winxp can't logon

[Sp00nLude]

My buddies computer can't log on to winxp without it shutting off automatically. It passes thru the bios and welcome screen. Once the wallpaper loads up, the logoff screen comes on and shuts the computer off. What could be wrong? How does the Winxp CD repair work? TIA.

 

[bjpatrick]

I'm not really sure that I understand what is going on. Does your friends have an updated version of an anti-virsus program? Sounds like it needs to be run. After that task is completed then you might want to get the data off the drive. Then wipe the drive clean and reinstall.

 

[blah]

If you have XP CD just reinstall da thing.

..this is very useful and helpful place for information...

 

[Sp00nLude]

The problem is I can't even log into the account. It will load the wallpaper, then the blue screen would come on to log off. I think it has to do with deleting something from adaware. I might try repairing it with the winxp cd and hope that it will fix the issue.

 

[Sp00nLude]

blah, do u mean format the drive and reinstall xp? Cuz my friend didn't have backups yet and it is a dell , so I am not sure whether a winxp home cd would do the same repair if it was a dell recovery cd since all the system files are preinstalled on the HD. so would it work the same way if i use a winxp home cd to repair?

 

[bjpatrick]

The XP Home cd should repair most of the problems. I'm just one of those that believes in a clean install.

 

[Sp00nLude]

what is the difference between the first R and the R for repair after I hit enter and go thru the agreement?
When I hit R for repair at teh first prompt, it will bring me to another screen and ask me for administrator password etc. But when I hit the R at the screen where I would normally format and partition the drives, it installs like a normal install would do. Is that what I want in this case? Would my programs be gone? I assume it is only writing system files to the hard drive and everything else will still be there.