strange windows 7 login prompt missing/loop issue. Help, please!

[klatk]

Hello,

So I recently had a Win 7 Pro 64bit pc's hard drive die, but I was able to get it cloned successfully, so all of the data and partitions are all intact and all. I've been having problems though, with logging in, and none of my searches seem to find exactly the same issue.

I originally had the black screen/mouse-cursor-only issue upon booting, but was able to get Windows to at least load up the background image by changing the permissions of the system32 directory (a la suggestions in this answers.microsoft.com thread).

But the "press ctrl-alt-delete to log on" prompt never appears. It looks like it wants to, but every 10 or so seconds the screen flashes and it doesn't. From another answers.microsoft.com thread, by replacing sethc.exe with a copy of cmd.exe I was able to open up a command window and can execute commands in it, including explorer (and get a desktop as System). But again, every 10 seconds, the screen flashes and goes to the bare login background. And anything I try to open from there results in an error message saying there's not enough free memory for explorer to run that. Windows Resource Protection also won't allow me to run sfc /scannow.

So basically, I don't have a good idea of what's going on and could really use someone's insight. I'd really really REALLY appreciate it.

Other possibly relevant info regarding this situation.... this pc runs a lab instrument and is part of a Windows domain, with domain logins and security and such. Also I've tried just about every Windows Repair option I've seen suggested short of a full and clean install and not had any luck.

Nearly at wit's end...
Kevin

 

[torchwood]

Hi Kevin,
a word of warning first, whenever a drive dies or there has been an electical surge thru the comp
NEVER clone it -- any corruptions will be carried over to the new drive
Create an image using software that has the option NOT to copy bad blocks.

Based on your comments relating to Domain joined,
Is this comp Administered by you -- if its someone else they might have an off-site backup and off course they will have the option to restrict certain actions

ok lets try and get you going, PROVIDED you have full rights - please follow the order

can you try and run sfc /scannow and chkdsk /r via SAFE mode
run kb947821 (select the correct version x64)
if the above do not resolve the problem

repair user profile,
https://www.google.com/url?client=i...AQFnoECAYQAg&usg=AOvVaw1T2M6I4tS-V1JC6FfIM10p

permissions
download tweaking.com
Download Windows Repair (All In One)

choose the permissions options, (there are a multitude of other actions you could try, explorer/msi etc)

Do you have a clean W7 ISO, if not try Heidoc
Repair install - NO loss of data
Repair Install

Roy

 

[klatk]

Thanks Roy!

I'll try all of these things today.

I do have full domain rights, but I've inherited this responsibility from an actual IT admin so I'm not as familiar with all the nuts and bolts of things as I might have previously thought.

Hope you had a nice holiday weekend,
Kevin

 

[torchwood]

full rights is excellent news, need to run an admin command now to see whats allowed/blocked

rsop.msc

and group policy

https://www.google.com/url?client=i...FjADegQIARAC&usg=AOvVaw2rts7bGZTNWWeNiHUU2XyG

 

[klatk]

From windows repair (not the all in one), I was able to run chkdsk /r, but that didn't seem to fix things. Is the Windows Repair (All in one) mentioned above a bootable image that can be run off usb? From the website, it seemed like it required one to be in windows already.

Using the sethc.exe trick, I have been able to start rsop.msc, gpedit.msc, lusrmgr.msc, and taskmgr and can view some things, but don't seem to be able to change anything either. Most things result in an error message saying not enough memory/storage.
I did notice, however, that LogonUI.exe jumps to the top of the process list every time the screen flashes/resets and pushes everything else to the background (~10 seconds), so maybe that narrows down my issues?

 

[TechnoMage2016]

Cloned? Just curious....did you do the 'Clone' while the PC was working correctly, before the problems, or did you do the Clone after you realized the drive was failing?

If you Cloned a drive with errors on it, then that's what you've got.....ERRORS!
I would try to access and back up all your data files, to a Flash Drive or other external drive, and then wipe the new drive of the clone, and do a fresh (Clean) re-install of the OS. Then after install and Setup, restore your data files.*
I know...It ain't pretty, but it WILL solve your problem. I've done it a few times myself, on customer's PC's.

*Once you have the data files on a Flash Drive, you can scan that for errors.

Good Luck,
TM

 

[klatk]

Thanks TM.

I had it cloned after the failure. Apparently the system backups my predecessor had instituted were corrupt.

Since this pc controls a lot of instrumentation, and thus a lot of vendor software re- installation/licensing/configuration that I'd like to avoid if at all possible. We've collected our experimental data, successfully at least, but a clean install is a last resort.

 

[torchwood]

Hi Kevin,

the All-in1 program does require to be run in a live OS.

The same way as you ran Chkdsk, please run sfc /scannow

Its definately looping when trying to login, im hoping sfc will replace 2 files, winlogon and explorer, there the 2 files called by logoui.
if it doesn't we will need to do a repair install -NO LOSS OF DATA-
we will need a clean copy of w7, did you get one

 

[klatk]

I was able to run chkdsk from windows repair, but when I tried sfc /scannow it wouldn't let me due to a pending 'repair'.

I replaced winlogon.exe and logonui.exe by copying from another PC but that didn't seem to work.

The win7 Pro 64bit images I've been able to obtain (and the disk that I had) only allow for new installs. The upgrade option tells me to boot into windows first and upgrade that way... so I dunno what I can do about that.

I saw somewhere that I can run sfc on an external drive, so maybe I can take it out and try that...

 

[torchwood]

here you go


to remove the pending repair delete this file :\WINDOWS\WINSXS\PENDING.XML should be able to sfc normally if not then SFC /SCANNOW /OFFBOOTDIR=[C]:\ /OFFWINDIR=[C]:\WINDOWS

 

[klatk]

Thanks Roy.

I was able to run sfc /scannow, but it didn't change anything.

I'm currently looking for a copy W7 that will let me do the no-data-loss install, but not having any luck. All of the iso's that I've tried list the upgrade option but require a boot into windows first.

The only thing I haven't tried that you'd mentioned is replacing explorer (manually tho, instead of sfc, either from somewhere on the install disc or copied from another PC) but apparently that's not a simple file like logonui.exe or winlogon.exe.... actually now that I'm searching, it looks like there are several different versions of winlogon.exe to choose from. Maybe I need to choose a different one...

 

[torchwood]

hi

here you go all you need is a W7 Service pack 1 ISO

System Recovery Options

 

[klatk]

I guess I was under the misunderstanding that a repair install could somehow be accomplished from the bootable media and not from within windows. The startup repair option doesn't end up changing anything. I think because it believes that it starts up fine.

My issue right now is that the windows logonui.exe is looping every so often before the logon prompt even comes up.
I've been looking at registry values to see if I can bypass this, but haven't found anything that works yet. I probably also should look at the log output of the sfc that was done. Maybe something is in there...

Thanks for all of the help so far!