XP startup problem

I am having the same problem on two to the three computers I have networked through a wireless lan.

Both are running Win XP SP2

One is a Presario Laptop
The Other is a Dell Desktop

Neither is the main puter connected to the modem.

If I do not stay by the puter and click enter the second the password screen appears, it disappears behind the Windows is starting up... screen. Windows never completes the startup from here.

If I catch the password screen -- and I only have a second to do so -- I am presented with the user icons and can continue on to my signon.

If I miss the password screen, Windows does not start.

I have scanned both puters for virus infection, as well as running Adaware and spybot and spyblaster.

 

Try pressing ctrl-alt-del twice and logging in with the classic logon.

XP...Pro?

I'm guessing it is.

 

XP Home
I can get into safemode. That's before password logon screen.

alt-ctl-del makes does nothing once I am at that Windows is starting up screen.

 

Oops.

I meant ctrl-alt-del twice.

 

If I miss the password screen, the Windows is starting up screen appears.

I can see that the harddrive is working. But it never gets passed that screen.

I tried pressing ctrl-alt-del twice at the Windows is starting up screen. The screen does not change.

 

have you tried to disable the password request.

I dont see why your computer would ask for a password before windows starts. Are you using the default windows Xp logon screen or are you using the classic windows logon.

 

I need the password screen to make the network usable. Before I enabled the password I could not share files and printers across the network. Only the cable modem was being shared.

It is a wireless network.

Is there a way to make files and printers accessible to every puter on Win XP home without the password screen?

I don't know if I am using classic or XP default. I would guess it's XP. As I look for a place to find out if it is XP or classic I came across a bunch of settings in TweakUI. I will tamper with them. But that is usually when I get in trouble.

 

I fixed the laptop but not the desktop.

On the laptop, I used TweakUI to reduce users to one user.

Then I used X-Setup Pro:
uncheck execute autoexec.bat
auto login count: 4294967295
uncheck enable auto login

I can still access network, printers, internet and shared files.

Now the machine boots right up to the desktop without any keypressing from me.

It won't be as easy with the desktop, as each of my two 14-year-olds has a user setting and I have an administrative user account. So I can't reduce it to one user.

Thanks for pointing me in right direction.