No user accounts in Win XP?

[kitbag]

I have a laptop that had 2 user accounts configured on it.
Now when the PC boots up there are none, it gets to the screen that should have the account icons.
I have tried going into safe mode to access the admin account but it's the same, no accounts.
I have tried crtl-alt-del to enter user account there but that does not work with either of the user accounts or with the admin account.
The admin account has not had a password set on it either.

Not sure what to do now as there is no way to access Windows to put the accounts back in control panel.

There are files on the PC I would like to keep so a full OS reload is the very last option. I only have the OEM disks that came with the system and I don't think there is a repair option just full reload.

It has Windows XP home edition on it.

Any ideas or anyone who has had this and overcome it i'd be grateful for the help

Thanks in advance

[Spennyboy]

I have a laptop that had 2 user accounts configured on it.
Now when the PC boots up there are none, it gets to the screen that should have the account icons.

just clear this up in case its a typo...

you had TWO accounts on the LAPTOP... and NONE on the PC?

you are talking about one machine right? :nowords:

i.e just mixing the terms.

you dont have a laptop AND a pc?

[kitbag]

sorry the laptop and the PC are one and the same my mistake

[Spennyboy]

right so can you boot into windows?

does it go into your desktop or just hang where the accounts page is? is there any accounts or just a blank page?

could you see the desktop in safe mode? If admin has no pass could you get into windows via admin in safe mode?

just bit more info help to diagnose the problem

[kitbag]

gets to the accounts page in both normal and safe mode. No accounts there to login with. so no i can't get into windows at all

[Spennyboy]

no accounts there at all?

if no accounts are set windows logs straight into as computer admin - so shouldnt show you an accounts page at all.

(please clarify it that is wrong)

will boot up, do the old welcome to windows crap and load the desktop.

so when you machine is turned on now, what options are you left with?

or just a blue screen?

[kitbag]

yeah just a blue screen with "click on user account" in either safe mode or normal with a red button bottom left "turn computer off"

I can do Crtl-Alt-Del and brings up screen for login but accounts don't work there either says check user name/password/domain

[whatnow]

doesn't windows XP have a default Administrator account that cant be messed with (like NT) and the password is the one you setup when you installed windows or when you turned it on for the first time...unless you got it second hand or someone else set it up.

either way there should be a 'Administrator' account (probably case sensitive) and then the password is whatever it is...Just do the Ctrl, Alt and Del at the window login screen to get the classic login and go from there...?

might be wrong though, i've never had this.

[kitbag]

I have tried that, there is no password set on the Administrator not that i set and I've had it since new. both user accounds have admin rights but this shouldn't make a difference.

I have tried the classic login for all user accounts, but the same no access into windows

I thought the same as you on this and I've never had this before.

[sniper]

check the recovery cd you should be able to re-load windows over your current version and all your files should still be safe .... no guarantees though

[Goldberg]

Sounds like someone has deleted the user accounts, very strange? I would say go for the recoverable CD option. Shouldn't delete your files.

[kitbag]

Thanks I may try that but any other suggestions keep them coming, I'll post what happens

[kitbag]

how dumb can't find the recovery CD

[pogue]

Have you tried booting tapping f8 and then choose "last known good configuration". I doubt it will work but worth a try anyway.

What make/model of pc is it?

[mc.dodd]

I may be going over old ground here..but have u considered..

Press F8 at boot up to go into Safe Mode.
from here use the arrow keys to select to boot into XP
when the log in screen appears the Main Admin Account (normally hidden)will be shown.
unless you created a password when you installed XP you only need to press "Enter"
using this Account you go to Control Panel and look for the accounts there..


also have a quick look here m8

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;831430

or I think that a repair install will fix this without losing any data, unless someone comes along with a better idea

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

good luck and remember BACKUP ur hd first!

[kitbag]

It's a Compaq Presario 2100 laptop, only has a CD drive no Floppy.

I have tried most of the normal stuff F8 safe mode all the options for the safe mode reboot. It won't even let me go into command prompt. still the same window "to begin, click your user name" with no names there.

Tried to change the boot sequence then found a password on the bios (never tried to change anything in bios before) looked on HP's web site but nothing about default bios passwords???

So i can't boot to CD either.

Have now gone to HP support to see if there anything they can do to help.

Anymore ideas keep them comming I need all the help i can get on this one

[Pegasus]

At the Welcome screen, hold down CTRL + ALT & press the DEL key twice.
This will present you with the standard NT logon dialogue box where you have to type both the username & password manually.

[kitbag]

HP didn't have a full solution, however they told me how to take the password off the BIOS, to remove the battery on the motherboard, this involves taking the motherboard out, a bit involved (last resort)

But they also told me how to change the boot sequence without entering the bios, just press ESC and bring up a menu for temp boot sequence.

So now need to get an XP boot disk working, I have XP pro on other machine and only an OEM clean install disk.

I'm still battling on with this problem, any new ideas please fire away!

[mc.dodd]

I've found this for u m8

http://packetstormsecurity.nl/Crackers/bios/

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000235.htm

http://neworder.box.sk/link.php?currentgrp=38584

be careful!
If u want an XP disk let me know

[pogue]

Compaq/hp had 2 types of recovery , hardrive based or cd based. For that model it was cd based. Unfortunately I dont thikn you have the option with the recovery cd's to install windows over the top of itself. It tends to wipe out the hardrive and return it completely back to factory settings. However when booting off the recovery cd you may find an advanced option in there. There may be some tools in there but I'm not sure what it offers.

There were also some recoveries where you let it go to the recovery menu and then press ALT + D . If it is there, it will drop you to a windows pe prompt ( which looks and feels like the recovery console of windows xp). You may be able to run some commands like chkdsk /r while there but i'm not entirely sure that chkdsk /r will fix your problem ( worth a try though).

Also read on another forum where a user had exactly the same problem as yourself. They had to reformat and reinstall windows. They soon got the same problem again. Later it was found to be caused by a conflict with sp2 and SONY'S "SONIC STAGE" version 2.