Really insane problem

So yesterday I turn my computer on, and after I get past the WinXP login screen, I get alittle prompt telling me Windows is loading my settings.

I think nothing of it until my desktop finally loads. My custom wallpaper is replaced with the generic WinXP Home wallpaper, all my icons are rearranged with most of them missing, and apparently all of my cookies were deleted.

It's as if I ran a system restore, but all my games and antivirus software is still present. What's really weird is that I start up Crysis and all of my saved games are missing.

I'm even missing pictures/movies/downloads from My Documents.

Am I missing the real obvious reason to why my computer rolled back on me? What can I do to fix this?

Are you the only one who uses this machine? I ask this incase someone else has deleted your account, realised they have deleted it and then recreated it again. Are all of your documents gone? You said your internet cookies had been deleted, are your favourites gone too?

If you are indeed the only user I can see two possibilities:

1. Your machine has a virus or a worm infection that has deleted your account, this is rare these days as most viruses, trojans and worms are created by criminals. They days of the bedroom geek making viruses just crash machines a fading away. Cyber criminals want your machine to be in some working order so that they can steal personal information with the user being non the wiser.

2. Your user account has become currupt and Windows has logged in with a temporary account. Usually you will receive an error if this occurs, did you? Have a look in 'C:\Documents and Settings' and check what account are stored in there.

Get back to us.

Holy hell, apparently windows created another temp-user name.

When I open the Documents and Settings under the C: drive, I have this:

"Pete"- which is my normal, everyday account

"Pete.PETE-7FEA9338D7" which seems to be the culprit dummy account

How the hell did that happen? When windows presents the normal login screen, I only have one option, and that't to log into my normal account. Why is it forcing me under this dummy account?

And yes, I am the only user on this PC. I did run AVG but it did not pick anything up, so good call on that one

Delete the second user.

Im my professional opinion. Your entire house is haunted and ghost has set up shop in your computer/internetteicey6ch9

And I seriously wouldn't doubt that.

I've never seen this before. and it's annoying as hell

[QUOTE="icey6ch9"]Im my professional opinion. Your entire house is haunted and ghost has set up shop in your computer/internetteKreegle24

And I seriously wouldn't doubt that.

I've never seen this before. and it's annoying as hell

That's creepy. Really.

You need to copy your currupt profile to a new one then.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811151

this happened to my old computer. it's something you malicious that you downloaded, it simply corrupted your main profile, and windows has created a new 'dummy' profile so that you can log in. it will continue to use this dummy profile until you create a new profile, transfer everything you had on your main profile (you can access this by going onto c/documentsandsettings/(your account name), you copy all of its contents and paste them in your new profile.

good luck!

ahh yes i almost forgot.. NEVER, EVER, copy and paste the contents if you have not backed them up. if you have a burner, put the contents on a external hard drive and back them up. another note, your games will not be copied twice, only your personal settings, game saves, music, etc. or anything you put in c/documentssettings/(youraccountname) (like my music, my pictures, my documents, my desktop)

Thanks so much fellas

Really weird problem, really great help :)