OT- Need Windows XP Login Help

[Lisa Kachold]

Hi Mark, 

Adding a user might be the least of your difficulties.

1) Is your system completely patched?  

I.E. have you applied all the very important recent security patches?  Do you have Automatic Updates on?

2) Have you recently run a complete systems security analysis?

http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

3) Sounds like you possibly have a corrupted user profile (various security issues can allow this to happen).

http://www.techsupportforum.com/microsoft-support/windows-xp-support/295473-corrupt-user-profile-cannot-copy-data-new-one.html

First try to change the password using "net users":

Here's a way to change
it without knowing what the old password was:
Click Start | Run and type cmd to open a command prompt window.
At the prompt, type net users. This will show a list of the local user accounts created on the computer.
Pick the account for which you want to change the password. Type net user  *. Be sure to put a space between the account name and the asterisk.
You'll be prompted to type a new password for the user. Type it in. Then you'll be asked to confirm the password. Type it again.
You should receive a message that the command completed successfully. Now you can use the new password to log onto the account.

This works with all editions of XP, but only for local accounts (not domain accounts).



4) You might also have a corrupt hive:  http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/win_xp_logon.htm

You at the very least need to be running a good anti-virus software (avg);  have all your patches up to date, and practice safe computing.  

5) Verify your ports are protected from your external firewalls and your security settings correctly configured.

http://sos.its.psu.edu/guides/xpchecklist.pdf

http://whitepapers.zdnet.com/abstract.aspx?docid=321044

These are important settings; it's important that you understand the technology and run it within known secure parameters.  

Many people are running nice OpenVZ systems under Linux that provide nice little virtual Windows for hosting or development and play purposes.  Check it out:  http://www.openvz.com

obnosis.com | wiki.obnosis.com| (503)754-4452
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Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 10:22:34 -0700
Subject: OT- Need Windows XP Login Help
From: mark at phillipsmarketing.biz
To: plug-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us

Sorry for posting such a non-Linux question, but I don't know of any comparable Windows user lists to plug. If there is one, please let me know and I will join it! I use Windows so infrequently that I have never searched for one. Usually all I need is google, but not this time.


My problem - Windows XP Pro, all updated with patches etc. I have 5 users defined with passwords that have been working flawlessly for a year. I tried to add a 6th user today using the Control Panel. I added a password using the user edit screen. No error messages. I logged out of my admin account and tried to log in with the new user account. Got the error that I could not log in because I was violating account policies. Rebooted. Same error. Change password. Same error. Rebooted. Same error. Deleted the account. Rebooted. Created account with different name the same way. Created password the same way. Wrote down password on yellow sticky and put it on the monitor. Tried to log in. Got pop up saying I had the wrong password. Re-read sticky note on monitor. Tried again, same error. Rebooted. Had office-mate read password to me off of the sticky note on the monitor. Tried to log in again, same error.....went outside and ran around the block screaming for 10 minutes....had a nice chat with a policeman at the corner.....Now I feel better, but I still don't have a 6th user account. 

Is there a limit to the number of user accounts one can have on Windows XP? How do I add a new user with a password without using all the nifty MS new user screens and prompts? I googled my error messages and did not find anything that pertained to my account creation problems. 

Thanks!
Mark
P.S. Written using a machine running only Debian Testing and Gmail......;-)

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