Not a password problem, but similar - is there a solution?

[oldfogie]

Hello,

I am using an IBM Thinkpad laptop.  My problem is as follows: I turn the computer on and it starts to boot up.  I get to the Administrator dialogue box that asks for password.  I have never had a password and normally just hit Enter.  The next box comes up (as normal) that says "Preparing/Applying Preferences" and then suddenly it switches to "Closing Preferences" or something similar (I am currently at a Library computer so I don't exactly remember) and reverts back to the Administrator dialogue box for password.  I do not get an error dialogue box saying that "can't log you on or incorrect password" - it just goes through the aforementioned cycle.  I am really a dinosaur so am not sure what to do.  I tried booting in safe mode and diagnostics etc, but always get into that fatal cycle.  I don't thin it is a password problem as it seems to accept the "enter" command, but then loops back to the same dialogue box.  Any help would be appreciated.  If this is fatal, can the hard drive be taken to an expert and data retrieved at resonable cost?
Thank you

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

First of all, What Operating System?

Is there any error message? If so, we need that to help with your problem.

Also, can you try getting on in Safe Mode.

f this is fatal, can the hard drive be taken to an expert and data retrieved at resonable cost?

You could but you will have to be pretty rich to afford it...

[oldfogie]

Operating system is Windows 2000.  There is no error message - as stated the administrator box seems to accept the "enter" (I never had a password) and then continues with "applying preferences" but then loops back to the administrator box.  By pressing F8 when computer is starting up, I can get to the page that gives choices of safe mode, revert to last known good configuration, etc. etc. - but each option I tried always brings me to the same problem.
Thank you

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Hmmm....I don't suppose you have the Windows 2000 CD, do you?

[oldfogie]

No - computer came pre-installed with Windows 2000 and did not come with a disk.  I can get to a different screen (IBM product retrieval) which seems to imply that I can reinitialize Windows2000, but at the expense of reformatting the harddrive - which I don't want to do until all other options have been exhausted.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

I'm not sure there is much we can do....or at least what I can do...

From what it sounds like, there is a problem with your version of Windows which is preventing it from booting up.

Anyone else have any advice?

[RUBY02]

i had that same problem when my was not reading memory to boot up. if it was me,  i would,,,,,,, if you are suave disconnect maybe the battery for about 10min.
see what happends

by the way are you pressing the f4 or whatever boots to safemode)key long enough,  to boot in save mode. keep your finger down longer sometimes you can get the bios to jump to save mode. if that makes sense.

[RUBY02]

by the way i meant your lithum battery not charger.

[jerryheavyarms]

Try to borrow a Windows 2000 cd from a friend. Then run a recovery console..

[oldfogie]

Thank you everybody.  I will have to see if any of my friends have the Windows2000 disk (at this point probably not - laugh).  I took the computer to the local repair store and they wanted $160 just to have a look. Ouch.  They suggested not doing it unless I wanted just to retrieve any data.

Thanks for all the help