I have a Vista Home Premium laptop and at times want to lend it to family to use - but not under my account. I have tried creating another User account for this end, but every time after creating the account when I try to log on to that family user account, the display goes straight to the logging off screen. I can only seem to log on to my own account.

Anyone know the problem?

this site gives step by step advise

http://www.yoingco.com/user_accounts_vista.htm

this site gives step by step advise

http://www.yoingco.com/user_accounts_vista.htm

Thanks for link - which is the Windows help file basics but clearly written all the same.

Unfortunately my thread was poorly titled and I actually meant to say I cannot create a user account or even use a Guest account by turning it on. Whenever I select the new or guest account Vista goes to a brief Welcome screen, the Logging Off screen. I can only log onto my main Admin account. I guess it must be something else. I notice Google has few hits with this problem but no solutions other than an manufacturers image reinstall. No time for that.

Try:

Start -> Run -> cmd

Type:

net user USERNAME /add

or simply press the F1 key when you are on the desktop and read the Microsoft help already in your box with real examples.

From your account, check the following key in your registry using regedit.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\

There should be a string named userinit with a value of userinit.exe.

Beyond that it sounds like the Default user folder is corrupted or has been changed (by you or a virus) to have this behavior. You could try poking around the Default user folder, but the easiest thing would be to do a system repair from the Vista CD which will recreate the Default user folder.

or try this:

Click start,

in search bar type: netplwiz <enter>

the advance accounts control panel opens

From your account, check the following key in your registry using regedit.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\

There should be a string named userinit with a value of userinit.exe.

Beyond that it sounds like the Default user folder is corrupted or has been changed (by you or a virus) to have this behavior. You could try poking around the Default user folder, but the easiest thing would be to do a system repair from the Vista CD which will recreate the Default user folder.

Checked that and the value is without quotes:

"C:\Windows\system32\userinit.exe,"

Should it just be userinit.exe like you say? What does it do anyway?

I certainly don't have time to get the system repair out, would rather stick with the problem?! :-)

or try this:

Click start,

in search bar type: netplwiz <enter>

the advance accounts control panel opens

Thnks

I already tried at cmd line net user USERNAME /add

and run netplwiz - both are fast ways to create new accounts, but I cannot logon to them same as if I had used Vista Control Panel GUI to create them. Windows logs me straight off again when I click to access them.

From your account, check the following key in your registry using regedit.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\

There should be a string named userinit with a value of userinit.exe.

Beyond that it sounds like the Default user folder is corrupted or has been changed (by you or a virus) to have this behavior. You could try poking around the Default user folder, but the easiest thing would be to do a system repair from the Vista CD which will recreate the Default user folder.

Checked that and the value is without quotes:

"C:\Windows\system32\userinit.exe,"

Should it just be userinit.exe like you say? What does it do anyway?

I certainly don't have time to get the system repair out, would rather stick with the problem?! :-)

The path is correct.

Sorry, the only other idea I have is to restore the Default user folder/profile. As the problem only exisits with new accounts this is the first place I'd think to look. The userinit.exe was a long shot, and I figured it probably wouldn't be the issue in your case since you can log on fine with your account, but it was faster than a repair.

This is getting down to basics, but did you place the new users you created in the administrator group or user group? If they were in the users group, you could try placing them administrators. I'm guessing you'd have thought through this much already, but it's faster than doing a repair and it's all I can think of without having the computer in my hands for a closer inspection.

This is getting down to basics, but did you place the new users you created in the administrator group or user group? If they were in the users group, you could try placing them administrators. I'm guessing you'd have thought through this much already, but it's faster than doing a repair and it's all I can think of without having the computer in my hands for a closer inspection.

Thanks for your help. I hadn't tried creating new users in admin group until now and was just using user group.

If I do create admin level new users then I can logon to those accounts it seems. From those new admin user accounts I still cannot create and logon to standard and guest accounts.

So to some up I can now create new user accounts with Admin rights but cannot open Standard user or Guest account. Any more help on how to do latter would be appreciated:-)

Great, that's a good start. Now...

1) Go to the event viewer and clear the security and system logs.

2) Try to logon with one of the user accounts, which will fail.

3) Then logon with your admin account and check the event viewer again, the security and system logs.

4) If you see any warnings or errors logged then work from there, or copy and paste the event id and details here and we'll try to get to the bottom of it.

Great, that's a good start. Now...

1) Go to the event viewer and clear the security and system logs.

2) Try to logon with one of the user accounts, which will fail.

3) Then logon with your admin account and check the event viewer again, the security and system logs.

4) If you see any warnings or errors logged then work from there, or copy and paste the event id and details here and we'll try to get to the bottom of it.

Thanks for your event viewer idea. I have attached the two Windows Security event logs - but to me I cannot tell much from them. The first log shows what happens when I enable Guest logon account. The second what happens when I try to log on to it and get immediately logged off. Any ideas much appreciated:-)

EnableGuest_Eventlog.txt

LogOnGuestFailure_Eventlog.txt

Could you do the same with a new user account and show the same security log you have here with the logon and logoff events as well as the system and application log events that come up between the logon and logoff events (ID's 4648 & 4624 for logon, 4647 for logoff).

After creating the new user account and trying to logon with it at least once:

- You need to show hidden files & folders to view these -

Is there anything in the new user's startup folder?

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

What about the Default User? It may not have a startup folder.

C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\

Edited August 27, 200917 yr by surface

Could you do the same with a new user account and show the same security log you have here with the logon and logoff events as well as the system and application log events that come up between the logon and logoff events (ID's 4648 & 4624 for logon, 4647 for logoff).

After creating the new user account and trying to logon with it at least once:

- You need to show hidden files & folders to view these -

Is there anything in the new user's startup folder?

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

What about the Default User? It may not have a startup folder.

C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\

I created a new user account and have attached the event log here. It still doesn't mean much to me, but if you can see anything I'd be very impressed and appreciative:-)

LogOnStandardUserFailure_Eventlog.txt

BTW, after I create new account there is a folder created :

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\

which has two sub folders:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Maintenance

i.e. there is no Startup folder as you suggest.

The Default User is the same, i.e. Accessories and Maintenance but no Startup folder.

Could you copy the other logs I requested.

as well as the system and application log events that come up between the logon and logoff events (ID's 4648 & 4624 for logon, 4647 for logoff).

If you find any events in the those 2 logs between

Date: 27/08/2009 4:42:47 PM

and

Date: 27/08/2009 4:42:52 PM

post them here same as you've been doing.

The security log is not showing anything abnormal other than the fact that you logged on and off with these 3 events.

Date: 27/08/2009 4:42:47 PM

Event ID: 4648

Task Category: Logon

Account Name: Test New Std User

Date: 27/08/2009 4:42:47 PM

Event ID: 4624

Task Category: Logon

Account Name: Test New Std User

Date: 27/08/2009 4:42:52 PM

Event ID: 4647

Task Category: Logoff

Account Name: Test New Std User

The other logs will hopefully contain some clues as to what is forcing the immediate logging off of the user.

Edited August 27, 200917 yr by surface

Could you copy the other logs I requested.

as well as the system and application log events that come up between the logon and logoff events (ID's 4648 & 4624 for logon, 4647 for logoff).

If you find any events in the those 2 logs between

Date: 27/08/2009 4:42:47 PM

and

Date: 27/08/2009 4:42:52 PM

post them here same as you've been doing.

The security log is not showing anything abnormal other than the fact that you logged on and off with these 3 events.

Date: 27/08/2009 4:42:47 PM

Event ID: 4648

Task Category: Logon

Account Name: Test New Std User

Date: 27/08/2009 4:42:47 PM

Event ID: 4624

Task Category: Logon

Account Name: Test New Std User

Date: 27/08/2009 4:42:52 PM

Event ID: 4647

Task Category: Logoff

Account Name: Test New Std User

The other logs will hopefully contain some clues as to what is forcing the immediate logging off of the user.

My apologies for misreading your request. I have redone everything creating another standard user account. The 3 event files are attached. I notice there is ONE ERROR :-) in the application log file - not sure what to make of it. Thanks for your very helpful feedback.

Log Name: Application

Source: Microsoft-Windows-User Profiles Service

Date: 27/08/2009 7:11:13 PM

Event ID: 1542

Task Category: None

Level: Error

Keywords: Classic

User: SYSTEM

Computer: HPDV6220TX

Description:

Windows cannot load classes registry file.

DETAIL - The system cannot find the file specified.

Full events reports attached here

Failed_New_Standard_User_Event__Security.txt

Failed_New_Standard_User_Event__System.txt

Failed_New_Standard_User_Event__Application.txt

Check to see if you have the file userclass.dat in the following directory

C:\Users\<New Std User>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows

It's a hidden file, so make sure you have show hidden files and folders enabled.

Check to see if you have the file userclass.dat in the following directory

C:\Users\<New Std User>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows

It's a hidden file, so make sure you have show hidden files and folders enabled.

There is no file of that name but similar (UsrClass.dat) as is case for all my user folders:

C:\Users\New Std User\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows>dir /A

Volume in drive C has no label.

Volume Serial Number is 300D-679A

Directory of C:\Users\New Std User\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows

28/08/2009 09:29 AM <DIR> .

28/08/2009 09:29 AM <DIR> ..

13/01/2008 06:07 PM <DIR> History

24/04/2007 12:16 PM <DIR> Temporary Internet Files

28/08/2009 09:29 AM 262,144 UsrClass.dat

28/08/2009 09:29 AM 5,120 UsrClass.dat.LOG1

28/08/2009 09:29 AM 0 UsrClass.dat.LOG2

28/08/2009 09:29 AM 65,536 UsrClass.dat{7605d414-937a-11de-a072-d8b362be91d5}.TM.blf

28/08/2009 09:29 AM 524,288 UsrClass.dat{7605d414-937a-11de-a072-d8b362be91d5}.TMContainer00000000000000000001.regtrans-ms

28/08/2009 09:29 AM 524,288 UsrClass.dat{7605d414-937a-11de-a072-d8b362be91d5}.TMContainer00000000000000000002.regtrans-ms

6 File(s) 1,381,376 bytes

4 Dir(s) 73,845,673,984 bytes free

Edited August 28, 200917 yr by Digitalbanana

OK, it appears that something has either corrupted a part of the registry or is locking it.

Final suggestion:

1. Run msconfig and uncheck everything you can from the statup list that is not directly involved with running Windows
   
2. Disable any A/V software you have running
   
3. Restart
   
4. Create a new user
   
5. Log off and log in with the new user
   

If that works then an app you have running at startup is the cause.

If it doesn't work then it's time to bite the bullet and hope that a repair from the Vista CD will do the trick.

If you want to keep at it, here is the pertinent information from the logs.

Source: Microsoft-Windows-User Profiles Service

Event ID: 1542

Level: Error

Description:

Windows cannot load classes registry file.

DETAIL - The system cannot find the file specified.

Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-User Profiles Service"

Guid="{89B1E9F0-5AFF-44A6-9B44-0A07A7CE5845}"

EventSourceName="profsvc"

EventData Name="EVENT_FAIL_LOAD_CLASSES_HIVE"

It basically means the user hive is not loading causing the immediate logout. The hive contains basic profile information such as the location of the shell... no shell means no desktop.

Edited August 29, 200917 yr by surface

OK, it appears that something has either corrupted a part of the registry or is locking it.

Final suggestion:

1. Run msconfig and uncheck everything you can from the statup list that is not directly involved with running Windows
   
2. Disable any A/V software you have running
   
3. Restart
   
4. Create a new user
   
5. Log off and log in with the new user
   

If that works then an app you have running at startup is the cause.

If it doesn't work then it's time to bite the bullet and hope that a repair from the Vista CD will do the trick.

Yes, thanks for all the ideas. Tried your final one above still with no success. Also booting in safe mode didn't make a difference either. Looks like I can only create Admin accounts. Will stick with it for now until I buy Win7 as no time for the reinstall!