autologon loop :(

[helz]

I have just been fiddling around with an unattended disk trying to get my SATA drive working correctly (with BTS DriverPacks! V.NICE!). The computer logged in to the computer using the admin account (the one I want to use all the time) and installed all the programs with the guirunonce command. worked a charm. but then after a restart I'm stuck in a loop where it logs in, but then logs out straight away (same in safe mode).

Below is part of my winnt.sif file

[GuiUnattended]
AutoLogon = Yes
EncryptedAdminPassword = No
AdminPassword = "xxxx"
TimeZone = 085
OEMSkipRegional = 1
OemSkipWelcome = 1

I have never used the AutoLogon before, so I assumed that it did the same as the reg file which sets the registry to auto login every time.

Does anyone know any fixes? I've read somewhere about a bootable floppy disk that will erase a password could work. Is this true?

Thanks for your time

btw is the AutoLogonCount necessary? since I don't have it, is this the root cause?

Thanks

Edited June 14, 2005 by helz

[htc]

This loop was caused by the incorrect instllation - some important file such as the files concerning/relevat to pruduct licence and product activation are wrong(wrong files or modified, or missing).

Solution: rebuild your cd, but only with original MS CD and authentical service packs, no third party "patch-packs"! Use only verified install scriptings.

[helz]

if that is so, i wonder why it logged in fine the first time.

will try another format and see what happens from there.

does anyone know what the AutoLogon does?

like does it add something to the registry?

[sleepnmojo]

Does anyone know any fixes? I've read somewhere about a bootable floppy disk that will erase a password could work. Is this true?

Yes, I know a linux disk that can do it here. Read the warnings though.

btw is the AutoLogonCount necessary? since I don't have it, is this the root cause?

Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The AutoLogonCount is not necessary. It is used to limit the number of logins. I for example, have mine set to 1. On that login, the administrator installs all the programs, and sets up my users. If I needed another one, I would set it to 2. Since I usually just walk away on the install, I don't want it to log in as an Administrator, and give someone free reign of the computer.

This loop was caused by the incorrect instllation - some important file such as the files concerning/relevat to pruduct licence and product activation are wrong(wrong files or modified, or missing).

Solution: rebuild your cd, but only with original MS CD and authentical service packs, no  third party "patch-packs"! Use only verified install scriptings.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thats what I would say too. I have had one problem though where I installed a regtweak which had the same effect. In my testing it didn't have a problem, just on one system.

To discover the problem, I started with a clean cd, with just the winnt.sif file. If I didn't have the problem, I would add on more stuff. Did half my programs, checked for problems, till I eventually came to the conclusion it was a regtweak. Repeated the same procedure with the regtweaks, till I found the culprit.

does anyone know what the AutoLogon does?

like does it add something to the registry?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It logs you in, automatically Yes, it makes a registry edit, which can be found in the ref.chm on your xp cd.

[helz]

just had a thought

I installed windows onto my sata drive (which i always do) but i have now got a pata drive in which windows has prioritised (giving it the C drive letter). Before i restarted the computer and got into that loop i had changed the drive letters around in the registry to get them back to normal.

Could this have been a deciding factor?

[helz]

hmm only thing is, that this driverpack for the sata drive is the only time ive ever been able to get windows to recognise the drives. (Last time i kind of got it working was where windows let me partition the drive, but then couldnt find the drivers when it copies over the files after the format)

would you suggest that it is these driverpacks that are causing the problem?

[helz]

just did another format, got rid of the auto login stuff from registry then did a restart, logged in manually, appears to work.

Decided that im going to update the unattended disk incase i have to format again

will post again if another restart causes any problems. or i might try the autologin thing