Accidentally Changed SID?-Computer Messed Up

[unreal030]

Hello everyone.

I wasn't sure where to put this so I put it in this section....

Before I start, forgive me if this post is a bit long, but I feel all information is very important in helping to solve an issue, and I tend to go off on tangents, so please stay with me here.

It seems I have run into a bit of an issue that I need help in examining, and hopefully fixing. My hope is that, through advice here I will be able to fix this manually rather than taking it in to some business to get it fixed professional (which also means paying them to fix it).

Now I am not terribly knowledgeable about computers as far as the technical side but I know my way about pretty well compared to the average person of my age. As far as this goes, I know that the more information I can give you guys, the better.

I am a University student and mostly use my computer for: University work, PC Games (quite a bit), and storage of a multitude of things, and basic activities like internet and etc of course.

Lets begin:

Computer: Inspiron 1520 Laptop from Dell

OS: Vista HOME PREMIUM (I also have a 320GB Western Digital external drive connected to it about 95% of the time)

NEWSID

System Specs: (I attained this from the System option under Control Panel)

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo CPU T7300 @ 2.00GHz 1.99 GHz

Memory (RAM):   2046 MB

System type:   32-bit Operating System




Problem:


Ok, now, lets not get into why, but I ended up trying to use a program that I was told to use called:

NewSid v. 4.10 to change my SID (unsure what that is). In retrospect I probably should have found out before using the program, but I didn't. So basically, I am an idiot, this is my own fault, I never should have meddled with it, but now I have a problem, and I need to get it fixed, so lets move on.

I used it, it showed my original SID, (I wrote it down on a piece of paper, its on one of the tables somewhere in my house if I need to tell you guys it). It also showed a new SID, the one it would be changing my old one to.

So, I start the process.

It says its in the process of changing it for about 5 minutes...I wait 5 more minutes...nothing, I wait 5 more minutes...nothing. At this point, I have the feeling something is wrong. I look up this thing on the internet.

I find out this program changes your computers' SID so as to fix a problem or something like that. However, I also found out that it does not work for Vista, it is meant for XP. I also read a snippet from some conversation I can't really understand stating that changing the SID can have some bad effects potentially.

So, at this point in time, I am more than a little nervous in regards to my situation. I try to wait it out and hope that it resolves itself, but to no avail.

My only option was to shut down my computer, since I couldn't exit out of the app or anything like that. So I crossed my fingers, held down the power button on my laptop and immediately shut it off.

I turn my computer back on. All is fine. So I think "Ok, thank god, I got lucky, I guess it didn't end up changing the SID or whatever". I was planning on reorganizing my computer a bit that night anyway, so I went to doing that. This was around 7pm. Around 11pm (all things are working fine, it seems like zero things are wrong, just as fast, no errors, nothing), I decide to retire to my bedroom to do some casual internet browsing while watching TV before going to bed.

I unplug my Laptop, I unplug my external hard drive. I turn off the computer for the transfer (the normal way, through start menu). I hook them both up in my bedroom and I turn on my computer. I see at the log on screen that there are 2 users on my computer now, instead of just the one, mine.

I am thinking this cannot be good.

The other user is called:

ASP.NET Machine Account

It is to the left of my user picture.

So I think...ok lets see what happens here....

I log in to my user account. What happens? It is stuck on the little changing circle (the loading icon for vista) for about 30 seconds longer than normal, my computer is pretty fast normally. Then, when it should start showing my desktop and everything, instead, the screen goes completely black. However, my mouse is still there, and I can move it around. I just can't click anything, the screen is 100% black, I can't see anything, ctrl+alt+delete won't work, nor will alt+tab or ESC.

Since I am unable to do anything but move my mouse around, I turn off the computer.

I turn it back on, the screen comes up saying that it didn't shut down right, and I pick the option to run in safemode.

I try and log in to the new user, ASP.NET Machine Account however no passwords will work.

So I back out of that, and I log in to my User account. Thankfully, it works. I have no background, so on and so forth, the regular visual effects of safe mode. All of my icons are there, all of my start menu stuff is fine, all of my files are where they should be, and I can access my 320GB hard drive and all of that just fine.

So I think "Well, thank god, at least I know all of my files and stuff are safe" ...because frankly...I have a lot. I have a 150GB Hard drive on the computer, about 30GB are left, and my 320GB hard drive has 40GB left (I was going to clean this out a bit).

So, I decide to try and use the windows System Restore function. I have limited space apparently set for system restore, so the farthest back I can restore my computer is about 4pm that day, which is about 2 hours or so before I decided to use that SID changing program. It takes awhile to do its thing, and it restarts the computer. I try to enter my user thing (in regular mode, not safe mode of course), and I end up with the same problem. Black screen, but I can see and move my mouse.

I think..well crap. I try it again with the system restore option I have on a program I use called TuneUp Utlities 2008. It does the whole process (faster than the normal Windows one funnily enough) and it says that the System Restore failed.

So...in a last ditch attempt to see if I can get my computer to fix itself, I use a think called System Doctor or something like that on TuneUp Utlities 2008 that checks for errors and the like on your computer. It found no errors.

So...here I am.

My files are apparently safe, all stores and useable on safe mode. But naturally, that doesn't do me all that much good.

Can I fix this manually? Or do I have to take this in to a professional to fix?

I am assuming all of my files will be fine through the process of fixing this issue? Otherwise..I can copy the majority of my personal files (pictures, folders with information, college word documents, job resume, and so on) on to the remaining 40GB of my Hard Drive, although I will have to be somewhat conservative in deciding what to copy and what not to. My games would have to suffer but nothing a simple reinstall of each can't fix. If you think this is a precaution I should take let me know.

I hope we can fix this issue through the knowledge of the people on this forum.

I appreciate any help or advice you can offer.

I also ask that you please try to use lamens terms when directing me on what to do because I won't catch a lot of the tech lingo I am sure.

If you need any other information, feel free to ask and I would be happy to get it for you.

Sincerely,

Unreal030


P.S. - I don't know if this has any relevance to my problem, but as far as I know, I am still on SP1 or whatever it is of Vista. I think they recently came out with SP2 or some other big, main update, the first one for Vista? I, as far as I know, didn't get that.

[SevenLZ]

I am not an expert with Vista, at all, but if you were using a program that was written for WinXP to change your SID (Which stands for Security Identifier), the program attempted to modify your registry.

Two scenarios come to mind, each as likely as the other. The program could have been in the process of changing your registry as if it were the WinXP registry and failed, leaving garbage or invalid entries in your registry under your user or user group (where the SID is stored), which would cause an abnormal boot.

If this is the case, the problem can be fixed by accessing your default Administrator account (if one is present in vista), creating a backup of your My Documents and Desktop folders under your current username, and deleting and recreating your username with the EXACT same password (that is very important). The new 'you' will load properly and your SID will be restored, you will then be able to access the backup copies of your 'desktop' and 'my documents' folders and retreive your documents. (If your default Administrator account is not accessible in vista, you will have to log into your OWN account in safe mode, create an Adminstrator account, and then complete the above steps)

The second scenario is that the WinXP and Vista registries are similar enough that the program either succeeded or partially succeeded in changing your SID before it was terminated by an error or by Vista's security controls. SIDs exist for the purpose of managing user rights to computer resources. When a user requests the ability to execute a program (Lets say, Explorer, or whatever shell is being used), Vista will check the user's SID against what is called an ACL to determine whether or not that user has the priveledge to execute that program. If you have an invalid or corrupt SID, or two different SIDs associated with your user or usergroup, you may not have the priveledges necessary to start many of the processes (or any of the processes) critical to running a user environment. I beleive the method prescribed above will also fix this problem.

If this method does not work, you will need to seek some way to repair your registry or access the Recovery Console, and you may have to use some third party program (Like Total Commander) to reclaim your data. A format should not be necessary.

[programming_pat]

How did you go with that process

[patio]

How did you go with that process

What does this bump accomplish ? ?

[Dias de verano]

How did you go with that process

What does this bump accomplish ? ?

It increases Programming Pat's post count (and nothing else).

[mcxeb52!]

or you might attempt just doing system restore, which would restore your registries but that's provide you have some restore point that's clean saved.

But you might need to reinstall newer programs that existed AFTER a specific restore point so that the registry entries are properly inserted by the programs so they can run properly and no documents should be affected.

[unreal030]

well..oddly enough. I just tried, for the [bleep] of it to restore the last good boot or whatever it is called in the advanced boot options. (F8). It seems to have worked. I logged into my user account in regular mode (i.e. not safe mode) and it worked perfectly. Nothing seems to be wrong.

To double check, so I would be sure what happened last time wouldn't happen, I told my computer to restart. Still works fine. So it seems that my computer fixed itself in effect.

However, I was curious if it is alright to leave that other user account there. (the ASP.net Machine account one). Will that cause any problems. I don't really mind the small aesthetic deterrent it causes on my login screen if it won't cause any issues. I'd rather not play with fire unless I have to, know what I mean?

[patio]

Be aware that everytime you use Last Known Good Configuration that config is replaced with the new (even if unsuccessful) boot history...
Time to start considering a solid backup strategy.
I highly suggest Acronis True Image.

[unreal030]

Be aware that everytime you use Last Known Good Configuration that config is replaced with the new (even if unsuccessful) boot history...
Time to start considering a solid backup strategy.
I highly suggest Acronis True Image.

Could you explain to me what this does in lamens terms. I looked it up on wikipedia and the wording just lost me for some reason. It doesn't want to click in my head. I think it was mostly the liberal use of "images" and "discs"

Does it make a copy of your hard drive or something? Then can you store it somewhere? and then if your computer messes up, it basically is like reformatting your computer, but you get to keep all your files and the like?

If this is the case. What if I don't have enough room to store it anywhere? I mean I have about 30GB left on by hard drive and 40 on my external. I don't exactly want to use that up for backup. Where would you store the copy? Since it would no doubt be quite large in size?

I will definitely look into this, and thank you for mentioning it to me.

[Dias de verano]

Does it make a copy of your hard drive or something? Then can you store it somewhere? and then if your computer messes up, it basically is like reformatting your computer, but you get to keep all your files and the like?

Yup. Sounds like you got the picture.

If this is the case. What if I don't have enough room to store it anywhere?

You better make some room, if you value your data.

I mean I have about 30GB left on by hard drive and 40 on my external. I don't exactly want to use that up for backup.

Why not? Get your priorities right.

Where would you store the copy? Since it would no doubt be quite large in size?

DVDs? External hard drive?

[mcxeb52!]

yeah do backup your files. It's important. Acronis Disk Imager helps ... your computer is basically restored to the exact state it was when you created the image. All files, programs, and window status that existed for that time point in which the image is made is all restored.
---

But you have an external drive so why not use it to backup important files? Say ... make a small partition in the external drive and just dump files there that you are sure you'd die without?

[patio]

External drives fail also...burning to DVD is the safest bet.