Windows 2000 gurus!

[lindberg]

I am in deep shit. I have for some time tried to get a logoff script to run. In gpedit.msc that should be possible, under winnt\system32\grouppolicy\user\scripts\logoff. I've added an .bat file there which copies some files for me, but it didn't run.

So, I looked under the "Administrative Templates" in gpedit.msc to find something to enable the scripts to run. And I thought I found it, under "Administrative Templates\Windows components\Microsoft management console\restricted/permitted snap-ins\group policy\" I found a key named "scripts (logon/logoff)" which I enabled.

Did this work?! Hell no!! It only resulted in that when I try to logon a message flashes on the dialog where it says "running logoff scripts" and it logs me back off! I cannot logon from safe mode or anything, as soon as i I logon windows logs me back off, just as it would run a logoff command and not any script. And for that matter the logoff script should run when I logon :Z

Do anybody know how I can get out of this evil situation? I think I found a bug or an evil script

[lindberg]

I suppose I'll just have to reinstall windoze...
darn it, I just had it almost setup after a fresh installation, only the logout script was needed to get things perfect

[rugger]

Does the administrator account work?

(You did create a separate account for yourself, because occasionally your everyday login will die, and you can use the administrator account to create a new one)

if so, you can use the regedit to fix it, otherwise its reinstall time.

[lindberg]

Doesn't work. Not any user can logon, the windows itself is healthy but since it runs that logoff (command?) when I logon I cannot get in with any user.

I managed to start the telnet service from the recovery console, so I can get into the machine with telnet. But I need to find the registry key that holds the information about "Administrative Templates\Windows components\Microsoft management console\restricted/permitted snap-ins\group policy\scripts" in gpedit. That's easier said than done. I've tried to search the registry for this but without succes...

I think if I could find the regisrty key, I could export it from my other w2k machine and import it to the registry via telnet console.

My opinion is that reinstall is to give up, not as bad in my situation now since haven't installed much programs yet. In my ohter machine I would absolutely not want to reinstall if it had the same problem, I want it repaired. There must be a way (even if it maybe is the fastest way right now to reinstall)....

[VJ]

Can you perform a remote config-edit ?
(I know regedit can work on networked computers).

Also, if you could connect to the computer from another one, using the administrator account, you might be able to overwrite/edit the logoff-script.


Jörg

[lindberg]

I'm not sure, but I'll try. If I can connect on IP-basis it probably should work. But the computer is unfortunaly not shown(/accepted?) in the network neighborhood.

And it's true that I can edit the script. I forgot to mention it before, but I already did that. I removed the script (which by the way echoed my text just fine when logging out from telnet) but it didn't help.

It's not the script that causes the problem, it seems to be the logon/logoff key that I enable whom is evil. Or i don't know. My only hope is to get that key disabled it will be back to normal.

This is really some situation I've got here.

[lindberg]

Remote gpedit don't seem to be possible. But I tried to start the remote regedit though. I wrote the ip-adress for the cursed computer into regedit network, and I managed to get it to show as a new computer in regedit. But I can olny open the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, if I try to open i.e. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE I get an error. Is this due to that there are nobody logged on or what can it be? Perhaps the registry have crashed here so that would be the error.

Anyway, do w2k keep backups of the regisrty (like Win98 under system32 somewhere?)? And if it does, where. I tried to start the computer with the last know good configuration option but it was just the same.

[VJ]

I think it does keep backups, but removes the backup once a reboot has been succesfully completed (not sure though). In your case, the boot process did complete succesfully, so I think you're out of luck...
(sorry...)

I don't think the error you get is because nobody is logged on, but I don't really have that much experience with remote registry-editing...


Jörg

[dbdg]

Been waiting for someone to reply to this one.

This has to be the most annyong PC problem ever, the P is working 100% correctly but you are more then likely going to have to rebuild it. (For some sick reason I find that funny)

Can anyone think of a legitmate reason as to why MS would incorporate this.

Rugger I always just use the main admin account on my PC, is it really worthwhile creating a clone account?

[lindberg]

Totally agree dbdg! It is!

Still haven't found no sollution, was kinda hoping that I would manage to do something via the remote regedit, but since I seem to be unable to open anything but the classes branch that kinda poured out in the sand.

But there MUST be a sollution. I'm afraid that my other very important w2k machine will suffer from the same problem I'm scared. I have disabled the logon/logoff script as it was from the beginning but I don't dare logout before I know how to repair it...

This is some dilemma

[dbdg]

If they put it in there must be a way round it. !!!!

Just a case of whether the mighty murcers know the answer. This is easily the best PC forum on the planet, if these boys don't know the answer you can asume that there isn't one.

[rugger]

Originally posted by dbdg

Rugger I always just use the main admin account on my PC, is it really worthwhile creating a clone account?

Yes. Accounts will occasionally damage themselves to the point where they wont log in. If it is the only account on the machine, it is much harder to fix (ussually followed by screams of pain and a reinstall)

[efty]

I don't know if this will help but why don't u delete/move the wscript.exe?

[lindberg]

Hmm, havent thought of that. I'll give it a shot.

Btw, I managed to connect to the registry from my other win-machine. By using the run as... I started the regedit and could start trying to find the correct key. I didn't though. Gpedit is actually a nice GUI for tweaking the registry so it seems kinda logical to find something in the regisrty.

Thanx for the tip

[lindberg]

Problem is solved!

I decided to give up and reinstall windows 2000 on the machine. But when i in the setup made the choise to "install windows" it ofcourse searched for previous installations and found one. Again it asked if I want to repair or install, so I chose to repair here, and it obviously delete a lot of windows-files and reinstalled.

But here's the great part, all users and installed software had been kept there!

Finally dare I reboot the other computer