Re: XP logs on & logs off repeatedly - HELP !!!

From: Maerko (nomail_at_mail.com)
Date: 09/03/04 

Date: Fri, 03 Sep 2004 11:44:29 +0100

"George Valkov" <null@somewhere.com> wrote:
>
> "Maerko" <nomail@mail.com> wrote in message
>>
>> (1) Is the log which the Event Viewer normally displays
>> available to me if I am booted in to another XP partition?
>>
> Yes, it is available to You. In even viewer select
> Open Log File...
> Browse to
> ?:\WINDOWS\system32\config

George, thanks for a useful reply. I launched the Event Viewer > Action >
Open Log File. I navigated to the bad "rebooting" partition and found those
event files you listed.

Making sure I used the right "LOg Type", the messages I got was that "The
Event Log File Is Corrupted".

Seems odd that they are all corrupted. If I use Win Expl to broswe to the
?:\WINDOWS\system32\config folder then I can see these files have no backup
(no AppEvent.bak, no SecEvent.bak, no SysEvent.bak).

> You should see this files:
> [Event log]
> AppEvent.Evt
> SecEvent.Evt
> SysEvent.Evt
> [Registry hive - DON"T modify those with CAPITAL letters!]
> default
> SAM
> SECURITY
> software
> system
> userdiff
>
>
>> Do you know where the files are stored which I would need to
>> go and look at?
>
> I already answered that. Just remember to choose the correct
> "Log Type:".
>
>
>>
>> (2) The link you gave me steered me to this Microsoft article
>> called "Dumpel.exe: Dump Event Log".
>>
>>
>> http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/exist
>> ing/dumpel-o.asp
>>
>> However the article assumed I am able to get on to my system
>> and can instal "Dumpel.exe" there by running its normal
>> installation routine. I can't do that. But if I knew what to
>> do I could move various files into the right places. Do you
>> have any info?
>>
>> (3) Is there a little routine or program I can insert
>> somewhere (again from putside the failing XP partition) which
>> will stop the boot process and give me a command line window
>> or even the explorer desktop?
>>
>> This would permit me to have a look around and maybe set up
>> programs like Dumpel.exe mentioned above.

George this next step you suggest seems a bit tricky for a novice like me.

I would have to use the link Kelly gave to Doug's site
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_adv_reg_editing.htm
and I get the bad feeling from the NOTE on the web page that unless I know
what I am doing I might mess up the registry of by second XP partition which
I am having to use at the moment.

So I would ask you if there is there a program or DLL which pauses the
system and displays something like a userconsole or input screen.

Then I guess I could can replace one of the boot-time files (probably in the
system32 folder) which XP normally executes when XP boots. So when XP does
execute it then the boot sequence will pause at that point. And depending
where I am maybe I can try and fix things.

REMEMBER that during the automatic rebooting I get past the logon screen and
my desktop wallpaper gets painted (nut not the icons) and my firewall
launched its splash screen. So I figure the boot sequence gets quite
advanced. If only I can get to the desktop then I could launch TaskManager
to run Explorer.

The trouble is that I don't know of any such prgram/DLL and and I don't know
what normal program/DLL to replace with it in the system32 folder.

> You can insert whatever You like in the "Run" folder; "RunOnce"
> and "RunOnceEx" folders.
>
> 1. Load the "software" hive - in my case as:
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\XP_SOFTWARE
>
> 2. Take a look at here
> [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\XP_SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
> \Run]
>
> 3. You may want to remove unwanted programs.
>
> 4. New --> String Value. The data is full or short path that
> the system will search for the program to run.
>
> You may want to install a service manually? Create:
> [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\XP_SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\MyService]
> Note: There may be smore than one folders with name like
> ControlSet001
> ControlSet002
> ...
> You may need the make changes to all of them. Unless You know
> which exactly will be mounted as
> CurrentControlSet
>
> You need:
> String Value - "DisplayName"
> DWORD Value - "ErrorControl"
> String Value - "ImagePath"
> DWORD Value - "Start"
> DWORD Value - "Type"
>
>
>
> George Valkov

>> ------------ ORIGINAL POSTING ----------
>>
>> Maerko <nomail@mail.com> wrote:
>>
>> > Hi guys I really need some help. When I boot my PC, XP logs
>> > on and logs off repeatedly.
>> >
>> > XP manages to get past the Welcome screen. But as soon as
>> > it is about to paint the icons on the desktop then it logs
>> > itself off. And it keeps logging on and then logging off.
>> >
>> > I wonder if this is due to some sort of malware. Or maybe
>> > due to me tweaking the registry too much today.
>> >
>> > Can someone please tell me what to look for to track down
>> > the cause.
>> >
>> > The rest of this posting contains:
>> >
>> > (a) steps detailing exactly what happens
>> > (b) the solutions I have tried.
>> >
>> >
>> > ----
>> >
>> > EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS
>> >
>> > I am able to boot the same PC hardware but into another XP
>> > partition. This second XP partition is a clone of the
>> > "rebooting" partition. Of course it was cloned some time
>> > ago. That way I can read the files on the "rebooting"
>> > partition.
>> >
>> > The rebooting partition is XP Pro + SP1 and with all
>> > Microsoft patches applied to it except SP2. It it set to
>> > automatically logs on due to an autologon setting made by
>> > TweakUI. There are no Restore Points and the System Volume
>> > Inforamtion folder is empty.
>> >
>> > The following the details of what happens. I happened to
>> > have XP's "verbose information messages" set on when the
>> > problem occurred:
>> >
>> > (1) I boot up the PC and it goes through its hardware
>> > checks
>> >
>> > (2) XP starts up and gets past the Welcome screen.
>> >
>> > (3) A message says "Loading Your Personal Settings ..."
>> >
>> > (4) The desktop wallpaper appears (a plain-colored
>> > background)
>> >
>> > (5) There is a pause for a second or so and then my Kerio
>> > firewall splash screen appears. Normally this screen
>> > appears after the desktop icons, taskbar and notification
>> > area appear. But this time none of those items are painted
>> > on to the screen.
>> >
>> > (6) Very soon afterwards the XP logoff screen says "Playing
>> > Logoff Sound..." and then "Saving Your Settings ..."
>> >
>> > (7) Straight away the system loops to step (3) above where
>> > it loads my settings and the system continues looping.
>> > Apart from the first time, there is now no time to see and
>> > desktop wallpaper or Kerio splash screen on each iteration.
>> >
>> > ===============
>> >
>> > THESE ARE THE SOLUTIONS I HAVE TRIED
>> >
>> > (1) I booted to 'Last Known good Configuration' but the
>> > result was the same repeated rebooting.
>> >
>> > (2) I next booted and selected "Enable Boot Logging". This
>> > went on to boot XP. The boot process carried on repeatedly
>> > rebooting just as before.
>> >
>> > (3) I booted to Safe Mode. I saw the Safe Mode desktop
>> > background appear. But then XP rebooted itself repeatedly.
>> >
>> > ---
>> >
>> > Using the other XP system, I could not find the boot log
>> > "Ntbtlog.txt". I think this sometimes happens because I
>> > read this:
>> >
>> > "Ntbtlog.txt File Not Written When Boot Logging Is
>> > Enabled"
>> > http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;27
>> > 5735
>> >
>> > I checked all the Startup folders to see if there were any
>> > strange programs in there but there was nothing.
>> >
>> > At once point during the rebooting I was hitting the keys at
>> > random to try and interrupt the process and I got the system
>> > to stop at the Welcome screen with user accounts. I was
>> > able to sign on as a different user (the 'original' XP
>> > administrator account which is normally hidden). I had to
>> > use a password which TweakUi does not know. I got the same
>> > rebooting without any further prompts to enter the password
>> > on each iteration.
>> >
>> > I am effectively locked out the system. What can I look for
>> > to try and get it working again?
>> >
>> > Thanks for any info.
>
>
>

Relevant Pages

  • Re: XP logs on & logs off repeatedly - HELP !!!
    ... "George Valkov" wrote: ... I launched the Event Viewer> Action> ... execute it then the boot sequence will pause at that point. ... what normal program/DLL to replace with it in the system32 folder. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize)
  • Re: XP logs on & logs off repeatedly - HELP !!!
    ... "George Valkov" wrote: ... I launched the Event Viewer> Action> ... execute it then the boot sequence will pause at that point. ... what normal program/DLL to replace with it in the system32 folder. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: STOP ERROR Message on XP Pro repair
    ... rename them back to their correct names with exception of the one in the ... System32 folder, which is likely to be the one which caused the problem. ... You can access Event Viewer by selecting Start, Control Panel, ... set of files but was told that System Restore could not be used. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)