Topic: All XP settings gone

[jg]

Hi All,

Last week I started my computer up and all my Windows XP settings were gone. It was as if I started XP the first time (and I spent a lot of time tweaking it a while ago). Also when I started applications like Outlook Express or WMP, they asked me to configure it.

This is not all: EVERY TIME that I start up my computer all settings that I made the previous time are gone.

Does anybody have an idea of what might have happened?

Thanks,

JG

[DJ]

Could this be a problem with the BIOS battery or a hard drive problem?

Maybe best until a techie comes along to advise you.

DJ

[jg]

I don't think it is a problem with BIOS. Windows settings are kept in the registry (as far as I know). So maybe it just "forgets" what is in the registry every time I turn off the PC and resets it with the default values?

One thing is strange: I am originally Dutch, now living in London (connected to a British ISP). The default home page is now set to the Dutch version of MSN (I never did this) and Hotmail automatically goes to the Dutch version of Hotmail. So, although the PC forgets all my Windows settings every time, it does somehow know that I am Dutch?

[Simon]

One of our techies should be able to help you with this soon, JG.  

[Dack]

Sounds like you're logged out from XP - if that happens then it will effectively treat you as a new user and revert to your installion settings. Of course since you are not logged in then you can't save any of the settings either.

Try creating a new user account on your system and then logging in as that, then logout and log back into your real account. If all goes well then you can delete your newly created test account.

[jg]

Hi,

I tried the suggestion in the last post but it did not work.

I did not expect it to work because, when Windows starts up, I still log in as Administrator with my usual password. It just doesn't load my settings.

I forgot to mention something that may be important. Windows gives the following message after starting up: %REMOVE_NODIR_ERROR%

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

[Dogsbody]

Just Googled your error message and it came up with this link don't know whether it will help you.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;326731

DB

[Dack]

http://tinyurl.com/2266j

Seems to indicate that a corrupt profile would be the cause - when you created the second account earlier and logged in - could you save the settings for that account?


Link TinyURL'd by Simon.    

[jg]

Yes it did allow me to save the account!

It does not only allow me to save the new account but it also allows me to make changes to it which it keeps! (While it does not keep the changes that I make to the old Administrator account; so that one is somehow screwed up)

So I will just keep the new account and use that one. And I will delete the old Administrator account.  It does mean that I have to tweak XP again but that is something I can live with.

Thanks all for your suggestions. They definitely pointed me in the right direction!