[roissycap]

Logon problem in XP
I have a Dell XPS desktop running Windows XP (SP2).
Today tried to download windows Easy Transfer at the Microsoft site and MS first verified my copy of XP (OK). Download of Easy transfer failed due software not being currently available-please try again. Computer then locked so I used winndows restart and

When windows screen loads I am asked for my password- I don't have one so I hit enter and then get message"Unable to log you on because of an account restriction."

Restarting computer I can go to boot set up ans see that neither system or administrator has a password installedd.

Restart computer and try quick taps on F8 button duting Dell screen to access safe mode but always get windows screen and password request .

Can any expert help please?
Thanks

[wtxcowboy]

since u can get 2 safe mode with F8, try using system restore or does it ask 4 a password b4 u get that far? hmmm

[TheOutcaste]

Originally Posted by roissycap

Restart computer and try quick taps on F8 button duting Dell screen to access safe mode but always get windows screen and password request .

Does this mean you do not get the Advanced Options screen where you can choose the various Safe Mode options, Last known good, enable logging, etc?
If you're not seeing that, keep tapping F8 a little longer.

Once at the Safe Mode Welcome screen, you'll need to sign in with the built in Administrators account so you can see what restriction is on your normal account, or run system restore. If you don't get the welcome screen, but rather the older Log in box, just type Administrator for the User Name.

If you don't know the password for the Administrators account, or it gives you the same message, then the forum rules prevent us from giving further assistance.
See http://www.techguy.org/rules.html

Passwords - Please do not ask for assistance with forgotten passwords and/or bypassing them. As there is no way to verify the actual situation and/or intentions, no assistance will be provided and any such threads will be closed.

HTH

Jerry

[downpipe]

I had a similar issue myself.
As has been suggested, you need to get to safe mode, so keep the finger on F8 as your machine restarts.
In my case, I selected not to load the windows drivers.
Then when the screen came up, I then managed to run System Restore (to the last restore point, which I knew was ok).

If you have turned restore off, then the only thing I can suggest is to boot from your Install Cd and see if you can uninstall the 'in question' software.

Please note, this is not the only possible answer. Others out there may have a more elegant solution.

Good luck !!

[roissycap]

Hi guys

Thanks for replies

I cannot get to safe mode because neither fast tapping or holding f8 key during start up works. After the Dell screen I get a choice of F1 key to continue or F2 key to run the setup utility.
Choosing F1 takes me to the "Windows is starting up"screen, then a very long pause and then a second Windows screen opens which shows my user name and asks "type in your password". In the past I just left the password box empty and clicked the small arrow to the right and XP would start. Now I get the message "Unable to log you on because of an account restriction".
Choosing the F2 option I can scroll down to Security and find that on both admin and user accounts "The password is currently not set".

I do have the original XP installation disc. Is there a repair facility in XP wherein I could reload XP without loosing my personalfiles?

Thanks

[downpipe]

Hmmmmm.
I would be inclined to check the Dell site for similar issues.
F2 is normally access to BIOS.

You could set a password here for the admin account and save your settings. Whether this would then allow you to access Windows is
another thing. Hence my reply to check the Dell site.

All PC's are not equal. What works for one, does not necessarily mean
it will work for another. We have all been there.

Wish I could be more hopeful.
Personally, I would set a password in BIOS. But this is entirely subjective.
The PC maybe an OEM build so have a different 'feature set'.

Hope this helps a little.

[TheOutcaste]

The password settings in the BIOS (F2 setup utility) have nothing to do with windows passwords.

Is there an error message right before you get the Press F1 to continue? Normally you only get that if an error is detected; if it shows a keyboard error, you are hitting F8 too soon. Try this:
Tap F8 as you have been, then hit F8 right after hitting F1; so have one finger over the F8 key, hit F1 and start tapping the F8 key. Hopefully that will get you to the options screen to choose Safe Mode. At that point, the Built in Administrators account should be available to choose. If you can log in with that, you can reset the password on your normal account, or see if it's just disabled for some reason. Assuming that whatever affected your account didn't also affect the built in Administrator account.

You could do a repair install from the CD, however that does not change existing passwords -- only way to do that is to do a clean install, which will mean deleting all your files.

You could try booting with the CD, and going into the Recovery Console. If your system uses a SATA drive though, the Recovery Console might not be able to see the hard drive unless you can provide the SATA driver on a Floppy disk.

If you can get into the Recovery Console, you could then edit the boot.ini file to force safe mode if you can't get there by tapping F8. To do that you would enter the following commands:
bootcfg /list (note the space before the /)

You should see something like this:
[1] "Microsoft Windows XP Home"
OS Load Options: /fastdetect
OS Location: C:\Windows
Note the options on the OS Load Options line

bootcfg /add

This will list the windows installs it finds, usually just the one at C:\Windows
Then it will ask 3 questions:

Select installation to add: enter 1
Enter Load Identifier: enter Windows XP Safe Mode
Enter OS Load Options: enter the options noted above, then add the following: /safeboot:MINIMAL (space before the /)

Remove the CD and exit the Recovery Console (type exit), let the system reboot, you should get an OS Choices screen that will list the Safe Mode option we just added. Use the arrow keys to select it and press enter.

Jerry

[roissycap]

Hi Jerry
I have saved all my files by removing the hard drive and putting it into an external drive case and then plugging into my new laptop (hate VISTA but guess I will learn.
I think I will get the local repair shop to do a complete re-install as I put in a, so far, unused WD hard drive which the desktop is not seeing. I guess there are multiple problems on this computer which require the attention of an expert.
Anyway thanks very much for your advice but I think the solution is beyond my capabilities
ATB
David