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rlohmann
August 13th, 2005, 07:32 AM
When I hit the "Start" button to reboot my machine yesterday--ironically, my intention was to reboot with Linux--XP presented me with only one option: Log off. No "shut down, restart, standby" choices.

I brought up the Task Manager, but the "Shut down" menu item offers only the "switch user" option. The others are grayed out.

Also, it occurs to me, the "hibernate" function, although enabled and formerly functional, hasn't worked for several weeks.

I am probably dealing with a corrupted registry here, but I'm not sure what to do about it.

Any assistance might well result in expungement of one or more demerits.

fhaber
August 13th, 2005, 08:59 AM
No real ideas. Who's handling your dual boot? Lilo? Shudder.

I'd try System-Restoring to earlier. All programs|Accessories|System Tools|System restore. That's usually benign, believe it or not.

But XP may know something about the boot sector that's very bad. I feel for you.

If anything else fails, I'd *immediately* boot from a floppy or CD containing something like the Hitachi/IBM disk tools and do a sector scan. That brand's a favorite with techs because it does not thumb its nose at other makes of hard drive.

fhaber
August 13th, 2005, 10:00 AM
I put out feelers. This one seems apropos.

=========
Does XP somehow think he's using 'Remote Desktop'? Have him try CTRL+ALT+END

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q303070/


The Shutdown command is not available on the Start menu to shut down,
restart, or place a remote computer in a sleep state (for example, standby
or hibernation) when you are using Remote Desktop. To shut down a remote
computer when you are using Remote Desktop, press CTRL+ALT+END, and then
click Shutdown. Or, use the shutdown command at a command prompt. For
additional information about the shutdown command, type shutdown /? at a
command prompt.

=================

(Added later)

I haven't stressed enough that this is doubtless an issue of permissons. Try logging on as administrator, in Safe Mode if necessary (F8, quick like a bunny and several times, just after the boot manager goes away.)

A second acquaintance has summarized this better than I did.....

===========
I don't think it is related to the dual boot or boot.ini. It sounds like
the default rights have somehow been messed up, or the user is somehow
logged on as a guest.

Administrative Tools, Local Security Policy.
Computer Configuration, Windows Settings, Security Settings, Local
Policies, User Rights Assignment.

Double-click 'Shut down the system' - who has that right?

John
==============
(eot Sunday)

rlohmann
August 13th, 2005, 12:07 PM
No real ideas. Who's handling your dual boot? Lilo? Shudder.Grub, which is quite well behaved, but it's unlikely that it's the culprit; I hadn't used Linux for several weeks.
I'd try System-Restoring to earlier. All programs|Accessories|System Tools|System restore. That's usually benign, believe it or not.That's the first thing I tried. Problem didn't go away. Since you've suggested it, though, I'll try a restore point a few days earler.
But XP may know something about the boot sector that's very bad. I feel for you.Even though I don't think Grub is the culprit, I'm getting a little nervous. By coincidence, I did a complete Ghost of my hard drives on Tuesday, but I'd rather not format the C drive and reinstall XP.
If anything else fails, I'd *immediately* boot from a floppy or CD containing something like the Hitachi/IBM disk tools and do a sector scan. Sounds good. Where do I get it?

rlohmann
August 13th, 2005, 12:09 PM
I put out feelers. This one seems apropos.

=========
Does XP somehow think he's using 'Remote Desktop'? Have him try CTRL+ALT+END
Tried it. Didn't work. :(

Judy G. Russell
August 13th, 2005, 01:18 PM
Tried it. Didn't work. :(
Once upon a time, there was a really good forum for Windows NT/XP etc. support on Compuserve. It still exists, but I can't speak for how good it is. Still, it's free and worth a try, so you can click here (http://community.compuserve.com/winprohelp) to give it a whirl.

fhaber
August 13th, 2005, 07:10 PM
>Sounds good. Where do I get it?

http://www.hgst.com/hdd/support/download.htm

Do whip by the XP Pro and Linux forums. There are still some sharp people left.

I stress that I've never heard of anything remotely like this. Do let us know.

rlohmann
August 14th, 2005, 03:41 PM
http://www.hgst.com/hdd/support/download.htmGot it.
I stress that I've never heard of anything remotely like this.Well....

I downloaded and ran the DFT program, both the basic and the advanced options. The hard drive is clean. I also ran a utility called Registry Mechanic, which which I bought a few months ago and hadn't tried.

The only result is that XP boots much faster than it did before, and everything loads much more quickly, but I still don't have anything but "Log Off" on either the Start button or the Task Manager.

I'll go poke around some websites.

Windows! :mad:

fhaber
August 14th, 2005, 04:10 PM
Please check all my msgs. here for revisions. And did you try the commandline "shutdown" command?

Early and incomplete citations of the Schlieffen Plan will earn you no credits. Move some of your forces off the right flank of Registry and press on in Permissions.

rlohmann
August 14th, 2005, 09:02 PM
Please check all my msgs. here for revisions.?
And did you try the commandline "shutdown" command?Of course. With both the Start button and the Task Manager having gone South, that's been the only way I've been able to reboot the sucker.
Early and incomplete citations of the Schlieffen Plan will earn you no credits.Such admonitions have no applicability to me. Europe will only be secure when the last button on the right sleeve of the last Pomeranian grenadier in the rightmost file brushes the North Sea.
Move some of your forces off the right flank of Registry and press on in Permissions.Typical left-wing obscurantism. The Right never moves off. The Old Guard dies, but it never surrenders. However, having many times read your newspaper, Pravda, in the original French, I can understand your cryptic incantation. You are referring to some subkey of the HKLM.

It is slow going, however.

There are Communists in Redmond, Washington. Of this I'm certain.

fhaber
August 15th, 2005, 06:51 AM
(rushing)

You might try just establishing a new account with admin privs. Then copy over everthing. There's an MS technote on this.

Otherwise, there's the user-rights snapin mentioned above. This may have implications similar to crossing Bleeding Belgium. Bonne chance.

rlohmann
August 15th, 2005, 07:25 PM
You might try just establishing a new account with admin privs. Then copy over everthing. There's an MS technote on this.I gave up and did that. Of course, the new account has a perfectly normal "start" button, but I'm slightly annoyed at not having run down the actual problem. This was just a workaround.

Bleah.
Otherwise, there's the user-rights snapin mentioned above.Didn't need to get that elaborate. I just went to the Control Panel and created another administrator account. This may have implications similar to crossing Bleeding Belgium. Bonne chance.Belgium right now has more problems than even Bismarck could have solved, so....

Anyway, thank you for having pointed out a way around the problem. Your total number of demerits has been reduced by 2.349

rlohmann
August 15th, 2005, 08:01 PM
I did go and look at it, but didn't pursue that avenue because I kept thinking I was getting ever closer to solving the problem by digging around in the registry.

As you can see from my note to Frank, I finally just gave up and created a new administrator account. I haven't deleted the old one, however, but it's still one I can use on a rainy day to tinker with

Judy G. Russell
August 15th, 2005, 08:11 PM
I did go and look at it, but didn't pursue that avenue because I kept thinking I was getting ever closer to solving the problem by digging around in the registry.
IOW, you didn't want to stop and ask directions?

rlohmann
August 16th, 2005, 04:42 PM
What? And have people think I'm some kind of Communist? <sneering in bewilderment>

(In reality the rationale is more mundane. When Windows starts to go, it often disintegrates rapidly. I just decided that I needed a stable platform for the short term while I fool with the damaged registry.)

Judy G. Russell
August 16th, 2005, 04:45 PM
What? And have people think I'm some kind of Communist? <sneering in bewilderment>
Well, when the alternative is driving into Long Island Sound...

rlohmann
August 16th, 2005, 05:07 PM
I was not driving into Long Island Sound. I was merely being cautious because we weren't all that far from Amagansett, and the threat level was red for Communist submarines.

Judy G. Russell
August 16th, 2005, 06:26 PM
I was not driving into Long Island Sound.
You're right that you were not driving into Long Island Sound. As I recall, I was driving and you were telling me which way (right of course) to turn.

rlohmann
August 19th, 2005, 06:11 PM
Would I ever tell anyone to turn left? (You yourself, if you recall, pointed out that driving in New Jersey is a Good Thing for those of my political persuasion because you only have to make right turns.)

Judy G. Russell
August 19th, 2005, 08:40 PM
Actually, in a typical jughandle you do have to have (gasp) one or more left turns. Do you think you can handle that without cardiac arrest?

rlohmann
August 21st, 2005, 09:52 AM
Actually, in a typical jughandle you do have to have (gasp) one or more left turns. Do you think you can handle that without cardiac arrest? No, you don't, unless you encounter some subsequent intersection where you have to turn left. The whole idea of the jughandle, which I heartily endorse, is that you avoid a left turn in your direction of travel by turning to the right.

Would that some politicians would do that.

Judy G. Russell
August 21st, 2005, 09:58 AM
I hate to inform you of this but... not every jughandle is after the intersection (where to turn left you would turn right). Some (like the one to get to my house from Route 1 north), is BEFORE the intersection, so you turn right, then left and then left again to be able to get here.

rlohmann
August 21st, 2005, 02:45 PM
Well, since I always approach your house from the NJT and Rte 9, I have only to make a right turn.

<sneering benevolently>

Judy G. Russell
August 21st, 2005, 03:51 PM
Well, since I always approach your house from the NJT and Rte 9, I have only to make a right turn.
Except when (ahem) you get lost.