Windows XP Log On Problem

I usually use the Microsoft Access Board. I am having a Windows XP problem with my wifeÆs computer.

I donÆt see much activity on this board, so letÆs get it rolling.

I have Windows XP home edition installed on my wifeÆs computer. The computer is a 2 year old VPR Matrix (Best BuyÆs brand) that came with the operating system pre-loaded. Windows update is set up to automatically update. The computer is rarely turned off, so I donÆt know when the problem started.

Windows started asking for a password (it never did that before) with the user name as ôOwnerö. I remember that if you did not provide a password when you installed the os, you leave the password blank (this is probably what happened because when I enter a password it says ôThe system could not log you on. Please re-enter passwordö. When I leave it blank, I get some activity. I will explain.

I have a screen that says ôWelcomeö, and there is a square button that says ôOwnerö. When you click it, it says ôloading your personal settingsö and makes the chime noise like it is going to start up, but then it says ôLogging Offö and you hear the chimes again and you are back to where you started with the welcome screen and the square button.

I looked into logging on as ôadministratorö. I found out that you had to start in the safe mode. I start up in the safe mode and have the same screen, but two buttons. One says ôOwnerö and the other says ôAdministratorö. The same thing as above happens when you click on either of the buttons.

If you hit control, alt, delete, you get a normal log on screen, but when you log on as ôownerö or ôadministratorö on the normal log on screen, the same thing happens and you go back to the ôWelcomeö screen.

I have a 3 year service plan with the computer. I called Best Buy and the rep was helpful. He said that this sometimes happens with Windows Updates. He said that I had to reload the operating system, but I would lose all of my data and would have to re-load programs, (stupid me, I have not backed up her data for about 4 months and she will lose a lot of digital pictures. Am I in trouble).

I have Roxio go back installed and reverted back a day. It did not help. We tried a few other things that did not work. I figured I would revert as far as I could, but when I tried, I had lost all of the past revert dates.

I had just updated Norton Anti Virus. I booted from the disk to see if there was a virus problem, but I had to disable ôGo Backö (this was after I lost all of the revert dates). No viruses.

Has anybody had this problem?

Does anybody have a solution?

Do I get an award for the longest post?

Help!!!!!!!!!!

Jocat