Another login/logout loop

3 user accounts in WinXP: Administrator + (user1) and (user2)
all admin accounts
Guest acct is off

Administrator and (user1) logs on and off with no problems
(user2), which is my main acct, goes through the login process, shows the desktop wallpaper w/o any icons and taskbar, then logs off and goes back to the login window (showing the 3 accts). Same happens in Safe Mode.

Computer has the latest Windows updates as of 05/13/2009
Antimalwares updated, and scanned the system (both in normal and safemode): Spybot s&d, Adaware, Avast!, CCleaner, MSRT
Symptom started last sat. 05/16/2009 after I installed, ran, (and may have done some of the suggestions) of MS Baseline Security Analyzer.

winXP pro 2002 sp3. IIS 5.1, SQL 2005 Standard Edition

- already looked at the registry key for userinit.exe -> ok
- no wsaupdater.exe anywhere
- no spycatcher
- turned on/off autologon for (user2) -> same symptoms, had to hold down SHIFT key to get the login window and logon to Administrator or (user1)

: may not need BartPE or other bootCDs to get in to the system, since I can get in the system with the other accounts
: may not need to overwrite ~\..\userinit.exe (SP3) since other accts can login

I'm up to my wits end here guys. Any other things I can try to fix that (user2) login account???
I need the profiles for my MS Outlook 2003, and the other programs. Short of using USMT to migrate my profile to another acct, what else can I check up?

Thanks!!!

 

I'd probably use a program like Autoruns, select user2 from top menu, and see if there's something strange loading up for that user.

 

If you're referring to the Autoruns v9.5 from MS Sysinternals, I'm currently looking at it right now. Will give you feedback soonest. Thanks!
But prior to that, I was already looking at msconfig. But I guess it was for ALL the user accounts...

 

Using Autoruns, the only difference I found with the particular (user2) and the others is on:
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Google Update
Messenger (Yahoo!)
Sysinternals Desktops

Unchecked all 3 but still would not get me off the login/logoff loop for that user.
I even created a new admin acct (user3) and that logs on without any problems.
FYI, I'm using the same computer, just logged on to a different user, to access the internet and post this reply.

More ideas please!

 

does this happen in safe mode too?

 

Hey smokingun.
If you're referring to the original symptoms (looping login for a certain user), yes. It also happens in SAFEMODE.
If you're referring to Autoruns, nope, haven't tried it yet in SAFEMODE. :-o