I just built a computer which has been up and running for two weeks now. (I have Windows XP Media Center).Tonight I started the computer, when logging on to Windows, I was immediatley sent back to the log on screen. After this, i tried to log on again and it didn't go to my desk top. It immediately said it was logging me off. I am unable to log on to Windows at all. Is this a problem with the system or is it a virus? I have been playing games like stalker and bf2 with no problems, so i dont think any of my parts went bad. if this is a virus, how am i supposed to fix it?? i cannot log on to windows to start a virus scan, and if it is a hard ware problem how am i goingto fix this??

if anyone has any ideas or suggestions for this, i would appreciate it
thanks in advance...

did you register/call microsoft to activate it?

Two weeks? Can you just skip everything and install xp again? To check the drive you can install it as a slave in another drive and run a virus scan. Or, if you are up to it, you can make a ubcd4win boot disk and add the virus software plugin. Maybe you could boot into safe mode, you know, F8 as the kernel starts loading
Edit:http://www.ubcd4win.com/

Try to start in safemode. When turning on the computer, repeatedly press F8. Then try to login there and do a virus scan. If you cannot login using safemode, I would then reinstall Windows. You should be able to get any info off of your hard drive by using another computer. It's a bit hard to explain, so if you are still having trouble, please post a reply and I will give you the instructions. I suppose you can also try a livecd of some sort of linux (I prefer knoppix) and move important files to an external hard drive or a flash drive.

OK, probably dumb questions, but after building your system, did you run Memtest86 and then burn it in for a day (or so) with Prime95 or something equivalent? I always do this when I build a system to make sure it runs stably.

FWIW, Memtest86 is a totally self-contained, running totally independent of the OS. You can load it from a floppy disk, or CD-ROM. If you have flaky memory, your computer can "sort-of" work. You will get random weirdness interspersed with mostly-OK operation. Very nasty stuff.

Regards,

Altazi

The standard UBCD will allow you to test the disk ram and cpu. I have never heard of those things causing XP to boot up and then shut down in an orderly fashion.
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

If you have another computer you can maybe take out your HD and scan it with the other computer. There are also anti virus utilities that you can put on a flash drive (though I cant think of them right now...I think AVG will though). Try a search for anti-virus on a flash drive and see what you get.

There are 3 ways with which you can address this problem. One is to press the F8 button while it's starting up and choose "Safe Mode" and then either do a restore or a scan from that perspective. Norton also has a program called "Go Back" which makes a restore point each time something is installed on your Computer. This can save allot of head aches, as I had many problems with this Operating System as well. One of the problems with the "Media Edition" and if it's an OEM variety, Microsoft has some mixed up directions for the install. At one point, it will ask for CD2 to be inserted into the drive. It's looking for a file, in my case it was "i386" or something close. That file is actually on CD 1, and the only way I could get the system to stop doing what your's is doing now, was to reinstall it, and when it gets to that point where it asks for CD2, pay attention to what the boxes are saying (dialogue boxes), and simply re insert the CD1, since if you put in CD 2, it will skip that file and you will have problems. So, a more permanent remedy would be to reinstall under those guide lines. I haven't had a problem since then, but before I did, I had reports that the problem was everything but that which I have just outlined. I hope this puts you straight and you get your system running smoothly. Regards........

Well if you think that it is a virus then this is the most likely cause

The other one is called w32 Sasser and it is still floating around the net. I see someone with it about once a month on laptops generally that have been to some strange place.

When you set up a new system you need to install an anti-virus program before going on the web. You don't mention installing one. Without an anti-virus program you can become victim to every virus on the web.

i tried safe mode and i had the same log off problems as i had before. i gave up on my account and tried the administrator account, except i found that it would not except my password. i always kept it admin so i think that user account was affected also.

Alright, to answer some other people here,

i have all the protection stuff, for anti virus i use AVG free, and i have AVG anti spyware. i also use lavasoft 2007 ad aware. i scanned my computer the day before this happened so i am not sure if this is a virus. and i ALWAYS keep windows firewall on.

i am typing this from an older computewr that uses EIED hard drives, and my computer uses SATA so i dont know what to do there.

AND.. i installed xp corectly. i read it on a forum here before i built my pc. i had to validate it with microsoft, i dont know if that is regestering it.and it was an OEM version.

if my only option is to reinstall xp, will that erase everything else on my HDD?? if tyhats the only way i guess that i will have to.

i ahve been googleing this and i found a page that has the same problem as me.(http://www.computing.net/security/wwwboard/forum/13973.html)
this guy has the same problem as me, but i am unable to take the HDD to a different computer becuase it is SATA , not EIED.

Pop in your Windows CD and boot from it. Do a repair install. Rejoice.

If you forgot your password, try the Offline NT Password & Registry Editor:

http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/

If you don't have SATA ports on your spare system, you can get:

#1 A cheap SATA controller card for PCI $12

-OR-

#2 Buy a cheap USB to SATA adapter for $20.

You can then pull off your important data.

Take qwerty's advice first and do a repair install. It won't affect your data. Just be sure to do a REPAIR install, not a REINSTALL.

Hope this helps.

i put in the xp cds and went to repair, but the system wouldnot accept any of my passwords. i reinstalled xp and it works now, but it deleated everything else on my HDD. i just got it running 2 weeks ago, so there wasnt much on there. i would have got a pci-sata card, but i need the computer now. so far its been alright, although it did freeze up once on me.

i bought a "better" virus protection. its called kapersky internet security. does anyone else have this?? its kind of a pain. it starts around 4 different virus scans once i logon.

Wow 80 bucks (1 year). I say that because I paid 50 for mine, its usable on 3 computers and includes all the same features. I am using Trendmicro Pc-cillin Internet Security 2007.


It scans the computer at startup? Thats alot like Norton. Does it affect your computers performace once the start-up scans are done? With my system specs it was important for me to get a light and effective AV and firewall. (running a P4 3.2 HT Socket 775) The only time I know its there is when it updates or alerts me to a threat. No startup scans, never really understood that, how do you get a virus when the computer is off? (I know it sounds sarcastic, but seriously I would love an answer to the logic behind a start-up scan.)


I know Norton and McAfee can hit a system fairly hard, Norton especially. Not really familiar with the one you bought. But am curious as to the performance and user friendliness.

Kapersky has one of the best virus detection engines. But it is a system hog and its not for newbies. Windows Live OneCare FTW!!!

kaperski seems alright, but it always running at least 2 virus scans.kind of annoying....but back to the subject,since everything was deleated i had to reinstall my drivers again. no problem there.
Than i went online to download windows upadtes, it downloaded all of them but it wont install them. i turned off the automatic updates and tried again and it installed 2 of them. i tried to restart my computer, but it wont. i tried to shut it off and it wont. the only way is to push and hold in the button on the case.

i have been running Kapersky and i didnt get any viruses or anything,so i dont know what to do.

Also- my HDD has been making weird chirping noises alot recently. i posted about this a while ago, but now it makes the noises all the time.

update - i temporarely disabled all virus protection and windows automatic update, and everything installed and restarted, but the HDD is making some pretty odd noises. thinking of buying a new hdd and just cloning it. i will post more updates soon.

Also- do you think that this was a virus?? or should i consider a new HDD. thanks