Vista booting problem

[Anex0909]

Whenever I boot my computer and it gets to the log on screen none of my accounts are on there, and all it has is a empty picture and says other user. When I click on it gives me the option to enter a user name or password, but no matter what I put it says: The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted.

I've tried holding down F8 and trying the options, but everything I choose take me straight to this same screen mentioned above.

I've tried searching all over these forums and others with no help.

It's a Dell inspiron 351s with vista home premium.

 

[Lorien]

Did you recently install Microsoft Steady State - that would explain the existence of that particular user account (but I'm not sure why the others don't appear)?

Do you know when this problem began? Try a System Restore to a point in time BEFORE the problem began. Here's the procedure: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html. Be sure to check the box to show more than 5 days of restore points. If the first attempt fails, then try an earlier point or two. NOTE: You will have to re-install any software and updates you installed between now and the restore point, but you can use Windows Update for the updates. Use the recovery disk if the system prompt doesn’t work. The recovery disk works a bit different from the above procedures but if you follow the prompts from the System Restore menu option with the above information you should be able to restore with no problems.

If the System Restore doesn't work, do a Startup Repair by booting to the genuine Windows Vista Installation Disk (or one you can borrow from ANYONE) or from a Recovery Disk with recovery options included on it. Here's the procedure: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/91467-startup-repair.html. To boot to the CD you may need to change the BIOS to make the CD-drive first in the boot sequence. To do that, wait for the screen that tells you the F key to push to access the boot menu or boot setup. Push it quickly. Make the changes, save your work, and exit. Put the CD in the drive and reboot. When prompted, push any key to boot from the CD.

If you don't have a disk, you can make a bootable Recovery Disk using http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/ along with burning software like: http://www.snapfiles.com/get/active-isoburner.html and, of course, a blank CD (perhaps made on a different computer).

If that doesn't work, then let's check some of your system files:

Select Command Prompt on the disk.

If using the disk, cd to C:\Windows\System32. Type sfc /scannow and enter and let it run. It will scan and try to fix some of your system files. Hopefully it will complete with no corruption it could not repair (if there is such corruption post back here or try to analyze it to find the problem file(s) using http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928228. Try to attach the report (you may need to copy it to a flash drive and transfer it to another compter to attach it) here so we can see if they can be repaired with good copies from the installation disk (unless there are too many).

While in Command Prompt, type chkdsk /f /r and enter and let it run. It will want to schedule itself to run at the next restart. Answer yes and then reboot to run the program. It will scan and try to fix any corruption or bad sectors on your hard drive and mostly remove that as a potential cause.

That's about all we can do using the disk at this point until we learn more from the results you provide by trying the above options which will hopefully at least help identify the problem if one doesn't actually resolve it.

I hope that helps.

Good luck!

 

[Anex0909]

I've tried what I can out of the previous post. I don't have access to another comp at the moment so I can't download a recovery disk (I'm typing this from my phone). I noticed that every time I run something that has to use windows it takes me straight to this screen mentioned in the first post.
I also noticed that when I try to start in safe mode etc... When it shows what services are being loaded it always stops at a particular one then cuts out and goes straight to this " screen".

 

[Lorien]

Without sccess to the computer, there isn't much we can do. Since you can't boot normally or in any safe mode, the only option is by disk. Until you can obtain or create a disk, we're basicially stalled (unless you want to just bypass trying to fix it and simply take it to a reputable computer repair shop to be serviced).

I'd wait on getting a disk as repairs can be costly and you may also lose your data in the process, but the decision is yours. I'm sorry, but without a disk there's absolutely nothing we can do to diagnose or repair the problem as we have no access to the system.

Good luck!

 

[Anex0909]

Okay, I'll see what I can do in getting one.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Anex0909]

Ok, I was able to get a recovery disk made and it got rid of the previous problem. Now when I log on I get all kinds of messages saying: "so and so has stopped working" and I get the same result when I try to run a program of any kind.
I was able to get my anti-virus to work by spamming it, ran a full scan and no viruses popped up.

I want to try and get this fixed and working halfway decent without having to take it to someone and pay or doing a full recovery and loosing everything on it.

 

[Lorien]

What did the SFC test show? Can you post the sfcdetails.txt file as previously requested and created with the procedures previously provided? If not, read on and hopefully at some point you will be able to do so. Did you do ALL of the previously suggested procedures or only one or two until the original problem was resolved? If so, start by doing the rest of them before proceeding here.

Go to http://www.mydigitallife.info/2008/06/22/reset-and-fix-broken-windows-vista-file-ext-and-type-associations-include-exe-com-sys-zip-lnk-folder-drive/ and scroll to EXE and click or double-click on it to run the program to restore EXE file associations. That might restore your programs.

You may be infected with malware. A scan with one program isn't enough. We need to try several. Try to run anti-malware programs (in safe mode with networking if necessary). To fix this problem (if it is a problem) download, install, and run the following two programs: http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php and http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html. You may also want to try the new, free Microsoft Security Essentials http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/Microsoft-Security-Essentials-Download-131683.html (with the caveat that only ONE AV program can be installed and running on your system at any one time). Use removal tools when appropriate http://www.raymond.cc/blog/archives/2009/05/05/comprehensive-list-of-uninstallers-or-removal-tools-for-antivirus-software/. You may also want to try the free Avira at: http://www.free-av.com/ and Avast at: http://www.avast.com/index. Reboot after completing all the scans. You may also want to try the free OneCare at http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/whatsnew.htm and let it run all the options (except the registry cleaner) because that’s good maintenance (it will take some time to complete but can be done in the background).

If that doesn't work, try a clean boot http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135. If the problem goes away then it's just a matter of tracking down the culprit causing the problem. Follow the procedures in the article. Once found, delete, remove, deactivate, or uninstall it. Once done be sure to reset Vista back to normal status as explained in the procedures. If the problem occurs in clean mode then just restore the system to normal status and reboot - this solution is not going to work.

Boot into Safe mode with networking and see if the problem occurs there. Either result helps us narrow down the search for the cause.

Let's test your hard drive and RAM for hardware problems:

To test your hard drive, check the manufacturer and then get the diagnostic utility from: http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/hard-drive-support/302602-hard-drive-diagnostic-utilities.html (and/or get one from your hard drive or computer manufacturer if they have one available – it wouldn’t hurt to try both). If it fails the test, replace it. If it passes the test, then there's probably nothing wrong with it.

You can also test your RAM at http://www.memtest.org/. If it fails, test each chip individually to find those that are bad and replace them. If it passes, RAM is probably OK.

If that doesn't work, we'll need to do a system repair/upgrade using the genuine Windows Vista Installation Disk (one you own or one you can borrow from ANYONE). To do this you have to also be able to boot normally. Here's the procedure: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html. Although this will not affect your data, settings, or programs, you should still backup your data before starting just to be on the safe side. You may have a lot of updates to re-install (including any service packs you had to remove). If the version on the system came with SP1 or SP2 pre-installed and the disk is an earlier version, then you'll need to make a slipstream disk as follows: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/151606-vista-sp1-slipstream-installation-dvd.html.

Hopefully one of these procedures will resolve or at least identify the cause of your problem. Post back if the problem persists with as many details and scan results and explanations of what happened when you tried each step as you can offer. We'll then need to try some additional methods to try to identify the problem.

Good luck!

 

[Anex0909]

The SFC scan showed nothing wrong
Check disk showed nothing wrong.
RAM and hardrive test showed nothing wrong.
AV and AS scans found a dew threats but removed them promptly.
Tried the system repair and clean boot as well, but the problem still exist.

I've been thinking about doing a clean install, but when I hit F8 and choose system repair (which is were it is located on my computer according to the Dell site) it takes
me to the logon screen and once again the only thing that pops up is Other User and prompts for a user name and password. I enter the actual admin account and pass for it and I get the same message from my first post.