Re: Password recognition
 

Glad that your son got the problem sorted Margaret.
I know just how irritating it is when things like this go wrong.
I used to think I was flexible and could adapt to change, but I know that this is not true anymore. I like the familiar things .....they comfort me.

Re: Password recognition
 

On thinking back about what may have caused it -
I strongly suspect that the Firefox security update I downloaded just before the glitch, was sabotaged by Microsoft Windows Update.

Microsoft are very capable of 'nasty tricks' like that.

My system has been restored to a date before that Firefox update.
I have had a screen prompt to download it again and declined.

Re: Password recognition
 

It is usually Windows updates that seem to cause problem of a minor degree with me Margaret. I haven't had as many problems though since I gave up IE in favour of Firefox.

Re: Password recognition
 

Do you think Firefox wouldn't notice if that was happening to millions of PC's around the world?

Not downloading Firefox security updates isn't a good idea. If it fails again you know how to restore it now. Create a system restore point now because you know it's working ok at the moment.

Maybe some of those conspiracy websites you visit contain malware/spyware and that is what screwed your machine up.

Re: Password recognition
 

Creating a system restore point was useless in solving this problem.
I was unable to access anything on my PC. It did not recognise me as a user.

I use AVG and scan weekly. It has only once found anything in the 10 years I have been browsing.

I am more likely to pick up some malware from this site. Only last week I recall that Less warned us against opening a link some newbie had posted.

Re: Password recognition
 

I meant create one now in case it happens again. You haven't found or fixed the cause of the problem only the symptom.

Re: Password recognition
 

I have used the System Restore function, and found that restore points are automatically created a couple of times a month.

I also have an external hard drive whereby I copy my system about every month.

Neither of these was any use in correcting the recent fault.

Re: Password recognition
 

Might be worth running checkdisk to scan for any hard drive errors.
Check your hard disk for errors - this is instructions for Vista, but same procedure for Win7

I would tick the option "scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors", but this can take quite a long time to complete.

Re: Password recognition
 

just a thought, why not create a "spare" admin user that you never use with the password written in a sealed envelope somewhere. If that one is also screwed over you know for sure somethings been playing with the internals of Windows and at that point I'd be saying a full on splat and re-install would be a sensible option in case there is malware/rootkit on your machine

or you could try linux! :D

Re: Password recognition
 

Do people still play with Linux? I thought it had died a death on workstations :p

Re: Password recognition
 

Yeah Margaret. JIC You should maybe try ComboFIX.... apparently good for rootkit infections ComboFix Download

Re: Password recognition
 

Yeah Margaret. You should try ComboFIX.... apparently good for rootkit infections ComboFix Download

Entwisi...have you tried the ubuntu mobile software? Ive tried it on the Nexus7...quite awful to be honest

I am off to a good start reinstalling/upgrading my HTPC... due to laziness I bought the latest edition of linux format because it has 13.10 Ubuntu with the latest updates streamlined. I had a quick look at mageia 4, of which I didn't like much(don't like KDE all that much) and so I have been trying to install ubuntu 13.10 from the same disc... Keyboard/Mouse is not working. Further inspection looks like the desktop is crashing completely.I Had a look on the Linux Format forums and seems somebody else has the same program. So the disc is a bad print perhaps? Furthermore I tried Fedora and after installing the computer hangs at DMI Pooling.... Annoying. Died a death? might as well've for all that crap I been through the last 2 days installing linux distros :D