Log in to account

Hi. Not really sure if this is the right place to ask this, but my laptop has suddenly decided to log me on to a temporary account and I don't know why. It says I don't have the rights to log on or something before telling me it is logging me on to a temp account instead. I am the only one who uses the laptop and I've never had this problem before. Any ideas what has caused it and how I can get my account back or at least get to all my files?

The laptop is XP and an Advent 7086 if it makes a difference.

I also have something that slides around inside it, possibly something to do with the fan, but its been like that for ages. I dunno if it could possibly catch anything that would cause such a problem. The laptop, right from new, has always had a dodgy hard drive problem, but it hasn't caused any problems for ages (it used to give me random errors or the blue screen and then be fine again). I haven't any errors so I'm assuming it doesn't have the problems it has had in the past. It rarely gets shut down properly anymore if this would affect anything - after so long off being on it just refuses to come up with the shut down option.

As it is logging me on to a temp account I assume that my files must still be on there somewhere? All programs are still on there it seems as they are on the temp log in. If I could at least get to the files it would be a help as at least I can still log in to an account to use the programs and so on. I have tried restarting it, but it still does the same.

Any help would be great. If there is anything else you need to know just ask and I'll try and answer. Thanks

Edited by sn0zb0z, 22 March 2009 - 02:22 PM.

Hi sn0zb0z,

I think your windows installation could be damaged if you've only been using a hard shutdown. It sounds like you want access to your data so you can back it up. Take a look at this thread first and see if it helps.

http://www.techsupportforum.com/microsoft-...mp-setting.html

Zllio

Possibly. Although why is it that the option menu for shut down/restart/log off has not been appearing?

Anyway, thanks, I have logged on as another user and can access all files. I should have thought to do it sooner, but I was hoping the temp account thing wouldn't last/could easily be sorted. Everything seems to be running fine except the shut down thing still...I don't get it really. Everything is installed on to both accounts and I'm accessing the same thing with the same hardware and yet now other things are working fine that didn't before, but that still won't work. Still, I plan to back-up everything properly as soon as possible (I do have a lot of stuff backed up already) just in case.

I just want the profile back now - not that is makes much difference, it's just nice to know everything is fine again lol. I thought about restoring back to factory settings, but it seems each time I've done that in the past something else has happened soon after

Edited by sn0zb0z, 24 March 2009 - 11:47 AM.

FWIW: Copy Data from a Corrupted User Profile to a New Profile in Windows XP - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811151

Louis

Hi sn0zb0z,

I think your windows installation could be damaged if you've only been using a hard shutdown.
Zllio

What is it about hard shut downs that make people say they damage the system? I have always done hard shut downs

...and you probably have corrupted/damaged files as a result.

Causes of Data Corruption - http://ezinearticles.com/?Causes-of-Data-C...n&id=817785

Data corruption and loss causes and avoidance - http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/datacorruption.html

Louis

Actually, I have never had any corrupted or damaged files at all and have never had any other problems from shutting down that way. I have shut down that way most of the time for the last 10 years or so.

I take that back, kind of, I did have one instance of a corrupted or missing file, but as to whether or not that was the cause, I do not know. Considering how many times I have shut down that way without a problem, I really cannot attribute that one instance to shutting down that way

Edited by Stang777, 24 March 2009 - 06:17 PM.

Whatever...some would call that exceptional luck, based on opinions expressed by those more knowledgeable than you and I.

Louis

Well hey, I have to have exceptionally good luck at something

It can't hurt , I'm still waiting for mine to show.

Louis

Actually, I have never had any corrupted or damaged files at all and have never had any other problems from shutting down that way. I have shut down that way most of the time for the last 10 years or so.

I take that back, kind of, I did have one instance of a corrupted or missing file, but as to whether or not that was the cause, I do not know. Considering how many times I have shut down that way without a problem, I really cannot attribute that one instance to shutting down that way

lol I've been shutting it down that way for months and I'm not convinced it's the reason the profile has gone odd. I mean a lot of things have happened for odd reasons so the way it shuts down doesn't seem much a reason for this.

I don't seem to have any corrupt/missing files at all. In fact, I can now do things I coudn't do before such as right click on the internet on this other account (not tried it on the temp), even though I'm using the same software and hardware.

...and you probably have corrupted/damaged files as a result.

Causes of Data Corruption - http://ezinearticles.com/?Causes-of-Data-C...n&id=817785

Data corruption and loss causes and avoidance - http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/datacorruption.html

Louis

Thanks for the links, although all files seem to be fine. Don't think I've lost any but I have so many files...lol. I suppose the fact I still have so many is a good sign really. Main thing is that I just need to back them all up properly and maybe move them over to this account as it's not seeming likely I'll get the other account back.

Thing is how likely is it that the same will happen to this account? If it is the way I'm shutting it down then surely the chances are it will cause more problems?

hi sn0zb0z,

As long as you are having to shut down your computer using the off button rather than the shutdown option, you will be causing corruption in your files. I think it's a matter of time before you have issues again. Whatever is causing you to not be able to use the normal shutdown procedure needs to be fixed as one of the steps in shutdown is to store your user settings.

I didn't fully understand the following statement. Could you explain it a little more?

"after so long off being on it just refuses to come up with the shut down option."

I don't know where your Temp account would have come from but if you boot into safe mode, it should show an Admin account. That is the acount that windows makes when it is installed. Using that account should give you access to all your files, it does me.

Also, while you are logged in with the Admin account, take a look at User Accounts in Control Panel and see if your old account is still there and if it is, if maybe it was just disabled or something goofy like that. If it is there and disabled, you should be able to reactivate it there.

Edited by Stang777, 25 March 2009 - 05:33 AM.

hi sn0zb0z,

As long as you are having to shut down your computer using the off button rather than the shutdown option, you will be causing corruption in your files. I think it's a matter of time before you have issues again. Whatever is causing you to not be able to use the normal shutdown procedure needs to be fixed as one of the steps in shutdown is to store your user settings.

I didn't fully understand the following statement. Could you explain it a little more?

"after so long off being on it just refuses to come up with the shut down option."

Once my laptop has been on for more than about 20-30 minutes it no longer comes up with the option to shut it down properly and I have to click the button. I know i can come up with it as I've logged in and shut it down again minutes later properly, but once it has been on longer it won't come up. It shows the loading cursor and even leaving it ages it just never shows that menu option.

Its been the same for months.