I can't log onto my computer

[daneault23]

Okay, so I tried to log onto my computer using the welcome screen and everything appears normal, except that it logs me off right away. My background sometimes appears for a second and then it kicks me back to the log on screen. After this was happening, after I got into the regedit.exe registry, I accidentally changed the userinit registry from C:\windows\system\32... blah blah blah to X:\...  Basically I just changed the C to a X because I was reading someone's answer to this problem and that's what they said to do. Now I can't even log on in safe mode or anything! I can't log onto my computer in any way. I read something about using a different computer to connect to the same network. All I know is that the computer this is happening on is a laptop, but at my house we have wireless internet, so I don't know if we're on the same network or not.  I don't really want to have a redo everything on my computer because there's some stuff I need on there. I"m almost positive I don't have a recovery CD or anything, and if I do, I probably won't be able to find it. Does anyone know what to do without having to re-install windows?  Until then, I'll search the internet for answers. What I do know is that A) The registry didn't get deleted, I just stupidly changed the thing. B) I can't use my laptop in any way and need help!

[patio]

Registry Repair in XP

You are going to have to track down an XP CD to facilitate these repairs. The version and Service Packs have to match what you have installed...i.e. XP Pro=XP Pro
XP Pro with SP2=XP Pro with SP2.

Needless to say without having a CD and no backups in place the Registry is the last place you should have been mucking around in...

[daneault23]

What kind of XP CD do I need to get? A system recovery CD or what? Is there a way by using a CD to get it back to normal without having to re-install XP so I don't lose my data? If not, I'll just do what I have to do.  Thanks for any help.

[Broni]

You are going to have to track down an XP CD to facilitate these repairs. The version and Service Packs have to match what you have installed...i.e. XP Pro=XP Pro
XP Pro with SP2=XP Pro with SP2.

[daneault23]

So what is the XP CD called? What am I looking for? Is it called "system recovery cd" or something like that. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by the "XP CD".  What would be ideal would be to use this "CD" to get things back to normal without losing my stuff, but if I can't do that, that's okay too, I guess.

[Broni]

Recovery CD will return your computer to its original state - all data, and installed programs will be lost.

Let's say, you have Windows XP Home with Service Pack 2 currently installed on your computer.
You'll need a CD, which says Windows XP Home with Service Pack 2, or you can get Windows XP Home CD, and you'll have to create new CD, where you'll slipstream SP2.
Wndows XP CD looks like this:

[daneault23]

Haha okay thanks. I feel dumb now cuz of the huge picture. So with this CD, will I be able to still get everything back that I had or will it also erase everything? I know I'm asking a lot of questions here, but I just want to know.

[Broni]

Better ask, than be sorry.
With that CD, you can try to repair Windows: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
There is no guarantee, it'll solve your problem, but your data will be safe.

[daneault23]

Thank you so much Broni for all the help. I'll try to do the repair shortly, and don't worry I'm sure I'll let you know if I have any problems. 

[Broni]

Cool