I've seen a few old post on this, but none recently. Whenever I try to log in under any user normally, I get logged off straight as the desktop background shows. I then tried safe mode and I still can't get in under any user, even the administrator.

The last think I did before this problem was install a Windows update from the Internet. I also removed a program called Search Assistant from loading on the taskbar on start up. Maybe this has something to do with it, I don't know.

Any help without having to re-install Win XP?

Generally speaking, I read somewhere that says Windows automatically log out if ANY of the conditions are true:

1) The System Time has changed.
2) The activation period has expired
3) The wpa.dbl file is corrupt

Does this help?

Just read on another post it is something to do with wsaupdater.exe that I deleted before the reboot. It was a file for Windows Search Assistant. However, I'm not sure how to fix this problem.

You haven't answered my question. I have to ask you this once again:

Have you activated your Windows XP CD with Microsoft?

If you can only log on into Safe Mode, your
XP product might not be activated. If you
have a crack, however, this probably
deleted the WPA files.

Sorry missed your post when I last posted. I can't even get into safe mode.

You're still evading this query:

Have you activated your Windows XP CD with Microsoft?

Don't know what you mean.

Believe the problem lies with userinit. But I don't know how to change it.

"Don't know what you mean."

Come on you know what I meant.

Do you get a blue desktop before it says "Logging Off"? That means the XP has been crackered, and it will NOT boot up normally.

Buy a legal copy of Windows XP CD.

This XP came with the computer it's not cracked! Listen to what I am saying.

"This XP came with the computer it's not cracked!"

Have you activated the computer's Windows XP with Microsoft?

Ok simple question, just answer it. How do I edit system.ini without being able to start up Windows?

No way.
Windows have walked away.

Hi, I had the exact same problem in the past because I added another Hard drive to my Pc that contained winXP also. I wanted to copy stuff from one drive to the other one. When I removed the second HD, That driver letters were changed so my C: drive was now D: and all the path in the registry were noe wrong. It was looking for something in C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32 and it didn't exist anymore. It was now D:\WINNT\SYSTEM32 for example. What I had to do is a Remote Registry. The keys that needs to be changed back to what it was were :
HKeyLocaMachine\System\Mounted Devices.
I had to put this PC on the network if it is not yet. Start Regedit, \Registry\Connect Remote Registry. Go to the same place in the remote registry and change the drive lettres to what they were, reboot and it should be working. !

Good Luck.

Maggoo

Hi Mister Maggoo,

Thanks for sharing the info with us as to how you succeed in solving the problem related to automatically log out. It's very useful.

However, this thread is about why you cannot start Windows both in normal mode or safe mode. This happens when you are using illegal copy of Windows XP.

Typo

This happens when you either
1. are using illegal copy of Windows XP.
2. failed to activate the copy of XP within the first 30 days.

Yes, if windows will not start in safe mode Command prompt, no networking you have not activated your copy of XP and it will not work until you contact microsoft by phone.

No other solutions other than illegal ones.

So, if you can boot in this method, then post a new thread...I'm dead on this one.

J.
j e r u v y a t y a h o o d o t c o m

No it's not that. It's the same problem that I'm having when it's in normal mode. Starts to load up and then logs off again. When I load up safe mode, I try and load administrator, but like I say I'm having the same problem. It's not coz I haven't registered my version of Windows. It's the same problem as normal mode.

I'm back only to leave a footnote for the Mods. I hope this thread will not be removed. This one typifies what may happen when one encounters the same behavior
"automatically log off when logging on."

typo

This one typifies what may happen when one encounters the same behavior
"automatically log off when logging on." If you are the legal owner of XP, count your blessing that you have a much stabler machine.

Why not boot from CD and run from command line? Might wish to run sfc.exe /scannow

Hey all,

i had the exact problem after uninstalling the annoying Search Assistant update (Windows SA) because i found it a pain. The network and everything runs in the background, but logging in makes it log off again! Anyway, i found the fix on another forum!!!

Cause:
Windows SA replaces userinit.exe used in logon with its own wsaupdater.exe. But uninstalling doesn't revert it back.

some adaware programs may also remove or quarantine wsaupdater.exe thinking that it's harmful.

Fix:
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\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\

8. modify the entry:

C:\WINDOWS\System32\wsaupdater.exe

so that it reads:

C:\WINDOWS\System32\userinit.exe

That should do the trick! no reinstalling windows required!

i should credit the source, here is where i found it:
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP/Q_20972739.html

typo:

8. modify the entry:

C:\WINDOWS\System32\wsaupdater.exe,

so that it reads:

C:\WINDOWS\System32\userinit.exe,

** Make sure you have the comma!

yo wen i put the xp cd in my drive and start up then it askes me either 2 install windows or press r to use the recovery consle or esc 2 exit,
i press r and it asks 4 my password 4 the administrator which i do, but then wen i try ur step 3, it cant copy 2 files at the same time so i type "copy c:\windows\system32\userinit.exe" it asks me if i want 2 overwrite the USERINIT.EXE which i agree 2 by pressing y
but then i try the same thing to the wsaupdater.exe which it couldn't find in the system32 folder but the acctual windows folder, so i type "copy c:\windows\wsaupdater.exe and it comes up with the same comment asking me if i want to overwirte the WSAUPDATER.EXE which i agree 2,
so i copy the file individually then reboot normaly, but the same thing happens.

plz help much thankz

i jut want u and ur help

vinesh,

in my case (and what Mark the thread starter seems to have too) is that our "wsaupdater.exe" gets deleted from "c:\windows\system32\".

but since "userinit.exe" is the original file anyway, what my step 3 does is to make a copy of "userinit.exe" and rename this copy to "wsaupdater.exe" temporarily to get logon working again. Then the following steps change the registry so it uses the original "userinit.exe" to logon instead of using the temporary copy.

in your case, when it asks you whether you want to overwrite "userinit.exe" when you make the copy, try renaming the copy to "wsaupdater.exe" instead. Or just run (in full as one line):

"copy c:\windows\system32\userinit.exe c:\windows\system32\wsaupdater.exe"

the "wsaupdater.exe" in "c:\windows" may be something else so just leave that alone for now.

i hope that helps, else you may have a different problem entirely.

"copy c:\windows\system32\userinit.exe c:\windows\system32\wsaupdater.exe"
as one line in the recovery console WORKZ...
i wanna thank u so much 4 da info u saved my so much work thankz so much now all i have to do now is follow the rest of the steps.
when i logged on ad-aware started runnin meaning it couldn't delete the spy ware from the previous time i was one. thanks agen.

i jut want u and ur help

I,ve had this same problem since i ran Ad-Aware 6.0. I have tried running the xp recovery cd that came with the computer and selected repair console but my pc pauses for a few seconds then switches off so I cannot carry out the repair suggested above. Can anyone help?

Ah ha! Wonderful. An easier fix than using recovery console is to use "connect network registry" (if you're able) and make the change remotely. That way you don't have to make a dummy wsaupdater.exe.

Stupid freaking search assistant. Abhorrent spyware and the dumb users who install them!

Thanks!

Great fix, Thanks!
Have to concur that addware REALLY sux… why I have to fix computers all day then go home to help friends remove the spyware off theirs I don’t know! :)
Glad someone who knew what they were talking about could contribute and help everyone out & that Moron (XpUser) finally Shut up as they CLEARLY didn’t have a clue what the topic was about!

found this post too late. For those of you have troubles doing the recovery console thing - another (longer) way to get back in is to select to install win xp and then select to repair. Does mean that you have to active the os again with windows. Also things don't seem quire right - getting dll errors and such. But least I'm back in!

Glad to see you finally got an answer. I was using my LEGAL copy of XP that came with my computer and ran into problems with the system being slow and acting funky.

Ran virus scans and ad-aware and turned up several spyware/adware programs. I think I picked them up from a shareware DVD program I downloaded.

Anyhow...I go to removing this stuff and remove the search assistant and suddenly I can't log in. Having lost my recovery CD and not having access to the net to find a work around I ended up reinstalling Windows 98, which I actually kinda wanted to do anyway, so all's well that ends well I reckon.

Came here cuz I was curious what caused my problem and now I know so thanks. Moral of the story: check around on the net before you install any shareware :/

mine still dosent work

i get a mesage saying "overwrite wsaupdater.exe" i press "y" and enter it sais "1 fine copyed"
I then tipe exit to leave command prompt
I restart, click log in, it logs right of again.

i also tried vannish's case by tiping in

"copy c:\windows\system32\userinit.exe c:\windows\system32\wsaupdater.exe"

but that also did not work.

I was thinking what would happen if i was to tipe

Del wsaupdater.exe
copy userinit.exe

should i try this or is this to risky? Anyone got any other alternatives to fix this problem?

Help me pleasssse