Stuck in Windows loop

[Joanne]

Using my laptop - Windows XP Home Edition. Was working fine, as always. Had a couple of registry changes windows, for Macromedia - allowed them. Ran SpyBot, allowing a restore point first, and after updating it on 7/2/08. After SpyBot found some problems and I allowed them to be removed, I rebooted.

Now, Windows won't let me in.

I get the window to select my name or a guest, and my computer previously
wasn't set up that way - it used to load and go right to my desktop.
Selecting either shows settings loading, then a quick screen flash, briefly
showing the desktop, then right back to that selection window, showing the
settings are being saved, then the two choices again - me or a guest.

At the bottom left is the option that gives the three choices. I've done the
restart and the shut down, twice each. Same result. I've unplugged, and removed the battery and let it sit for a while.

Started in safe mode, several times, using different choices. Each time, it
gets me to that same choices windows - administrator or me, now, and smaller - with the same flashing result and back to the same window.

Two other people on a Windows bb reported the same problem yesterday, one who also ran SpyBot just before the problem occurred. Don't know about the other person yet.

I've used SpyBot Search and Destroy for years, on both this laptop and my
desktop PC, with no problem. Right now, am on my fiance's computer, but I
have a lot of "stuff" on the laptop I need to get to.

HELP!!! Any suggestions?

Thanks - Joanne

[md usa spybot fan]

Joanne:

I'm sorry that you are having problems. If you were running either Spybot 1.3 or Spybot 1.4 and did a fix on a detection for HellzLittleSpy, a registry entry would have been changed that causes you to be logged off immediately after you log on.

For methods to fix the problem caused by fixing the HellzLittleSpy detection in either Spybot 1.3 or Spybot 1.4, see this blog entry:

• Userinit Issue
  http://forums.spybot.info/blog.php?b=14

[Mopeyone]

I've been having the same problem, which Joanne and I have been discussing on a Microsoft thread as well. I'm here at work on my day off, downloading to disk some of the programs you've recommended, and I sincererly hope they fix my home computer. WHEN that happens, a huge question: What happens about running Spybot after we're back on-line? Should we delete the software and start over with the latest version? My husband usually runs our spyware programs, and I thought he had all the latest installed. Is the infected version the latest?

I'm not exactly technologically advanced, but your instructions seem straightforward. I believe I've downloaded the software for Method #2 correctly, and will try that later.

Another question: On Bart's additional help links, he gave some free registry cleaning programs. What is the safety of using registry cleaners? (And this is a registry issue, if I'm understanding it correctly, yes?)

Thanks for the advice. Luck to us all,

Mopeyone (new poster)

[Joanne]

None of the many fixes referenced worked. I went out and bought the program that someone else had posted about here, before his post was deleted. It was also suggested on another post referenced elsewhere at this site. It may have been a blog.

Fix-It Utilities 8.0. $40, Staples had it with a $10 rebate. Great program! It restored to a previous point. All is well. I was VERY concerned before, and not happy with SpyBot, as it seems this problem was already reported on this forum.

Whew!

Not sure if I should trust SpyBot again. Am wary now of updating it. :(

- Joanne

[HP_XP_User]

None of the many fixes referenced worked. I went out and bought the program that someone else had posted about here, before his post was deleted. It was also suggested on another post referenced elsewhere at this site. It may have been a blog.

Fix-It Utilities 8.0. $40, Staples had it with a $10 rebate. Great program! It restored to a previous point. All is well. I was VERY concerned before, and not happy with SpyBot, as it seems this problem was already reported on this forum.

Whew!

Not sure if I should trust SpyBot again. Am wary now of updating it. :(

- Joanne

Joanne,


Glad my post helped re: Fix It and resolving the Hellz nightmare!

HP_XP_User

[Joanne]

On the Microsoft board, there are a lot of people with this same frustrating problem.

[Mopeyone]

I can't get Fix-It Utilities to run on my system. Don't know if I bought a bad disk, or my system is so screwed it won't let it run. Now I'm waiting for Avanquest support to give me options. I am incredibly frustrated right now. My holiday weekend is ruined....

Joanne, I assume when you used Fix-It it loaded fairly quickly and did it thing? It is doing nothing more for me than quickly showing the Fix-It helicopter logo, then seeming to run until it stalls on a black screen. Sigh...

Mopeyone

[kunsa429]

I know how to resolve the Stuck In Windows Loop. My question, how do you prevent problem from happening again after you execute Spybot and Spybot wants you to reboot PC to fix other problems.

This problem has happened twice immediately after I have executed SpyBot.

[Computerwriter]

I have a client who has been be-deviled with HellzLittleSpy (pun intended ). I've spent several hours reading posts in this and other fora...after re-building her registry twice (remove hard drive, put it into another system, then remotely edit Software hive to restore userinit.exe setting in Winlogon (see previous posts)).

The commonest explanation for how the Winlogon loop happens is that something has crept into recent definition updates that has caused Spybot version 1.3 to find a false positive, then to do a bad thing to the registry . But despite there being multiple reports of this also happening with version 1.5.2, various bot-team members insist it shouldn't happen with that version.

So I may have an answer for this apparent problem. Here's what's taken place on my client's system: Originally, she had version 1.3 installed. Then, she updated to version 1.5.2 without first uninstalling 1.3. How do I know this?

Ran Spybot. Clicked on Help, About. Spybot dutifully reported that it was version 1.3. Checked with client. "But I updated," she said. And, Add and Remove Programs agrees with her! Version 1.5.2 is what is listed in its record. Told A/RP to remove 1.5.2. It says it did, but it did it suspiciously quickly.

Started hunting. And, sure'nuff, there, in front of Ghod and everybody, sitting in the Start/Programs list, is Spybot Search and Destroy, together with its own uninstaller. Ran that and, taking longer this time, it removed SS&D again. Kept hunting. Checked her hard drive — guess what? There's a big Spybot Search and Destroy folder with tons of sub-folders. Manually deleted them .

Checked her Registry. Finally, all mention of Spybot gone.

Next, installed 1.6 ('cause I'm still a believer ). Told it to download new files while installing, then checked Update once the install was finished to discover (you've no doubt been there) that there are still more files to download . Re-immunized. Running 'bot-check even as we speak.........

And, lo the results are in...

Drumroll, please ............

76 new problems found (the client found only 2 before frying her system again) and none of them is HellzLittleSpy. More importantly, none of the entries found by Spybot refers to the Winlogon section of HKEYLocalMachine/software...

So, it would appear that 1.6 is clean - still some wrinkles, but clean.

But I also think it's time to go through the various posts to clean 'em up. We know what causes the problem. We know how to fix it. Preventing users from using newer definitions, etc. for old SS&D versions is a start, but cleaning up the long list of posts and flames and turning this into a FAQ would also be kinda helpful. Maybe? You think?

[easy72]

Around 7-8-08, I updated my spybot 1.3 vers and proceeded to run a scan. Hellz little spy appeared as malware and I removed or supposedly fixed it with spybot. The next day I could not get into my computer as I would be automatically logged out. I tried to do a repair with my XP installation disk to no avail as I was being asked for a password that I never had set in the first place. Since I only have one computer and my external storage drive will not run the operating system, I went out and bought myself a new internal drive and had to install Xp plus all the updates and my programs on it. I set up my old drive as a slave and found that I could at least access all my files which was somewhat of a relief. Finally, I was able to get to the internet and research the cause and any possible solutions. I finally found my way to this forum and learned that spybot itself was the total cause of my problem. By allowing users to update on old versions of spybot , this somehow caused a false positive for hellz little spy and the spybot fix was what really screwed up my computer log in log out process. I have used a computer for ten years and this is the worse problem encountered . Ironically, it was caused by a program that is supposed to help you eradicate problems. Eventually I decided to try method 2 on the userinit blog page. After three unsuccessful attempts, I was finally able to get out of the login logout loop using this method. Everything is not totally perfect with my old drive now though. It appears to hang a bit at the welcome screen before entering my desktop . Also alot of my shortcuts were missing from the desktop page and my wallpaper had changed. I am just posting this so people can be aware that spybot certainly is "use at your own risk software" and I ended up with the cost of a new hard drive and tons of wasted time trying to fix this log in logout mess.