Error message after trying to log to XP

I began receiving this message after trying to log to Windows XP "Error Message: System Cannot Log You on Because Domain <Computername> Is Not Available" and suspected that it was because of malware or related to it. I found some virus and spyware by using the procedure you suggest but now that everything is cleaned I keep getting the same problem. Tried restoring system files without success and can only work under safe mode.

What can I do? Do I keep looking for virus or is there additional steps I need to follow? My computer is a HP Pavilion 7942, 128 RAM, Pentium 4, 1.5 GHz with XP Home Edition.

 

Try this if you don't want the domain error message to come up:

1) Click on the start menu, select run and type sysdm.cpl in the run box and press enter. The system properties box will open.

2) Choose "Computer Name" tab

3) Click the "Change" button

4) Where it says "member of", change from domain to workgroup

Hope this helps

 

Thanks for the response, when I click on "Change" the dialog that comes up contains two areas to fill, one contains "Name of computer:" and the corresponding space below, and then "Workgroup:" with another space to fill, but didn't find "member of" so that I could change from domain to workgroup as suggested. Perhaps I should make a note that my XP Home Edition is in spanish, but I don't think the dialog or options would change from language to language. Any suggestions?

 

Sorry, ignore.

 

I'll try again.

Check Event Viewer for any clues. Start, run, eventvwr.msc


Also, check that Net LogOn and Cryptographic Services are both set to Automatic and Started. (Start, Run, services.msc)


Edit: There is a hotfix available from HERE that may help.

 

Tried looking into Event Viewer and only found two errors that keep repeating, their origins are "EventSystem" and "VSS", don't know if that would help or mean something.

After checking services, Cryptograhic Services were started and automatic, and NetLogon was changed from Manual to Automatic but after several tries, I wasn't able to start the service.

One thing that I've noticed is that after typing the password trying to log to Windows, it doesn't matter if the password is correct or not or even if I type a password at all, the dialog simply comes to show the message, could this be a virus?

 

Do you have a program called Ghost Surf installed?

Steve

 

Nope....

 

OK. Have you installed any new Internet Security software before this happened?

Steve

 

Now I have Panda Titanium, I had AVG Free at the time when this happened...

 

OK. I thought maybe security software might be causing it.

Steve

 

Do you guys have any other suggestions? I'm seriously considering as a last option to backup "My Documents" and reinstall the whole thing. The software comes preloaded in a separate partition and although I have tried the non-destructive reinstall, I hasn't helped at all.