/User)
Associate Expert
Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
"TDickey" <TDickey@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:5FD3455D-5FB8-4807-BB01-EF01536402A4@microsoft.com...
> Larry,
> I agree, Rick's advice seems thorough...but I can't get past the "Welcome"
> screen to make the changes.
> I need to understand how to by-pass the "Welcome" screen so that I can get
> to a DOS prompt.  Nothing in the user-setup (F8) mode helps.
> Any suggestions?
> Thanks, Tom
>
> "Larry Samuels" wrote:
>
>> Sounds like you recently removed BlazeFind.
>> Thanks go to Rick Rogers, MVP for the following instructions:
>>
>>  Did you run a spyware removal program lately? The userinit value may 
>> have
>> been corrupted by the removal of blazefind. It adds wsaupdater.exe to the
>> logon value in the system registry, sometimes appending it, sometimes
>> replacing it. Running Adaware or other cleaners detects and removes
>> wsaupdater.exe, but doesn't correct the registry damage. If this is the
>> case, then you may need to load the registry hive from another 
>> installation
>> and change it. This is the key:
>>
>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
>>
>> Userinit string value should be:
>>
>> C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe,
>>
>> On the damaged installations it's one of these:
>>
>> C:\WINDOWS\system32\wsaupdater.exe,
>> C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe,C:\WINDOWS\system32\wsaupdater.exe,
>>
>> Another "quickie" method of resolution is to load the Recovery Console 
>> (see
>> below), copy userinit.exe as wsaupdater.exe from the command prompt, then
>> restart normally. Once in, go and change the registry value back to what
>> it's supposed to be and delete the copied file.
>>
>> HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console in Windows XP [Q307654]
>> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307654
>>
>> This can also be done by using the 6 disk boot floppy set mentioned in 
>> the
>> above article, as it loads enough of the Recovery Console so that you can
>> copy the file. This is particularly useful if you have an OEM 
>> installation
>> that includes only a Restore CD, or no disk at all.
>>
>>
>>
>> -- 
>> Larry Samuels MS-MVP  (Windows-Shell/User)
>> Associate Expert
>> Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
>> Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
>> http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
>>
>>
>>
>> "TDickey" <TDickey@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:BD314982-7CE0-4ED2-9ED3-7DDC34E46B11@microsoft.com...
>> >I can't get past the "Welcome" screen.  None of the options (safe mode,
>> >safe
>> > mode with networking, etc) allow me to click on one of the users at the
>> > Welcome screen and proceed.  When I do select one of the users 
>> > (including
>> > Administrator) it immediately begins to "load preferences" and then 
>> > moves
>> > to
>> > "saving preferences" and essentially remains at the "Welcome" screen.
>> > I tried booting with the reinstall disk that Dell sent with the system,
>> > but
>> > nothing happens as I suppose that the bios has the C-drive as a higher
>> > priority than either one of the other drives.  Can't even change the
>> > priority
>> > until I get a DOS prompt...
>> > I've seen the posting about having recently run "ad-blocker" software &
>> > the
>> > corruption that this can cause.  Problem is that I can't restore if I
>> > can't
>> > get past the "Welcome" screen.
>> > I'm open for any suggestions...
>> > Thanks!  Tom
>> >
>>
>>
>>