Cant get past Win XP Pro Logon Screen

oldschool69

Help:

Wife has a Toshiba Satellite M30-S350, Centrino Laptop given to her when she quit work last year, it has seen some rough days but still works...somewhat. More about that later...

she used here at home off and on ...and we eventually saved a few important files on this laptop. Now...when I try to boot up the "normal" way (just power on and wait), it goes RIGHT to a BSOD that reads
"Stop c000021a unknown hard error
unknown hard error"

alright...so I thought I would try to login via Safe Mode. No BSOD but now it brings me to the Windows XP Pro Logon box, where you type in your user name and password. It populates the username field with my wife's old user name from when she was working. When we type in the password....it won't log us in. SHe is pretty sure the password she is inputting is the right one but it has been over a year. So, I tried to log in Safe Mode Command Prompt. STILL comes to the XP Logon dialog box. Can't even get to the Welcome screen where you can select a user.

We don't want to pay out the wazoo for someone to run some data recovery software for us. We want to try to bypass use of a password at the Logon box altogether....if possible. The files we saved on this thing are pretty important and the laptop still has life in it (we hope) But YOU GUYS are the experts...please help.

thanks

Albin

Do you have a OS recovery Cd, Try to logon with that. If you are successful to login. Try again without the OS cd.
If the problem still continues try option to "Repair a Windows Installation" with the OS cd.

__________________
_______________
Cheers,
Albin

"We are all either fools or undiscovered geniuses."

oldschool69

don't have a OS recovery CD. Is there a way to get on for free? If so, how? If not free, still would like to know how to get it.

thanks

Albin

ok, even if you don't have a recovery CD, Try with bootable Windows XP cd and this is not specific to your laptop. you can buy one from any computer service station.

__________________
_______________
Cheers,
Albin

"We are all either fools or undiscovered geniuses."

oldschool69

OK, I am a COMPLETE idiot when it comes to this stuff. Let's say I get either the recovery CD and/or the bootable Windows XP cd. Now what do I do once I have them? Remembering that this laptop WILL NOT bootup the normal "windows way", I HAVE to use F8 and get to Safe Mode which is why I am beggin you guys for help!

So, I get one of these CDs you recommend, put it in the CD player well, and then what? (Do I power on, hit F8 to get to safe mode and THEN put the CD in or CD first, then power, then F8???)

see, I told you I was retarded when it comes to this ....please give me the step by step.....

THanks

Albin

To Boot the computer using the XP CD. You may need to change the boot order in the system BIOS so the CD boots before the hard drive. Check your system documentation for steps to access the BIOS and change the boot order (I think if you press f1 while the system starts, it takes to the CMOS setting, there you need to change the sequence of Boot drive). If you find this as a difficult process,
the alternate way is pressing of ‘C’ button while system starts should allow you also to boot up from the CD drive!

Once you are successful with that, your system will start with the help of the CD (windows bootable cd)
You will see the "Welcome To Setup" screen, and the options below

This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft
Windows XP to run on your computer:

To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.

To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R.

To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.

Now press R to repair.

__________________
_______________
Cheers,
Albin

"We are all either fools or undiscovered geniuses."

oldschool69

THANKS a BUNCH!!! Appreciate you outlining everything. once I get the CD, will let you know how it goes.

nandrasec

I would recommend trying out ERD Commander Live Cd. It can attach itself onto a existing XP installation and you can try to fix your problem with "sfc scannow" command run from command prompt.

If it doesn`t find existing installation you can always run it`s default version and copy files to alternate location.

tbam88

When the computer was working well at home, what was the username? I am assuming that you didn't actally enter a username, but rather seleted an icon. . . If that is correct, can you remember the name asociated with that Icon? If so, when the XP Pro Login box appears,
1. Remove the pre-populated login that appears (with your wifes old work Login name) and enter the login name that was associated with the Icon that you were previously selecting (at home).

2. If after selecting the Icon it went straight to opening Windows, then you had no password. . . so Leave the password field blank. . . If you did have a password to enter try it here.

3. Make sure that you are Logging into the Local Machione ("Machine Name" (This Computer) option and not onto a Corporate Domain.

dolreich_c

To Boot the computer using the XP CD. You may need to change the boot order in the system BIOS so the CD boots before the hard drive. Check your system documentation for steps to access the BIOS and change the boot order (I think if you press f1 while the system starts, it takes to the CMOS setting, there you need to change the sequence of Boot drive). If you find this as a difficult process,
the alternate way is pressing of ‘C’ button while system starts should allow you also to boot up from the CD drive!

Once you are successful with that, your system will start with the help of the CD (windows bootable cd)
You will see the "Welcome To Setup" screen, and the options below

This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft
Windows XP to run on your computer:

To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.

To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R.

To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.

Now press R to repair. __________________
_______________
Cheers,