My computer is possessed - a real story

[Guest bill@love.ranch]

I have a laptop - actually 2 and a desktop, but this story is about

Averatec.

 

I decided to replace my 60GB drive with a 160GB drive.

Since there were a few wierd things happening with the old system I

chose to clean install the new one. --- XP SP3

 

Everything went fine, system is installed, let me test this sleep

function. It would not go to sleep.

 

Well, that was a simple solution, it can't go to sleep if the video

driver is not installed. So I installed it and the rest of the

drivers. Great, now it sleeps -- IT JUST DOESN'T WAKE UP.

 

After MANY DAYS of reinstalls and searching, and running Seagate's

tools, I ran SpinRite. Seems like the new drive has a seek problem

which isn't a result of bad data. It is continuous across the drive

but there is only one ECC correction.

 

OK, the new drive goes back. In the meantime, I will reinstall

everything on the old drive so I can just Ghost it to the replacement

drive when I get it. So far so good. Most of the s/w that was on the

old system is installed. It has gone to MS and retrieved all the

updates necessary. OK, let's try this sleep thing.

 

Yep, goes to sleep just fine, wakes up too. WAIT!!!!! What is this?

All the desktop is different. Apparently it has booted up in the admin

account and not my account. What is going on???

 

System restore shows a SOFTWARE DISTRIBUTION SERVICE restore point

after it went bad. OK restore back to when it was good. YES, got my

account back. Let me try that sleep again.

 

OH MY, back to the admin account. AND everytime I go thru the above

process it creates a NEW admin account. It is not just booting up in

the standard admin account, it creates a new one =

"Administration-computername-00x". So after redoing it again I had to

delete 6 admin account folders.

 

More research. OK, I can totally disarm the SDS thing. I am not

connected to the internet, temp files are cleaned out, recycle bin is

clean, I'll even remove all the updates and delete all the associated

folders.

 

Set a new System Restore point.

 

OK, it all looks good. I'll just shut it down and go to bed.

 

AH, let's see where I am this AM. WHAT! it is back in a new admin

account!!!!!!!!!!!! --- OH NO, now it is reinstalling all the updates

I got rid of. STOP, I SAY, STOP!!! Where is that damn hammer, I'll fix

it good.

 

This computer is POSSESSED by MS.

I am VERY technical, but this has me totally pulling my hair out - OH,

I guess Windows 98 already got most of my hair.

 

ANYONE ----HHHEEEELLLLLPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest John John (MVP)]

Re: My computer is possessed - a real story

 

bill@love.ranch wrote:

> Extensive snipping...

> OH MY, back to the admin account. AND everytime I go thru the above

> process it creates a NEW admin account. It is not just booting up in

> the standard admin account, it creates a new one =

> "Administration-computername-00x". So after redoing it again I had to

> delete 6 admin account folders.

>

> More snipping...

> AH, let's see where I am this AM. WHAT! it is back in a new admin

> account!

 

It sounds like a permission issue on the profile folder in the

%SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings folder, make sure that the user has

full control on his profile folder.

 

John

[Guest bill@love.ranch]

Re: My computer is possessed - a real story

 

once it boots into the new admin account my profile folder is

accessible but I can't switch users because I no longer exist as a

user. I am an admin user when I restore it to my account.

 

 

 

On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:09:23 -0300, "John John (MVP)"

<audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:

>bill@love.ranch wrote:

>

>> Extensive snipping...

>

>> OH MY, back to the admin account. AND everytime I go thru the above

>> process it creates a NEW admin account. It is not just booting up in

>> the standard admin account, it creates a new one =

>> "Administration-computername-00x". So after redoing it again I had to

>> delete 6 admin account folders.

>>

>> More snipping...

>

>> AH, let's see where I am this AM. WHAT! it is back in a new admin

>> account!

>

>It sounds like a permission issue on the profile folder in the

>%SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings folder, make sure that the user has

>full control on his profile folder.

>

>John

[Guest John John (MVP)]

Re: My computer is possessed - a real story

 

You need to look at the NTFS permissions on the profile folder and make

sure that the user has full control on it. Get the real profile folder

path from HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.

 

This article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314045 is written for

Windows 2000 but the same applies to Windows XP.

 

John

 

bill@love.ranch wrote:

> once it boots into the new admin account my profile folder is

> accessible but I can't switch users because I no longer exist as a

> user. I am an admin user when I restore it to my account.

>

>

>

> On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:09:23 -0300, "John John (MVP)"

> <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:

>

>

>>bill@love.ranch wrote:

>>

>>

>>>Extensive snipping...

>>

>>>OH MY, back to the admin account. AND everytime I go thru the above

>>>process it creates a NEW admin account. It is not just booting up in

>>>the standard admin account, it creates a new one =

>>>"Administration-computername-00x". So after redoing it again I had to

>>>delete 6 admin account folders.

>>>

>>>More snipping...

>>

>>>AH, let's see where I am this AM. WHAT! it is back in a new admin

>>>account!

>>

>>It sounds like a permission issue on the profile folder in the

>>%SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings folder, make sure that the user has

>>full control on his profile folder.

>>

>>John

[Guest bill@love.ranch]

Re: My computer is possessed - a real story

 

OK- that reference describes exactly what is happening re creating new

accounts.

 

I restored back to a good time where my account comes up.

Since my account is an admin account I tried it. No security tab.

I switched to admin account. No security tab.

 

All I have is General-Sharing-Customize and an Advanced button -- no

Security.

 

I have seen that window before but I cannot remember how I got to it.

Do I have something set that negates that function?

 

 

 

 

 

On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:48:09 -0300, "John John (MVP)"

<audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:

>You need to look at the NTFS permissions on the profile folder and make

>sure that the user has full control on it. Get the real profile folder

>path from HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.

>

>This article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314045 is written for

>Windows 2000 but the same applies to Windows XP.

>

>John

>

>bill@love.ranch wrote:

>

>> once it boots into the new admin account my profile folder is

>> accessible but I can't switch users because I no longer exist as a

>> user. I am an admin user when I restore it to my account.

>>

>>

>>

>> On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:09:23 -0300, "John John (MVP)"

>> <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:

>>

>>

>>>bill@love.ranch wrote:

>>>

>>>

>>>>Extensive snipping...

>>>

>>>>OH MY, back to the admin account. AND everytime I go thru the above

>>>>process it creates a NEW admin account. It is not just booting up in

>>>>the standard admin account, it creates a new one =

>>>>"Administration-computername-00x". So after redoing it again I had to

>>>>delete 6 admin account folders.

>>>>

>>>>More snipping...

>>>

>>>>AH, let's see where I am this AM. WHAT! it is back in a new admin

>>>>account!

>>>

>>>It sounds like a permission issue on the profile folder in the

>>>%SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings folder, make sure that the user has

>>>full control on his profile folder.

>>>

>>>John

[Guest HeyBub]

Re: My computer is possessed - a real story

 

bill@love.ranch wrote:

> I have a laptop - actually 2 and a desktop, but this story is about

> Averatec.

>

> I decided to replace my 60GB drive with a 160GB drive.

> Since there were a few wierd things happening with the old system I

> chose to clean install the new one. --- XP SP3

>

> Everything went fine, system is installed, let me test this sleep

> function. It would not go to sleep.

>

> Well, that was a simple solution, it can't go to sleep if the video

> driver is not installed. So I installed it and the rest of the

> drivers. Great, now it sleeps -- IT JUST DOESN'T WAKE UP.

>

> After MANY DAYS of reinstalls and searching, and running Seagate's

> tools, I ran SpinRite. Seems like the new drive has a seek problem

> which isn't a result of bad data. It is continuous across the drive

> but there is only one ECC correction.

>

> OK, the new drive goes back. In the meantime, I will reinstall

> everything on the old drive so I can just Ghost it to the replacement

> drive when I get it. So far so good. Most of the s/w that was on the

> old system is installed. It has gone to MS and retrieved all the

> updates necessary. OK, let's try this sleep thing.

>

> Yep, goes to sleep just fine, wakes up too. WAIT!!!!! What is this?

> All the desktop is different. Apparently it has booted up in the admin

> account and not my account. What is going on???

>

> System restore shows a SOFTWARE DISTRIBUTION SERVICE restore point

> after it went bad. OK restore back to when it was good. YES, got my

> account back. Let me try that sleep again.

>

> OH MY, back to the admin account. AND everytime I go thru the above

> process it creates a NEW admin account. It is not just booting up in

> the standard admin account, it creates a new one =

> "Administration-computername-00x". So after redoing it again I had to

> delete 6 admin account folders.

>

> More research. OK, I can totally disarm the SDS thing. I am not

> connected to the internet, temp files are cleaned out, recycle bin is

> clean, I'll even remove all the updates and delete all the associated

> folders.

>

> Set a new System Restore point.

>

> OK, it all looks good. I'll just shut it down and go to bed.

>

> AH, let's see where I am this AM. WHAT! it is back in a new admin

> account!!!!!!!!!!!! --- OH NO, now it is reinstalling all the updates

> I got rid of. STOP, I SAY, STOP!!! Where is that damn hammer, I'll fix

> it good.

>

> This computer is POSSESSED by MS.

> I am VERY technical, but this has me totally pulling my hair out - OH,

> I guess Windows 98 already got most of my hair.

>

> ANYONE ----HHHEEEELLLLLPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Sounds like Invasion of the Body Snatchers - the pods germinate while you

sleep.

[Guest bill@love.ranch]

Re: My computer is possessed - a real story

 

BTW

 

The PROFILEIMAGEPATH in the reg for my profile is correct.

 

The one for the admin is the first new one created - not the original

admin.

 

 

 

On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:48:09 -0300, "John John (MVP)"

<audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:

>You need to look at the NTFS permissions on the profile folder and make

>sure that the user has full control on it. Get the real profile folder

>path from HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.

>

>This article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314045 is written for

>Windows 2000 but the same applies to Windows XP.

>

>John

>

>bill@love.ranch wrote:

>

>> once it boots into the new admin account my profile folder is

>> accessible but I can't switch users because I no longer exist as a

>> user. I am an admin user when I restore it to my account.

>>

>>

>>

>> On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:09:23 -0300, "John John (MVP)"

>> <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:

>>

>>

>>>bill@love.ranch wrote:

>>>

>>>

>>>>Extensive snipping...

>>>

>>>>OH MY, back to the admin account. AND everytime I go thru the above

>>>>process it creates a NEW admin account. It is not just booting up in

>>>>the standard admin account, it creates a new one =

>>>>"Administration-computername-00x". So after redoing it again I had to

>>>>delete 6 admin account folders.

>>>>

>>>>More snipping...

>>>

>>>>AH, let's see where I am this AM. WHAT! it is back in a new admin

>>>>account!

>>>

>>>It sounds like a permission issue on the profile folder in the

>>>%SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings folder, make sure that the user has

>>>full control on his profile folder.

>>>

>>>John

[Guest John John (MVP)]

Re: My computer is possessed - a real story

 

If you are running on XP Pro turn off Simple File Sharing, if you are

running on XP Home boot to Safe Mode, you will then have access the

security settings when you right click on the folder.

 

How to disable simplified sharing and set permissions on a shared folder

in Windows XP (Pro)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307874

 

You can also use the CACLS command to grant full permissions to the user:

 

cacls C:"\Documents and Settings\username" /t /e /g username:f

 

John

 

bill@love.ranch wrote:

> OK- that reference describes exactly what is happening re creating new

> accounts.

>

> I restored back to a good time where my account comes up.

> Since my account is an admin account I tried it. No security tab.

> I switched to admin account. No security tab.

>

> All I have is General-Sharing-Customize and an Advanced button -- no

> Security.

>

> I have seen that window before but I cannot remember how I got to it.

> Do I have something set that negates that function?

>

>

>

>

>

> On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:48:09 -0300, "John John (MVP)"

> <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:

>

>

>>You need to look at the NTFS permissions on the profile folder and make

>>sure that the user has full control on it. Get the real profile folder

>>path from HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.

>>

>>This article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314045 is written for

>>Windows 2000 but the same applies to Windows XP.

>>

>>John

>>

>>bill@love.ranch wrote:

>>

>>

>>>once it boots into the new admin account my profile folder is

>>>accessible but I can't switch users because I no longer exist as a

>>>user. I am an admin user when I restore it to my account.

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:09:23 -0300, "John John (MVP)"

>>><audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>>bill@love.ranch wrote:

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>>Extensive snipping...

>>>>

>>>>>OH MY, back to the admin account. AND everytime I go thru the above

>>>>>process it creates a NEW admin account. It is not just booting up in

>>>>>the standard admin account, it creates a new one =

>>>>>"Administration-computername-00x". So after redoing it again I had to

>>>>>delete 6 admin account folders.

>>>>>

>>>>>More snipping...

>>>>

>>>>>AH, let's see where I am this AM. WHAT! it is back in a new admin

>>>>>account!

>>>>

>>>>It sounds like a permission issue on the profile folder in the

>>>>%SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings folder, make sure that the user has

>>>>full control on his profile folder.

>>>>

>>>>John

[Guest John John (MVP)]

Re: My computer is possessed - a real story

 

If the permissions are found to be correct (make sure that there are no

Special or explicit denies, in the Advances security settings) then the

user profile may be corrupt.

 

How to copy data from a corrupted user profile to a new profile in

Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811151/

 

John

 

bill@love.ranch wrote:

> BTW

>

> The PROFILEIMAGEPATH in the reg for my profile is correct.

>

> The one for the admin is the first new one created - not the original

> admin.

>

>

>

> On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:48:09 -0300, "John John (MVP)"

> <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:

>

>

>>You need to look at the NTFS permissions on the profile folder and make

>>sure that the user has full control on it. Get the real profile folder

>>path from HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.

>>

>>This article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314045 is written for

>>Windows 2000 but the same applies to Windows XP.

>>

>>John

>>

>>bill@love.ranch wrote:

>>

>>

>>>once it boots into the new admin account my profile folder is

>>>accessible but I can't switch users because I no longer exist as a

>>>user. I am an admin user when I restore it to my account.

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:09:23 -0300, "John John (MVP)"

>>><audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>>bill@love.ranch wrote:

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>>Extensive snipping...

>>>>

>>>>>OH MY, back to the admin account. AND everytime I go thru the above

>>>>>process it creates a NEW admin account. It is not just booting up in

>>>>>the standard admin account, it creates a new one =

>>>>>"Administration-computername-00x". So after redoing it again I had to

>>>>>delete 6 admin account folders.

>>>>>

>>>>>More snipping...

>>>>

>>>>>AH, let's see where I am this AM. WHAT! it is back in a new admin

>>>>>account!

>>>>

>>>>It sounds like a permission issue on the profile folder in the

>>>>%SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings folder, make sure that the user has

>>>>full control on his profile folder.

>>>>

>>>>John