BleepingComputer.com: I Can't login to Windows XP Home anymore

I'm hoping someone here can help solve my problem. I am unable to log into an HP Pavilion PC with Windows XP Home Edition (SP2) anymore. Here's what happens:
1. I start up the computer & the computer loads up to the login screen with no problems.

2. Once at the blue login screen, I type my password to login and the screen says "loading your personal settings". The desktop flashes for a split-second then it goes back to the blue screen and says "logging off" then "saving your settings".

3. Then it's back to the login screen. I've tried running in safe mode and saw the desktop's wallpaper for 5 seconds but I was taken back to the login screen just like before. I've also tried to using the "Last Know Good Configuration" after turning on the computer and pressing F8, but the same thing happens.



This all started when I was trying to remove malware from the computer using Avast antivirus and Ad-aware. Once removing the infected files, I restarted the computer and this is where this issue began. So I'm guessing maybe some of those infected files were important. *sigh* I feel like an idiot because this is my sister's computer and she trusted me to fix it, but it seems like I made the problem worse.

Is there anything I can do? Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

What is the model of this Pavilion?

Do you have a installation disk for your copy of windows?

If you don't have the installation CD you can download a program which will create a bootable CD to access the Recovery Console.

Please download ARCDC from Artellos.com.

* Double click ARCDC.exe
* Follow the dialog until you see 6 options. Please pick: Windows Professional SP2 & SP3
* You will be prompted with a Terms of Use by Microsoft, please accept.
* You will see a few DOS screens flash by, this is normal.
* Next you will be able to choose to add extra files. Select the Default Files.
* The last window will allow you to burn the disk using BurnCDCC

Your ISO is located on your desktop.

In order to boot from this CD you may need to change the boot order in the BIOS so that the CD-ROM is the first device in the boot order.

Once you have booted from the CD you will come to a screen which will offer the options to Install or Repair, select R.

When you reach the command prompt type chkdsk /r then press Enter. Please observe that there is a space between chkdsk and the forward slash r (/r).

Chkdsk has five stages which will display the percentage of each stage as it runs. This can take a very long time to run, it may even appear to have stalled. Please do not stop this process or try to operate the computer during this as it can cause severe damage to the operating system.

As of last July Microsoft no longer supports Windows XP without SP3. Once you get this computer back to normal operation I would suggest downloading SP3 in order to maintain your updates.

This post has been edited by dc3: 20 March 2011 - 09:34 AM

Hi dc3, thanks for the fast reply. The computer I'm trying to log on to is a Pavilion a1410e.

As suggested, I downloaded and created an XP Pro boot cd with ARCDC. After the install/repair screen, I was taken to a screen that asked "Which Windows installation would you like to log onto?" with the choices being
1: C:\WINDOWS
2: H:\I386
3: H:\MININI

I picked the first choice and type the chkdsk /r command. It gave me a serial number and went to a blue screen that said "STOP: c0000139 {Entry Point Not Found} The procedure entry NtSerializeBoot could not be located in the dynamic link library ntdll.dll."

Nothing else happened beyond that. Should I have tried one of the other choices instead?

C: is usually the hdd or the partition on a hdd that your operating system is loaded on, so yes, that was the correct one.

Do you have a retail installation disk for your operating system? If not, do you know anyone that you could borrow one from? It would have to be the same version as yours, eg Home or Professional.

It looks like you may need to do a repair installation. This will restore the damaged files, and won't affect your data as a reformat and new install would.

Unfortunately I don't have any retail installation disks, and I don't know of anyone who has one either. Is it possible to get that someplace online?

Please sit tight and be patient.

Re: Your LogOn/LogOff Loop problem

I have requested that an experienced Malware Removal Team helper who specialises in un-bootable computers respond to your topic. They will be able to help you to repair the system and get Windows running normally again.

Thank you.

This post has been edited by AustrAlien: 21 March 2011 - 12:59 AM

AustrAlien, on 21 March 2011 - 12:56 AM, said:

Thanks AustrAlien, I appreciate the help.

Hello Elkaye, lets first check if the userinit.exe file is in place.

Try this please. You will need a USB drive.

Download GETxPUD.exe to the desktop of your clean computer

• Run GETxPUD.exe
  
• A new folder will appear on the desktop.
  
• Open the GETxPUD folder and click on the get&burn.bat
  
• The program will download xpud_0.9.2.iso, and upon finished will open BurnCDCC ready to burn the image.
  
• Click on Start and follow the prompts to burn the image to a CD.
  
• Next download driver.sh to your USB drive
  
• Remove the USB & CD and insert it in the sick computer
  
• Boot the Sick computer with the CD you just burned
  
• The computer must be set to boot from the CD
  
• Gently tap F12 and choose to boot from the CD
  
• Follow the prompts
  
• A Welcome to xPUD screen will appear
  
• Press File
  
• Expand mnt
  
• sda1,2...usually corresponds to your HDD
  
• sdb1 is likely your USB
  
• Click on the folder that represents your USB drive (sdb1 ?)
  
• Confirm that you see driver.sh that you downloaded there
  
• Press Tool at the top
  
• Choose Open Terminal
  
• Type bash driver.sh -f
  
• Press Enter
  
• When asked to provide the filename, type userinit.exe and press enter.
  
• After it has finished a report will be located on your USB drive named filefind.txt
  
• Remove the USB drive and insert it back in your working computer and navigate to filefind.txt
  
  Please note - all text entries are case sensitive

Copy and paste the filefind.txt for my review

This post has been edited by elise025: 21 March 2011 - 09:51 AM

Thanks for the reply, elise025. Here is the text from filefind.exe:

filefind.txt said:

Looks like the userinit.exe file is missing. Please load xPUD, and navigate to the following file: /mnt/sda1/WINDOWS/SoftwareDistribution/Download/dd9ab5193501484cf5e6884fa1d22f9e/userinit.exe <-- right click this file and select Copy.

Now navigate to /mnt/sda1/windows/system32, right click in an empty space in that folder and select Paste.

Now restart your computer and let me know if you can log on normally.

Yes! Elise025, that worked! I'm able to log in again. Now I'll update the computer to Service Pack 3 as dc3 suggested then give it back to my sister so she won't kill me.

I'm really grateful for everyone's help. Thank you all so much.

I'm glad to hear that! In case you need any more help making sure the computer is malware free, just let me know!