*!NOT your usual Vista Password Problem - Incorrect Password every time

[KVE]

Dear Experts and Gurus,

I have been using Windows for many years but I have never come across a problem like this.

I use an HP Pavillion dv6675us notebook and Windows Vista Ultimate x64. I am not an expert but I am reasonably proficient.

Here are the symptoms and some workarounds I have tried to no avail.

1. My User account has a password.  The Password has NOT been changed.  Or the password has JUST been changed and I KNOW what it is. Suddenly, todayafter logging out last night and restarting computer today, I CANNOT log in again. Iget the usual Password incorrect message. Vista Ultimate even showsthe password hint. Yet it will not take the "correct" password.

2. The only way to login is to go into SAFE MODE and enter using my password. So the same password works in SAFE MODE, but it does not work in Normal Mode. Even changing the password does not enable me to login in Normal mode.

The process does not even work if I blank the password via SAFE MODE and try and login via Windows Normal mode.

3. In SAFE Mode I created a new account without a password (blank) but that does not work either.


3a. If I go and create NEW USER account (under SAFE MODE and then try normal login) . If the NEW USER has BLANK password it still does not go past the welcome screen to login into windows. If the New User has a password, windows does NOT recognize the password again.

4. I have tried to click the blue accessibility button on the welcome screen and select type without the keyboard. Then, I used the onscreen keyboard to type the password. This did not work either.

In Summary the only way for me to access the computer is via SAFE MODE. I cannot access Windows in Normal mode even when I set up new USER with blank password, but I can access that same new user with a blank password under SAFE MODE, or if a new password has been allocated I can use a new password in SAFE MODE.

Can anyone help me to access windows under normal conditions please? I would appreciate if any Expert or Guru can set out a SOLUTION that works and fixes this problem. 

I have never come across this problem before and would really appreciate some help.

Thank you in advance.

[KazooTom]

That is a very unusual problem, one I've never heard of before either. Do you have the original OS install disks? If you do, is there a function to "repair" your installation like there was in XP? Clearly something in the OS has become corrupted and a reinstall of the OS may be the only answer. Clearly you are able to access the machine through safe mode to back up any data you have on the machine. It may be lots of work, but resetting the machine to factory new may be your best solution.

[petersrj2004]

Good morning.  Did you ever get a resolution on this.  I have the exact same problem startting this morning.

[Rixander]

okay if this is a recent problem for the 2 of you

KVE and Peter

if you have been checking emails or browsing

the internet or recent updates

if that is common to you 2

see if undo the update if not the factor

check for virus or computer attack

the securtiy ware that you have

and make sure if it did not detect any

password does not change unless you changed it

and nothing other than you should change it

i dont beleive windows updates would have changed

and also would make it next to impossible when

creating new user and problem you "KVE" does

not sound like windows behavoir and what would

that caused it and that should not be microsoft

sorry i fixed a typo error about the password

does not change unless you changed it

Message Edited by rickp400 on 03-18-2009 01:20 PM

[KVE]

Yes it is a recent problem.  I have not been able to resolve this yet and it is frustrating.

I have been using Comodo firewall with built in anti virus. 

I am unable to carry out an anti malware check as most anti malware is suitable for vista 32 bit only and not vista 64 bit - which is what I have and anti malware software is not being installed in safe mode.  (As you will note I can only access the computer via safemode).

It has been suggested to try 'System Restore' under safe mode and I am going to try this.

I'll update the forum if I can get this to work.

Kve

[SWY]

Are you using (or do you have connected) an external keyboard?  You seem to be describing a problem I've noted which is related to some issue with keyboard drivers loading at startup.  When I have encountered it, if I disconnect the external keyboard and reboot, I can then login normally.  BTW, it has nothing to do with using the external keyboard but instead just its presence. Actually, it could also be related to some other USB driver conflicting with a keyboard driver, since it has actually been more common when a lot of USB devices are connected through a hub at startup, but I've only ever had to disconnect the keyboard and reboot.

FWIW, it never happened with Vista Home Edition but started happening occasionally with Ultimate.  It also will occur with the Windows 7 beta.  My impression is this is actually an HP driver issue and not a Vista (or Windows 7 problem).  Given the HP keyboard filter is not compatible with Vista Ultimate, it just wouldn't surprise me to be an unaddressed HP problem....

Stephen

Message Edited by SWY on 03-20-2009 07:02 PM

[KVE]

No I am not using an external keyboard. I have never used an external keyboard. 

[KVE · Accepted solution]

Finally a solution that works -

I used System Restore under 'Safe Mode' and took the System back to point a couple of weeks before the problem started and after what seemed ages the system has restored to the old point and I can log in under normal mode.

Make sure that you make all backups of essential data.  So far as I can tell - I have not lost any data.

I tried many solutions such as trying to Reset the User Account Passwords using an Editor Tool - that didn't work, I tried to clean the registry under safe mode - no luck, I tried to run antimalware programs under safe mode - but most antimalware programs don't work for vista 64 bit, only 32 bit.   The programs I was able to run found no virus or malware so not sure what to make of why this happened.

But bottom line System Restore worked.  I was very worried so System Restore was the second last method I was trying - with final one being reloading the OS - which thankfully I have not needed to do.

[nebraska51]

I have had the password problem 3 times in the last 9 mo. and I believe it is the windows update because it seems to have a correlation to the downloads. Tomorrow I go in for my 4th service call. How can you call this resolved? This will be my last HP as I can't afford a service call every 3 months and this issue is a definite flaw in the computer and not a virus.

[Annyyu22]

This is very easy to do, but rather than explain it all here, I've found two articles that show you exactly how to do it.
This is the easiest method, but for this you need to have the Windows Setup DVD that came with you computer, if not go to the second link.

If you dont have the setup DVDs, then follow this link to fix it. These methods requires a bit more work though, but is just as effective.

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