automatic logoff after login

Let's start simple. Take the side cover off and clean it out inside. Does it still do it?

Next we can try start, run or hit the Windows Key and the R Key at the same time. This will bring up the run command.

Type

CMD

hit enter

chkdsk /r     (Space between the k and /)

answer with a y

Restart your computer.

When the computer is finished, now what do you have?

Next simple thing is to

Insert the Windows Operating System Disk. Start, run or hit the Windows Key and the R Key at the same time. This will bring up the run command.

Type

CMD

hit enter

type

sfc /scannow     (space between the c and /)

This will check to make sure all the Windows system files are intact.

That's all the simple things to start with.

At startup screen press F8 and try entering using the safe mode. Try last good known configuration first. If that doesn't work, then try the safe mode and see if you can get in.

Did you add anything recently like new hardware? If so, power everything off, disconnect from wall and wait 30 seconds before you plug it back on. Sometimes people add memory and other items and don't disconnect the power. The computer doesn't look for any changes. When the power is completely removed, then the computer will look for changes on startup.

Do you have the Operating system disks?

I cannot use run unless I am not logged in. As I told in my message, after login the computer automaticaly is doing logoff, so I cannot use any combination of keys.

thanks, but this is what I'm trying not to do, the "re-instalation".

I know how to install and reinstall windows, it wasn't subject of this post.

Did you read the entire message? In my first message I told that the computer don't start even in safe mode.

Last good known configuration have the same reaction because, as I mentioned, I have a succesfull login and after this a logoff. I didn't install any new hardware. The computer condition is as delivered a few months ago.

Sorry I had a hard time when you pulled out the hard drive.

I would try a repair installation, if you have files on the hard drive, to try and save them.

Insert the installation disk and restart the computer. Press any key to boot from the CD.

Choose install.

Do the agreement.

Now choose repair.

It may take a little time but when it's finished, the computer will be at a Welcome screen. Hopefully you won't lose any files and folders.(I havent lost any on my Dell)

Remember to go to drivers and downloads and install the drivers in the following order.

Desktop System Software or Notebook System Software
Chipset or SMBus driver
Processor Driver (if applicable)
Video
Audio (sound)
Input Drivers (keyboard/mouse)
Modem
Network Card

Make sure you get all of the Windows updates again.

Have you tried logging on with different credentials? If works, just rename your profile folder located in system_drive:\documents and settings\ and log back on as yourself again.

if you don't have any other accounts in your system, just plug HDD into another PC and rename this folder. if helps, you can just copy your docs, desktop items, favourites etc into the new one.

I have the exact same problem (on welcome screen...clicking on a user...then . I tried reinstalll and the reinstall worked and no files were lost (I know it!). However the problem still exists....

Also I tried safe mode boot. It booted but the same problem still exists.

HELP!!!! anyone?

Clean install will take half a day including all extra software you might need. Trying to resolve this is already taking more time.

The choice is yours. :smileywink:

Sorry for the late response on this as you probably have already reinstalled your OS but it sounds like your issue is an userinit.exe issue in that either the specific file is corrupted or removed, or the registry entry for Winlogon that references userinit.exe is removed or messed up.  To check this out, you will need to get access to your Hard Drive from another system either by popping out the drive and hooking it up as a secondary or external drive, or by booting this machine up to logon screen and accessing across a network.  Your first step will probably be to insure that userinit.exe is in the correct location, typically C:\Windows\System32\.  If its there, check to make sure that it is roughly 24KB in size and has a modified date of around 08/04/2004 (for SP2).  Obviously your mileage may vary here but its last modified date should match up with other irratically updated files in the System32 folder.  If the file is missing or its stats are drastically different (the file is way to large or small, etc) then you will want to replace it with a fresh copy; preferably from C:\Windows\Service Pack Files\i386.  If the replacement of userinit.exe fails to fix your issue, your next step is to remotely connect to this machine's registry, specifically the key located at this path:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon and look for a string value named Userinit.  This string value should have the path C:\Windows\System32\userinit.exe in its data field (double-click the string value for userinit and this should open up the data area).  If this string value is missing or the data field is blank, this is the cause of your issue.  Fix the data path to the correct path or recreate the entire string value.  Let me know if this helps.

It worked. After I copied userinit.exe from anothe place by accessing C:drive in the recovery mode, the problem was fixed. Thank you very very much!

God bless you!

Jerry

I replaced the userinit.exe but nothing changed. So I have to proceed to modify the registry key conected remotely. But, when I try to connect remotely to that computer it reject my credentials (although the user/pass combination is good).

Is there another way to modify that registry key?

I have direct access to that disk, so I can hang it in another system.

Rares, if you cant remote connect to this machine's registry from another then you are going to have to access this drive in a secondary/external role on another machine.  In other words, pop this drive out and connect to another machine either in secondary or external role.  You should then be able to Load the Hive file from this secondary machine.  Follow the instructions here on how to load a hive file into another machine's registry  Click Here.  I believe the Hive file you are going to want to load is located at Windows\system32\config\software.  Remember once done checking this software hive, remember to unload it from your registry by highlighting the loaded hive at the top of its structure and go to file->Unload Hive.  Hopefully this helps.