Automatic logoff

p2phan10 · Jun 15, 2008

I recently removed a lot of spyware/malware with several different programs. After I restarted my computer, I logged on and then it automatically logged off and went back to the logon screen. I have tried entering safe mode and it does the same thing. Please help me!!

chaslang · Jun 15, 2008

Welcome to Major Geeks!

This is not a malware issue. And I will be moving this to the Software Forum where yu can continue to get support.

You may have removed necessary items for Windows to log you in. Typically this happens if you remove the registry keys associated with loading the userinit.exe file or you remove the userinit.exe file. One typical solution is the below:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307545&sd=tech

which may help if your problem is just due to a registry corruption. If you deleted the userinit.exe file you will have to boot to the Recovery Console and copy one back to your hard disk from your Windows boot CD.

dlb · Jun 15, 2008

There's a type of malware that when it infects your PC, the PC will still load to Windows OK, but when the malware is removed, you end up where you are now: the immediate log-on/log-off loop. This was commonly associated with the wsaupdater adware which would infect the userinit.exe file. When removed, you couldn't log back in without making some changes. I got the following info from a link about the wsaupdater infection and how to fix the log-in issues after its removal:

Logon - Logoff loop, also caused by BlazeFind

Another critical symptom caused by this malware: This malware modifies the Userinit area in the registry (replacing the userinit.exe with wsaupdater.exe) and Ad-Aware (with a particular definition update) removes the wsaupdater.exe file from the system, thus causing the Logon - Logoff loop. That is, when you login to Windows, the 'loading personal settings" verbose will appear, but suddenly it will logoff. This issue was documented clearly by Lavasoftusa in it's Lavahelp Knowledgebase.

Here is the solution to the logon - logoff issue in Windows XP.

Enter the Recovery Console

Boot the system using the Windows XP CD-ROM. In the first screen when the Setup begins, read the instructions press "R" (in the first screen) enter the Recovery Console. Type-in the built-in Administrator password to enter the Console. You'll see the prompt reading C:\Windows (Or any other drive-letter where you've installed XP)

Type the following command and press Enter.

CD SYSTEM32
(If that does not work, try CHDIR SYSTEM32)

COPY USERINIT.EXE WSAUPDATER.EXE

Quit Recovery Console by typing EXIT and restart Windows.

You'll be able to login successfully as you've created the wsaupdater.exe file (now, a copy of userinit.exe)

Now, change the USERINIT value in the registry (see Phase II in this page) and change it accordingly.
Click to expand...

For more information (and to see what Phase I and Phase II are all about) visit this link:
http://www.winxptutor.com/wsaremove.htm
Read it all completely so you understand what's going to happen and so you know what to expect.
NOTE: this particular adware infection is fairly old, as is the fix, and it may not work in your situation, but the theory is essentially the same. Somewhere in Windows, the log in routine was changed to use a file other than the standard userinit.exe or userinit.exe was changed or corrupted. You could try copying a known clean version of userinit.exe to the appropriate location on your hard drive. However, I will accept no responsibility for any additional problems that may arise from the use of the info above, or the info at the link I provided.

Good luck! I hope this helps!

[dlb]
:major

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Automatic logoff

p2phan10 Private E-2

chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

dlb MajorGeek

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Automatic logoff

p2phan10 Private E-2

chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

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