Is this a Virus or just a corrupted registry?

[mbasimon]

When I log on to my XP Pro machine, the machine restarts whenever I use a certain userid (the one I normally use). If I use any of the other accounts that I've set up, I can log in just fine. I've been have some trouble with this machine, and was about to wipe it clean anyway, but just wondering if anyone has encountered anything like this before?

Thanks.

 

[linney]

http://www.paulscomputerservice.net/index.php?body=./os/autoLogoff.php

There is non-virus malware going around now that does this. Read this whole article:

http://www.winxptutor.com/wsaremove.htm

A second reason can be security polciy settings:

http://www.exodus-dev.com/techtips/windows_xp_pro_login_problems.htm

 

[mbasimon]

My registry was ok, it had the proper entry in it. I did copy the userinit file to wsaupdater though, but to no avail.

To clarify, my symptoms are:
I can NOT login with a certain administrator account
I CAN login with a normal user account
I then created another administrator account (I think from when I logged in safe mode), and I CAN login on using that account, but still can NOT login with the original administrator account

Time to re-install Windows?

 

[linney]

It sounds as if this one User Profile is corrupt.

811151 - How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811151

Error Message: Windows Cannot Load Your Profile Because It May Be Corrupted (Q318011)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q318/0/11.asp

Depending on what other problems you are having, it is in your hands whether you Format and Re-install XP.