XP user account Help Please

Okay my bros hardrive crashed and hal.dll was missing he tried everything then just recovered windows. After he had to make a new user account, his old account is there in the documents and settings folder, but doesn't show up on login screen, how do I re-enable that account to show up on logon screen?

Thank you

 

thats easy. That error usually appears if there are HDD errors.

do a CHKDSK c: /r

do it in command prompt.

 

Yea did that but how to I re-enable the old account to work again

 

re-enable.... you shouldnt need to if you did the CHKDSK, it should be good to go.

what happened, did you do a repair install?... that removes the account settings in Windows.

Did you say "Recovered Windows"?.... in which way, with dumb Dell/HP/Sony discs that overwrites every to factory settings? (I hope not)

 

Are the old user account folder(s) are still there?

Is anything still there?

 

No I used xp disc to do recovery/repair an I ran chkdsk before and 2nd time it was suppose to restart it didn't so I just recovered/repair

 

yes old folders are there all files are there

 

ok, well if the programs are still there as well.... then....

go into the Documents and Settings > (old user folder)

transfer the Account Settings folder and Local Settings folder into the new account.

Note: This might not work if the account (that you newly made & want to move the old files into) is active... meaning = being in use.
______________

the easier and safer route....

- grab the (old user) folder's My Documents and move it to the new.
- do the same for the Desktop
- and (for your browser) if you are using Firefox, the favorites/bookmarks are all in the Application Data folder...
-- if using IE (booo shame on you), the Favorites are in the old user Folder

Note: same goes for any other programs that you had custom/special settings in.

The second method is the easiest and safest.

 

I did all that in safe mode and it all worked out well Thanks Gophn

 

ok, kewl.... glad it worked.... phew.

 

gosh reinstalling drivers is a pain in the ass

 

its quick if you have it all in a single source (like I always make a single drivers CD for each system that I make).... it comes in handy for such situations.

 

I have them all but just installing them.

 

yea its annoying, but I usually go through the Device Manager, rather than doing through the lame setup files for the drivers.