Unable to login Windows XP due to LongonUI.exe Application Error

[QJ]

Hello,

My PC was hang after a newly downloaded screen saver
kicked in for more than one hour. Only thing I can do was
power-off the PC. When re-starting the PC, Logonui.exe
Application Error is displayed: The memory could not be
"Read". After OK several this message, a small user login
screen displays. However, when I typed in password and
click the login button, Userinit Logon Application Error
screen occurs. I could not bring in anything to screen
except background and Screen Saver.

Can anybody help me get into the PC?

Thanks in advance.

[Malke]

QJ wrote:

> Hello,
>
> My PC was hang after a newly downloaded screen saver
> kicked in for more than one hour. Only thing I can do was
> power-off the PC. When re-starting the PC, Logonui.exe
> Application Error is displayed: The memory could not be
> "Read". After OK several this message, a small user login
> screen displays. However, when I typed in password and
> click the login button, Userinit Logon Application Error
> screen occurs. I could not bring in anything to screen
> except background and Screen Saver.
>

Try to get into the computer by using Safe Mode (repeatedly tap the F8
key as the computer is starting up to get the right menu). Once there,
scan with your current antivirus using updated definitions.

Malke
--
MS-MVP Windows User/Shell
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic"

[Malke]

QJ wrote:

> Malke, thank you for your help.
>
> I was trying to login Windows with Safe Mode, but encountered the same
> errors as at normal mode. Then I tried to bring up task manager.
> Through there I was able to bring back desktop. However, Norton
> AntiVirus in PC is not functioning. I tried to re-install it but got
> MSIEXEC.exe application Error. When I access any item in control
> pannal, RUNDLL32.exe error occurs.
>
> Right now the most applications in my PC do not work. I would like to
> know what I can do to solve the problems. Is there DOS version
> Antivirus utility I can use ?
>
Hi, QJ. It certainly sounds like you've got a virus that immediately
breaks any av installed. This could happen if you had an older
antivirus version, weren't updating its definitions or didn't renew
your subscription. If your XP installation was done with FAT32 (DOS
won't see NTFS partitions), you could try F-Prot for DOS, but the usual
way to deal with this is to:

1) Take the infected machine off the Internet and any lan immediately.
2) From a different, clean machine download Stinger here:

(http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/)

and run it in Safe Mode. Stinger is a limited virus checker, but its
advantage is that it is standalone and doesn't need to be installed.
3) Hope that Stinger cleans up the machine enough to be able to
reinstall your av or install a new, current one. Update its definitions
and do a full scan.
4) Continue the cleaning process by removing any spyware with Spybot
Search & Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org) and Ad-aware
(http://www.lavasoftusa.com). Be sure to update these programs before
running them. These programs are free, so run them both since they
complement each other. It is best to run antivirus and spyware removal
tools in Safe Mode.

Now, if you can't even run Stinger, you might try booting with a current
av like Norton. You'd want the most current one out there so if your
version isn't 2004, you need a newer one. If all that doesn't work,
then you can either 1) take the machine to a good local computer repair
shop and see if they can clean it up; 2) format the drive, reinstall
Windows, reinstall programs from cd's, restore data from backups.

Good luck,

Malke
--
MS MVP - Windows Shell/User
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"

[Malke]

QJ wrote:

> Malke,
>
> Thank you very much for your advice. My PC finally comes back.
>
> After running Stinger, Betal.n@mm is detected. More than 100 files
> were contaminated by the virus, including av files and other system
> files. As you suggested I upgraded my Norton av and downloaded Spybot
> and Ad-aware. Those utilities removed 300 some files from my pooly
> maintained PC. What a mess!
>
> This incident really teaches me a lesson. I'll keep your e-mail as the
> Bible and clean up my PC routinely.
>
> Thanks again and Have a good weekend.
>
Thanks for letting me know the solution, QJ. Yes, certainly you should
bow before me, the Empress of the World ;-) NOT! I'm glad you got
everything sorted out.

Have a nice weekend and enjoy your clean computer!