Locked out of PC

[TiredOfLife]

Anyone got anything to bypass the logon security feature in XP?

Cheers

[FOL]

Ermmm, you tried safe mod, then alter your password for your account?

Keep tapping F8 at boot up, when boot menu appears, choose safemode. Logon as admin, then go to users, and alter your password.

[TiredOfLife]

F8 doesn't appear to be the right button for safe mode on this particular model.

[Sharingan]

Did you begin tapping the F8 button continuously as soon as the PC is switched on/rebooted? F8 should be the universal key for bringing up the Safe mode prompt.

[TiredOfLife]

Yes, I had.
The password prompt blocks any attempt to even boot into safe mode.
Have now got the password. (I guessed it)
The machine is in a shit state.
BSODs constantly.
Managed to at least get onto to the desktop for a few mins before the BSOD.
Couldn't get to do that orignally.
Ran checkdisk to get that far.
Some AOL program seems to think there has been virus activity.
Inclined to believe that as security hasn't excactly been a feature of the owners computing experience.

[Submeg]

Yea it works, just keep pressing it...it doesnt even tell you to press F8 anymore...

[TiredOfLife]

After I put in the password, it allows me to boot into safe mode by pressing F8, but not before.

[Submeg]

Not even as soon as you turn on the computer, you start pressing F8?

[Harrison]

That is odd. The F8 boot menu should come up on all versions of Windows when you keep pressing the key when you switch the PC on.

Sounds like you need to format the HD and install a fresh copy of Windows if the system is BSOD so often. You either have corrupted hardware drivers, some of the registry has become corrupted, or like you think you have a virus.

Virus infections that can cause such behaviour include the Blaster worm and Sasser Worm viruses.

You could try a system repair. Do you have an original OS install disk? If so stick it in the drive and let the PC boot from the CD. Then once you reach the options screen select to repair the OS and then select to go to the recovery console. Once in there type sfc /purgecache and then sfc /scannow. That might repair files that are causing the OS to crash. If not then you could try a full repair install, or failing that you will need to wipe the existing OS and install a fresh copy.

Have a look here for more info: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Take into account that doing a full system repair will wipe out any service packs installed since the original install CD versions.

[Sharingan]

If virus infection is suspected, I wouldn't even bother with trying to repair a Windows installation, personally. Essential files on the disk can in all probability still be retrieved by connecting the drive as slave on another machine. A fresh install is the only way you can be sure that all crap is gone.

You might want to check your RAM with a diagnostic tool like Memtest, also. Faulty RAM is known to cause BSODs, corrupted files and other strange things too.

[Harrison]

That is true. Faulty ram can start created very random crashes. Equally a dying harddrive can cause system file corruption which can BSOD the system randomly.

I good way to test both is to download a free CD image called the Ultimate Boot CD. This contains the memtest utility and utilities to test all makes of HD. It also has loads of other useful tools and utilities on the disc and is worth having for emergencies.

You can download it from http://www.ultimatebootcd.com

[TiredOfLife]

Cheers all, some good advice above.
Have persevered as I am a glutton for punishment.
The BSOD seems to kick in whilst AOL is trying to sort itself out.
Have managed to get the latest version of Avast, Spybot and Adaware installed using various combinations of different safe modes and user accounts.
Earlier version of Avast wouldn't install and neither would AVG antivirus and AVG antispyware.
The machine is absolutely riddled with viri.
Already tried a Windows repair with a CD I had, but will try this again once Avast has finished.

[Harrison]

Doesn't sound good if the system is riddled with viri, as you say. If that is the case then the only solution is a format and clean install.