Logon prompt will not display

G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

I have an NT 4.0 (sp6a) box that I can not log on to. The machine boots up
to the WindowsNT splash screen (green background), but the Logon box never
displays -- the screen is just the splash screen with the mouse cursor.

I just installed Quicktime on the machine, and rebooted, but I have no way
to uninstall Quicktime, as (obviously) I can not log onto the machine. I'm
really hoping not to have to do anything drastic to fix this. Does anyone
know a workaround so I can at least get into the OS?

Any help would be grealy appreciated.

Thanks,
LB
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

First you will have to edit the "boot.ini".
you will want to add a "/sos" to the VGA boot option, such as:
[Boot Loader]
Timeout=9
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Windows NT Server Version 4.00"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Windows NT Server Version 4.00
[VGA mode]" /basevideo /sos

This will boot NT into "Safe Mode" and then you may be able to remove/edit
the problem program.

If you can not get to the current "boot.ini" then on another NT machine,
format a floppy, copy the following files:
boot.ini
bootsect.dos
ntdetect.com
ntldr

And edit the boot.ini as above.

Please note if your drive/partition setup is different on the sick machine
and the one you copy from you may have to edit the
"multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)" part as well to reflect the target
machine.

Hope this helps.
--
Yor Suiris
Remove the kNOT to reply.
But it is best to share it with the group.


"Linda B" <someone@microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:OdDInJ9AFHA.2568@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>
> I have an NT 4.0 (sp6a) box that I can not log on to. The machine boots
> up
> to the WindowsNT splash screen (green background), but the Logon box never
> displays -- the screen is just the splash screen with the mouse cursor.
>
> I just installed Quicktime on the machine, and rebooted, but I have no way
> to uninstall Quicktime, as (obviously) I can not log onto the machine.
> I'm
> really hoping not to have to do anything drastic to fix this. Does anyone
> know a workaround so I can at least get into the OS?
>
> Any help would be grealy appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> LB
>
>
 

Calvin

Distinguished
Apr 7, 2004
372
0
18,780
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

Hi,

I'm afraid a boot into an NT 4.0 system using the boot.ini /sos and /basevideo
switches (what you mistakenly refer to as 'safe mode' - there IS NO 'Safe Mode'
on NT 4.0) will achieve very little to nothing in this instance.

All the /sos switch does is to instruct ntldr to provide a verbose list of
devices and services as they start, instead of the 'spots' you normally get.

The /basevideo switch merely tells NT to override the selected video card driver
and use the standard VGA driver at 640 x 480 resolution.

The problem that Linda B is talking about will NOT be solved by doing this. It
would appear that for some reason Winlogon or the MSGINA are failing on her
system at startup.

LINDA - I would suggest you try a 'Last known good' start - you get a prompt to
hit the space bar at the black screen after the screen where you choose which
start option you want. There is NO guarantee that this will help, but it may get
you back in.

If that doesn't get you in, you'll have to get back to us with a lot more detail
about what is going on, and we'll take it from there.

Calvin.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

Thank you both for your replies. You were right, Calvin, that it didn't let
me log on after modifying the boot.ini file, and Last Known Good failed as
well. However, I needed to have this machine fixed quickly, so I've already
gone ahead and transferred the user's files onto another machine. When I
get some free time later this week I may try to fiddle around with it and
figure out what went wrong.

Thanks again for your replies.

:) LB

"Calvin" <nospam@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:41f8227a@duster.adelaide.on.net...
> Hi,
>
> I'm afraid a boot into an NT 4.0 system using the boot.ini /sos and
/basevideo
> switches (what you mistakenly refer to as 'safe mode' - there IS NO 'Safe
Mode'
> on NT 4.0) will achieve very little to nothing in this instance.
>
> All the /sos switch does is to instruct ntldr to provide a verbose list of
> devices and services as they start, instead of the 'spots' you normally
get.
>
> The /basevideo switch merely tells NT to override the selected video card
driver
> and use the standard VGA driver at 640 x 480 resolution.
>
> The problem that Linda B is talking about will NOT be solved by doing
this. It
> would appear that for some reason Winlogon or the MSGINA are failing on
her
> system at startup.
>
> LINDA - I would suggest you try a 'Last known good' start - you get a
prompt to
> hit the space bar at the black screen after the screen where you choose
which
> start option you want. There is NO guarantee that this will help, but it
may get
> you back in.
>
> If that doesn't get you in, you'll have to get back to us with a lot more
detail
> about what is going on, and we'll take it from there.
>
> Calvin.