After startup repair, user account will not open

danny4030 · 15 Jan 2011

Whilst using my Acer laptop it crashed and went to 'startup repair'. The repair lasted roughly two hours but once it had finished and I had turned the laptop back on, the user account had become de-personalised and looked like a 'guest' account. My immediate reaction was to switch user but then it remained at the 'welcome' screen and wouldn't stop until after an hour I gave up and switched it off.

It then wouldn't get past that screen on the numerous occasions I restarted the laptop after that.

I have tried a startup repair after pressing f8 at start up and have tried loading in 'safe mode' and its other two variations and I still have the same problem. The startup repair this time detected no problems and I have now let it do a 'Windows Memory Diagnostic' check.

Any help would be greatly received. Thank you.

Bare Foot Kid · 15 Jan 2011

Hello danny4030, welcome to Seven Forums!

The first thing t try, if you can get to safe mode try and install the free version from this link below and run a full scan to see if it comes up with anything and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

Malwarebytes Free Virus Scanner

gregrocker · 16 Jan 2011

If you can't run AV and Malwarebytes scan in Safe Mode, download and burn one of the free bootable AV scans to run a full scan: FREE Bootable AntiVirus Rescue CDs Download List

Try to copy out your files now using the DVD Repair console or Repair CD: Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console
System Repair Disc - Create

Startup repair should offer to run System Restore. If it doesn't, boot into DVD Repair or Repair CD to run System Restore to get before the User lockout.

If this fails, run Startup Repair again repeatedly from disk to see if it needs multiple repair attempts. Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times

If all fails, to run Acer factory recovery Press Alt-F10 after BIOS finishes the Power on Self Test (POST).
or Press the "One-Button-Recovery" (OBR) button. Further instructions are in the Manual on the Acer Support Downloads webpage for your model.

You can also clean reinstall with a Win7 installation DVD for your model using the Product Key on the COA sticker on machine: re-install windows 7

Bare Foot Kid · 16 Jan 2011

That's an idea, here's some interesting info you may find useful.

After you have copied out or made back-ups of the data you need to save, if you can find an exact Windows version that the PC shipped with you can do a clean install using the activation key on the COA sticker attached to the PC though it may require a robo-call to MS to sort the OEM batch-key.

How to Activate Windows 7 by Phone

If you can't find an exact same version, you could use the info in this tutorial to create an "all Versions" installer of any version Windows installer, to install using the same method I posted above and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

Windows 7 Universal Installation Disc - Create

Though if there's nothing on the PC you need to save, I'd do a complete wipe (secure erase) of the entire Hard Disk Drive first.

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

danny4030 · 16 Jan 2011

Hi and thanks for all your help. The user account eventually loaded up after saying 'preparing your desktop' and has gone to an unrecognisable user account still under the name of our administrator account. I eventually found all 400gb of our files in 'Network' and then in our account folder and have gone through the process of backing the rest of that stuff up on an external hard drive. It is still copying things over as I type and I would just like to know if you have encountered this before and what should I do after the copying is done?

Thanks

Bare Foot Kid · 16 Jan 2011

Have you seen the 2 posts above your last?

danny4030 · 16 Jan 2011

Hi, yes I have seen the two posts above but they aren't really relevant to my new problem (though I am grateful of the replies to my first problem). As I said, it says that a temporary profile has been created and that I can't access files from my administrator account (which is untrue as I have managed to locate them...) and that if I log off then it may fix it (again untrue, as I have done this and still had no luck. I was just wondering if you have ever came across a problem like this before. I may try restarting it in Safe Mode but I'm not sure what good that will do.

Thank you.

gregrocker · 16 Jan 2011

danny4030 said:

I was just wondering if you have ever came across a problem like this before.

About once per month. The steps to try to repair this were given above.

You can try to create a new User Account and populate it with your files, however when User accounts become corrupted to this extent it normally requires more serious repairs, eliminating the possibility of infection, and often wiping the HD to clean reinstall or run Factory Recovery.

theog · 17 Jan 2011

Did you make your Acer Recovery disks.
Manual how to use Acer eRecovery Management here:
ftp://ftp.support.acer-euro.com/notebook/empowering_technology/NB%20ET2%20user's%20guide/Acer%20eRecovery%20Management%20English.pdf

You can Order Acer recovery disks from here:
https://secure.tx.acer.com/RCDB/Main.aspx?brand=acer