Automatic reset computer after ever re-boot

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

I suspect our au pair changed some kind of setting unknowingly. Our computer
automatically completely resets after ever reboot. By reset, I mean all My
Documents files are erased (ARG!), Office applications start up as though
starting for the first time, internet favorites are gone, walpaper is back to
default, and in all ways the computer starts as though it's doing so for the
first time.... except that the installed applications themselves are still
there. Almost like a computer you'd use at a public library. Any
suggestions?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

Michael Holmes wrote:
> I suspect our au pair changed some kind of setting
> unknowingly. Our computer automatically completely resets
> after ever reboot. By reset, I mean all My Documents files
> are erased (ARG!), Office applications start up as though
> starting for the first time, internet favorites are gone,
> walpaper is back to default, and in all ways the computer
> starts as though it's doing so for the first time.... except
> that the installed applications themselves are still there.
> Almost like a computer you'd use at a public library. Any
> suggestions?

It sounds as if you were running your computer using the
built-in Administrator account and your au pair created a new
account.

To check on this you'll have to boot into Safe Mode. Restart
your computer and start hitting the F8 key as soon as the
machine starts booting. Keep hitting F8 until you see a menu
with a list of startup options. Select Safe Mode and hit Enter.
Here's the tricky part, you need to hold down the Shift key so
that the Welcome screen is displayed. When the Welcome Screen
appears you should be able to click on the Administrator icon
and logon.

Once you've logged on, see if you can access your documents and
favorites. If so, you've got a couple of options as to how to
proceed. You can add the Administrator account to the Welcome
Screen and keep using that account, which is not a good idea.
Or you can create a new user account and copy over the contents
of the Administrator account files to the new account, which is
the best approach. The built-in Adminstrator account should
really only be used in an emergency.

How to Show Administrator on Welcome Screen in Windows XP
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/admins.htm

Copy User accounts in Windows XP
http://www.petri.co.il/copy_user_profiles_in_windows_xp.htm

How to copy data from a corrupted user profile to a new profile
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811151

Good luck

Nepatsfan

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

Nothing warms my heart like Patriots fans helping other Patriots fans. Gotta
say, though, I didn't see Carolina coming. 3 TDs from Stephen Davis. Youch.

Unfortunately, the account change didn't work. There are two accounts on my
computer: Administrator and "Michael Holmes". I think I've been running on
Administrator for years now. I switched to Michael Holmes and it is
"corrupted". In either case, same symptoms: any file I save or change I
enact is wiped clean after every re-boot. I'm usually reasonably PC savy (I
work for IBM) but this one has me stumped.

"Nepatsfan" wrote:

> Michael Holmes wrote:
> > I suspect our au pair changed some kind of setting
> > unknowingly. Our computer automatically completely resets
> > after ever reboot. By reset, I mean all My Documents files
> > are erased (ARG!), Office applications start up as though
> > starting for the first time, internet favorites are gone,
> > walpaper is back to default, and in all ways the computer
> > starts as though it's doing so for the first time.... except
> > that the installed applications themselves are still there.
> > Almost like a computer you'd use at a public library. Any
> > suggestions?
>
> It sounds as if you were running your computer using the
> built-in Administrator account and your au pair created a new
> account.
>
> To check on this you'll have to boot into Safe Mode. Restart
> your computer and start hitting the F8 key as soon as the
> machine starts booting. Keep hitting F8 until you see a menu
> with a list of startup options. Select Safe Mode and hit Enter.
> Here's the tricky part, you need to hold down the Shift key so
> that the Welcome screen is displayed. When the Welcome Screen
> appears you should be able to click on the Administrator icon
> and logon.
>
> Once you've logged on, see if you can access your documents and
> favorites. If so, you've got a couple of options as to how to
> proceed. You can add the Administrator account to the Welcome
> Screen and keep using that account, which is not a good idea.
> Or you can create a new user account and copy over the contents
> of the Administrator account files to the new account, which is
> the best approach. The built-in Adminstrator account should
> really only be used in an emergency.
>
> How to Show Administrator on Welcome Screen in Windows XP
> http://windowsxp.mvps.org/admins.htm
>
> Copy User accounts in Windows XP
> http://www.petri.co.il/copy_user_profiles_in_windows_xp.htm
>
> How to copy data from a corrupted user profile to a new profile
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811151
>
> Good luck
>
> Nepatsfan
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

12 penalties. 3 turnovers. Poor special teams play. Kind of
hard to win when you keep making those kind of mistakes. And it
doesn't get any easier next week.

Back to your problem. If the "Michael Holmes" account is
corrupted and it's the account whose files you're looking to
recover then you're going to have to follow the procedure
outlined in the Microsoft article I mentioned in my earlier
response:

How to copy data from a corrupted user profile to a new profile
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811151

Basically, what it comes down to is that you have to log on
with the built-in Administrator account and create a new user
account. Make sure the new account is a member of the
Administrator's group. Now copy all the files within the
C:\Documents and Settings\Michael Holmes folder except these
three, ntuser.dat, ntuser.dat.log and ntuser.ini. Paste the
files into the C:\Documents and Settings\"New User Account"
folder. Log on with the new account. Follow the procedure
outlined here to recover your email account files if you use
Outlook Express:

OLEXP: Mail Folders, Address Book, and E-mail Messages Are
Missing After You Upgrade to Microsoft Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313055/

Keep in mind that, as always, it's usually a good idea to
create a backup of any important files and folders before you
make any changes to your PC.

Good luck

Nepatsfan

Michael Holmes wrote:
> Nothing warms my heart like Patriots fans helping other
> Patriots fans. Gotta say, though, I didn't see Carolina
> coming. 3 TDs from Stephen Davis. Youch.
>
> Unfortunately, the account change didn't work. There are
> two accounts on my computer: Administrator and "Michael
> Holmes". I think I've been running on Administrator for
> years now. I switched to Michael Holmes and it is
> "corrupted". In either case, same symptoms: any file I save
> or change I enact is wiped clean after every re-boot. I'm
> usually reasonably PC savy (I work for IBM) but this one has
> me stumped.
>
> "Nepatsfan" wrote:
>
>> Michael Holmes wrote:
>>> I suspect our au pair changed some kind of setting
>>> unknowingly. Our computer automatically completely resets
>>> after ever reboot. By reset, I mean all My Documents files
>>> are erased (ARG!), Office applications start up as though
>>> starting for the first time, internet favorites are gone,
>>> walpaper is back to default, and in all ways the computer
>>> starts as though it's doing so for the first time....
>>> except that the installed applications themselves are
>>> still there. Almost like a computer you'd use at a public
>>> library. Any suggestions?
>>
>> It sounds as if you were running your computer using the
>> built-in Administrator account and your au pair created a
>> new account.
>>
>> To check on this you'll have to boot into Safe Mode. Restart
>> your computer and start hitting the F8 key as soon as the
>> machine starts booting. Keep hitting F8 until you see a menu
>> with a list of startup options. Select Safe Mode and hit
>> Enter. Here's the tricky part, you need to hold down the
>> Shift key so that the Welcome screen is displayed. When the
>> Welcome Screen appears you should be able to click on the
>> Administrator icon and logon.
>>
>> Once you've logged on, see if you can access your documents
>> and favorites. If so, you've got a couple of options as to
>> how to proceed. You can add the Administrator account to
>> the Welcome Screen and keep using that account, which is
>> not a good idea. Or you can create a new user account and
>> copy over the contents of the Administrator account files
>> to the new account, which is the best approach. The
>> built-in Adminstrator account should really only be used in
>> an emergency.
>>
>> How to Show Administrator on Welcome Screen in Windows XP
>> http://windowsxp.mvps.org/admins.htm
>>
>> Copy User accounts in Windows XP
>> http://www.petri.co.il/copy_user_profiles_in_windows_xp.htm
>>
>> How to copy data from a corrupted user profile to a new
>> profile http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811151
>>
>> Good luck
>>
>> Nepatsfan