A computer I have been working on (P4) has Windows XP. It boots up to the login screen ok, but when you try and log in under a name, the wallpaper appears then it says logging off, and returns you to the welcome screen. This also happens in safe mode for the Admin account. Another thing - in safe mode the only account visible is Administrator, but after I try logging in to that and it logs me out again, another account has appeard there (this account being one that is part if the Adminsitrators groups, and appears on the normal welcome screen). I have scanned it with AVG (by slaving it up to another computer) which found about 40 viruses, but cleaning them off has not helped. There is one file though - "bas**rd.dll" that was found as infected (in the system32 folder). When I try and delete it it says permission denied (take into account this is deleting the file off of a slave drive, not the one the computer is running from), and I get the same permission denied message if I try to change the attributes. I can however rename the file, as I did (changed the extension to .old with no avail - it still didn't log in properly when the disk was returned to its own computer). I also tried booting from a Windows 98 boot disk (still on the other computer), but when I do that it can't see the XP hard disk. I also tried recovery console (on both computers), and that said permission denied. Is there any way of removing this file (I have just downloaded Delete On Boot, but havent had a chance to install it yet), and if so will this allow the computer to log in properly? Cheers

Hi there... Seems your pc has been severely infected... If u can slave your disk on another computer my advice, eventhough considered as ultimate ressource, would be to backup all personal info on your other computer and perform a full or low level format (with appropriate disk tools found on hdd vendors site) and perform a clean install.. I know this is not the kind of news that people want to hear but if u do that and backup your new system with third party tools like Noton ghost, future pbs can be repaired more easily... Good luck... The X in The Split

hey try this 1. Boot using your winxp cd. 2. Enter recovery console. 3. at the command prompt go to C:/windows/system32 4. next type: copy userinit.exe wsaupdater.exe 5. exit and reboot normally. You should now be able to logon. But you're not done yet! 6. run regedit 7. find the Userinit key in: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\ 8. modify the entry: C:\WINDOWS\System32\wsaupdater.exe so that it reads: C:\WINDOWS\System32\userinit.exe sign on sailor

Worked great, thanks a lot ;)

Mate you are a star!! how you know that and what causes it???