"Nate" <Nate@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4630B7EF-1DD9-4727-B991-70C17F06D383@microsoft.com...
> Hi all
>
> I am dealing with a real headscratcher. A client gave me their computer
> because they could not log on. They put their login info:
> username/password,
> it looked like it was doing some machination then went back to the login
> prompt.
>
> Hmm. I tried logging in with the Admin account (which apparently had no
> password), and same thing. I then booted to safe mode, but still no luck.
> I
> could not get past the login prompt.
>
> I took out the disk and put it in another machine and was able to see all
> the appropriate files are there. Ran antivirus scans/etc, cleaned
> everything
> out, but still not luck.
>
> I even tried to do a boot from CD/Repair, but the start said it could not
> find a disk. Strange because it is a SATA disk and is recognized at boot.
> The
> OS does boot to the login prompt.


Install the drive in another machine and edit the registry remotely to see
what the userinit value is. See these articles.

Editing the Registry for "other" Users
http://www.dougknox.com/

You cannot log on to Windows XP after you remove Wsaupdater.exe
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/892893/en-us

If that doesn’t help see this:
A User Logon Request Is Rejected Without Any Messages
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=313322

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]