Re: Users Are Gone, Can't Login

the safe mode approach also just gets me back to the same screen that asks
for me to begin by clicking the user name. There are no icons to click nor
input boxes to input the admin password on this screen.
Let me get to the point. This is my daughter's desktop that after a few
months of use at college, she switched to a laptop. I have already extracted
all worthwhile docs from the system. I also have all the shipped software
and documentation to the system. I am donating this system to a foreign
student but I wanted to restore to the original ship default. Unfortunately
I did not have early restore points to choose from. Also I understand this
system was build just prior to the adoption of a symantec factory default
restore functionality (circa 7/04). As such I am preapred to just format the
disk and go from there. But as I attempted to so do, I was getting error
message that said the volume was otherwise in use and I cud not force a
dismount?) This is when I disabled user profiles to see if this was the
obstacle.
Bottom line is I just want to get back to as close to original factory
default from the compromised state I am at today.
tnx for for all advise in advance.

"mikesg" wrote:

>
> It should not matter if it is XP Pro or Home, because it sounds like the
> users have either been disabled in the SYSTEM settings, or they have
> been deleted, or possibly the SAM file was changed by a virus or a
> user.
>
> as Dixonian69 began stating, try this:
>
> Shut the computer down,
> Start it up again, and hit the F8 key repeatedly, right when the power
> comes on... press it once every second or so until the black screen
> comes up with the options. Using your arrow keys, select "Safe Mode"
> first in this attempt, and then when it boots it may pass the user
> login screen, or it may ask for Administrator's Password. Try doing
> this without any password (Unless you specified an Administrator
> password at some point) and see if it lets you in. You should be able
> to repair or restore the computer to an earlier time, but this will get
> you in. If the administrator account does have a password (If your
> blank password fails) you will need a tool to blank the admin
> password.***sounds like this is your case Stan, because you are not
> entering the correct password Try a blank password (no characters)
> first***
>
> You can use a boot disk like ERD commander, or a program called
> ASTRUMI..(you will need to burn either ISO to a disk) which is a linux
> disk that will allow you to "BLANK" the admin password and then try to
> login with no password again in safe mode.
>
> If all else fails, you can use a sam file from another XP home/pro
> system with similar user accounts installed on it. (I have not tried
> this but others have had somewhat successful attempts).
>
> If you DO get in by the admin attempt, try to enable the user accounts
> again, or simply create a new one not the same as any of the last
> users.
>
> Navigate to the C:\Documents and Settings\ and see if your usernames
> are still on their folders. You should be able to enable the accounts
> again, or create NEW accounts with the SAME IDENTICAL usernames IF the
> folders are still there. (I have not tried this either)
>
> In any case, getting to a desktop is your main objective. If you still
> fail then I would suggest either 1. Using another XP machine, plug your
> hard disk in as secondary (use the jumper on the drive to set as either
> "Slave" or "CS"(Cable Select) and from there you will more than likely
> be able to recover all your important files.
>
>
> --
> mikesg
> Posted via http://ms-os.com Forum to Usenet gateway
>
>
.

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