Immediate logoff after logon

Question

I don't know whether anybody has seen this issue with Windows XP Pro, but I had to re-image my hard drive from Ghost 2003. After the re-imaging, I booted up and got my secure logon screen, not the 'friendly' XP logon, the kind of logon screen that comes with Windows 2000 Pro, with Ctrl-Alt-Dlt. After I entered my username and password, it immediately logged me off, and I got the same logon screen again. It recognized my password, because if I tried to enter it wrong, it told me so. However, I was able to see from logging the process, that it did in fact log me off immediately. I have tried logging on via 'Safe-Mode', but the same thing happens. Could I have caused a problem when I stored my password in encrypted form before I did the image recording? I don't necessarily want to use the Recovery Console, because I spent a long time setting up and configuring what I thought was very good image for Ghost to clone. I should probably mention that I have a 40 GB drive, that I partitioned 20 GB for the 'C' drive, 10 GB for a 'D' or data drive (my data is backed up seperately), and an 8 GB 'O' or other drive (not currently used). I don't know whether I have a Ghost issue or something else. Right now, I am reimaging the drive from my saved image after I just zeroed out my drive entirely. If I get the same problem, the only thing that I can think of is the 'encrypted password'. If not, then I don't know what would cause this problem. Any ideas are greatly appreciated. Thank you. PS: There was no password reset disk created.

SitelTech · Answer

Try performing a Windows Repair -> http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winxppro/installxpcdrepair/index.htm

dunedin · Answer

Hi,

Did you have to re-image due to problems?

The most common cause of your logon problem is a nasty called "wsaupdater.exe". Could you have had this before re-imaging?

The fix does involve the Recovery Console.

Boot up with your XP installation CD and let setup run.
Select the first “R” you come to to enter the Recovery Console

You should be in C:\windows
Now follow from here:

C:\windows
type
cd system32
(If that does not work, try CHDIR SYSTEM32)
ENTER

the directory should now be
C:\windows\system32
type
copy userinit.exe wsaupdater.exe
ENTER

1 file should be copied,
now REBOOT!

Login might hang for a while.

Once in windows run Regedit and go to the key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Look in the right pane for the Userinit value/subkey. Double click the Userinit subkey and change it's value to C:\Windows\System32\userinit.exe,

Make sure you have the comma at the end.
Exit Regedit.

Look if you have “wsaupdater.exe” here
C:\Windows\System32\wsaupdater.exe

You can delete the WSAUPDATER.EXE file now.

tomstevens55 · Answer

@dunedin wrote:

Hi,

Did you have to re-image due to problems?

The most common cause of your logon problem is a nasty called "wsaupdater.exe". Could you have had this before re-imaging?

The fix does involve the Recovery Console.

Boot up with your XP installation CD and let setup run.
Select the first “R” you come to to enter the Recovery Console

You should be in C:\windows
Now follow from here:

C:\windows
type
cd system32
(If that does not work, try CHDIR SYSTEM32)
ENTER

the directory should now be
C:\windows\system32
type
copy userinit.exe wsaupdater.exe
ENTER

1 file should be copied,
now REBOOT!

Login might hang for a while.

Once in windows run Regedit and go to the key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Look in the right pane for the Userinit value/subkey. Double click the Userinit subkey and change it's value to C:\Windows\System32\userinit.exe,

Make sure you have the comma at the end.
Exit Regedit.

Look if you have “wsaupdater.exe” here
C:\Windows\System32\wsaupdater.exe

You can delete the WSAUPDATER.EXE file now.

The problem started after I installed Ghost 2003, and I was trying to add an Ethernet TCP driver for cloning across a network. When I tested it, the computer would not boot. So I reimaged from a Ghost image that I created shortly before. After the reimage was done, that's when the problem with the instant logoff after logon occured. Right now, I am now trying to reimage the drive with another image that was created before the one that I had that problem with. I don't know if that will work, but even if it does it will mean many more hours of reinstalling software and configuring. I guess what I have learned is to setup the Windows Recovery Console, with an actual floppy disk. I am a computer science student, and I am trying to create quick restores for my laptop so in the event of a catastrophe, I can quickly recover, before school starts next week. This has been a learning process to say the least. Your idea about the WSAUPDATER.EXE seems interesting, however I might add, because I cannot logon, I am unable to access the regedit program. I saw that in some research I did with Microsoft KB. Fortunately, I do have all my important data backed up independantly of all this mess. While I can use DOS commands, it was sadly before my time that DOS was in use, and I feel so much more "warm and fuzzy" to a GUI environment. I appreciate your help and comments with all this stuff. Thanks

smtrekkers · Answer

Hello - Just wondering if you ever found the cause or solution to this.

I'm having the exact same problem. I have a good XP SP2 install that works without issue. After restoring the image of this drive using Ghost 2003 to a new drive in the same hardware, Windows boots, I can login, but the system then just logs me back out immediately. Same thing in Safe mode. I've tried using Ghost to create the image to CD then restoring from CD. I've also tried imaging straight to a spare drive. Neither way works.

smtrekkers · Answer

Denny - Thanks for the reply. I think I understand the wsaupdater.exe after reviewing you link. I'm not sure I understand how this could be the cause of my problem though. My base system works without issue. I image the system using Ghost 2003. I restore the image to a spare drive and that drive does not work. Could that somehow be the wsaupdater.exe problem even though the source system has no issue?

Denny Denham · Answer

smtrekkers, Some insight into the cause of the problem is given here.

tomstevens55 · Answer

Denny,

I tried this, and it did not work. I believe this is a Ghost issue, and I will contact Symantec about this. The only thing that I can think of that may be an issue, is the fact that I am using multiple partitions on my hard drive, and whereas before I used a single partition, I had no problem. I know from working at Symantec over the summer in Springfield, Oregon, that they in fact use at least two partitions, one for the system, and another for data. However, I can't really say that they are using Ghost 2003 on all systems, because they are not. I know Dell does not support multiple partitions, but this how I want to set up my laptop. Anyway, I appreciate your input, and this is something to keep in mind, for future use. Thank you, Tom

tomstevens55 · Answer

No I have not. I am glad to know that I am not alone to this rather frustrating problem. I believe this could be a Norton Ghost issue, and I will contact Symantec to get their feedback on this issue. I hope they do not deny responsibility for this issue, because I cannot see how it could not be their fault. Because of this problem, I cannot use Ghost 2003, and instead have to use the Windows Recovery Console. This means that I have to go through the painful process of installing and configuring all the stuff that I have set up previously.

One question though:

Did you by chance use a multiple partition scheme on your hard drive? I did this time, and before when I used the single partition scheme I never had this problem. I learned of this multiple scheme when I worked at Symantec in Springfield, Oregon this summer. They have at least two partitions, one for the system, and another for data. I did use three, instead of two, and I would try just two instead of three next time, but I really want to get their input on this. I appreciate your input into this situation.

Thanks

smtrekkers · Answer

Tom - Yes, my system is 3 partitions.  However, this alone is not the issue as I've imaged and restored this system on many occassions in the past using the exact same Ghost 2003 diskette.  The difference this time is that I rebuilt the OS from the ground up, updated to XP SP2 and installed the latest patches.  I don't know which of these things has caused the problem.  I'm wondering if maybe there is an incompatability between Ghost and one of the latest patches?

smtrekkers · Answer

I did just successfully create a clone of the good system drive, but I had to use Drive Image 2002.   I still have no idea why Ghost 2003 is no longer cloning correctly.

tomstevens55 · Answer

I have contacted Symantec, and while I am not certain of this fact, I believe they are looking into this issue.

tomstevens55 · Answer

I have contacted Symantec, and while I am not positive, I believe they are looking into this issue.

tomstevens55 · Answer

No, I don't think it is just because of the three partitions, it may be because of a combination of things. When you successfully restored the system before, did you also have three partitions?

I got a reply back from Symantec, but it seems like they think that the computer won't boot. I am not sure that I see it as a boot problem, but rather as a logon problem.

Anyway, I am waiting to hear back from them, after I reiterated my viewpoint of the problem.

Thank you,

Tom

@smtrekkers wrote:
Tom - Yes, my system is 3 partitions. However, this alone is not the issue as I've imaged and restored this system on many occasions in the past using the exact same Ghost 2003 diskette. The difference this time is that I rebuilt the OS from the ground up, updated to XP SP2 and installed the latest patches. I don't know which of these things has caused the problem. I'm wondering if maybe there is an incompatability between Ghost and one of the latest patches?

SionSchool · Answer

Having the exact same problem with an Optiplex 170L.  I have created a drive for cloning using Ghost 2003, cloned it to the original drive.  Boots up fine, logs on fine but logs off immediately.  The drive created for cloning boots up and logs on with no problem at all.   Would appreciate reading any solution that becomes available.

Jerry20000 · Answer

I also have the same problem and I just started to use Norton. How do I solve the problem?

Windows General

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