HELP...! WINDOWS XP NIGHTMARE...!!!

Maybe it's a none too subtle hint you have been TERMINATED!

 

Go to My Computer -> C drive -> Documents and Settings, there should be a list of all the users and files.

 

does it say the other account is switched off?

everything from that panel is pretty straightforward, so you'll have to give more info.

if in doubt, pour beer into the keyboard, it's a newer and funnier problem to have to worry about.
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depending on his permissions setup he might not have access to that stuff.

carbon: how many copies of the bikini thread do you really need?

 

oh, how about the bit where it says "Change how windows logs on" or some crap? someone might have flicked an option somewhere to NOT use the opening logon screen, from memory i think there's an option on the initial logon screen to just automatically log on to a default account, don't recall.

failing that there is another method, do you have access to a crowbar and some formaldehyde?
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oh, can't you just log off? and no that doesn't involve vaseline and last months Laura Ashley brochure.

 

Close one! Almost lost your Enzo stuff?

 

i didn't think he would have lost anything of value, considering everything he's ever done is right here on this website.

 

alright i'm going to log off and log on as... you, then check your messages for you. well, see if i can replicate it anyhoo...

if i don't make it back, tell my mum it was me who drowned the budgie in cheeze-whiz.
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well, i can recommend against anyone making a dummy account unless they need to. every piece of software i have installed since 1983 simultaneously popped up and asked for me to customize it's ass. was a real treat seeing the old winXP rally hills and introduction tour again though, made me feel Like A Virgin, ooh.

yeah i was gonna suggest something must be corrupt because i found no way to actually switch off an account from the menu. looks like that user's gone to the weekly specials board.

 

do you just happen to have a recent backup of your hard drive?

apparently you can restore your users by getting a recent backup of the file ntuser.dat which is in the C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator directory. that is the file that is most likely corrupted.

what was the last thing you installed? there may be a chance you can do a System Restore. until recently i couldn't believe how easy and useful this little XP addition was, i assumed like any other geeky feature it's going to be long-winded, technical and buggy, but nope, click and wait 10 seconds.

the other option is this which i found elsewhere:
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Put win xp cd in and start the setup from initial switch on, it should then start with a blue screen with text on it, it is as if you are installing from scratch. You may have to get your bios to boot from your cd. I hope this is not to technical, then go through the menus, make sure it is going to install in the same directory, and also make sure you do not select "DO YOU WANT TO INSTALL A FRESH COPY OF WINDOWS XP, chose the one that says repair windows xp, this will then seem as if you are installing windows, but all you are doing is overwriting it, and repairing it, but keeping your profile intact, also you will need your product key for windows, after this has finished, it should of solved that problem
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hmmmmmmmmm. *ponders*

I thought this happened to you before?

Depending on the system restore point, it might or might not work. Typically if the information is missing or corrupted under a user profile, it isn't coming back. The system restore is for the operating system itself, not necessarily the user profiles. Hrmmmm.. gotta ponder this one.

But in the mean time, is it just the data that is stored under that user? or what is the purpose of the other user's account on the system? In other words - can you just copy it over / import it into your account? and maybe create a new one?

 

Stop stressing yourself over this, if you can get to all the data through Documents & Settings, make a new profile and copy everything over (My Docs, Desktop, and Favorites are the big ones). Then make a backup and start doing it regularly.

My guess is a virus or spyware of some sort corrupted your user profile.

 

This is all predicated on you saying that going through Windows Explore you can access that profile's documents and settings, is that correct?

If so, make a new profile, and just copy and paste any data you need from the old profile to the new one.

I reccomend using a new user name of the new profile so nothing gets confused.

You may need to reconfigure some settings and what not, but that's not a big deal. As far as where/how, tough to say be spyware has become very very aggressive these days and is basically undetected by antivirus programs since it is not a virus as such.

Good luck, PM if you need more advice.