Vista startup problem help

[over65]

Vista installation problem.

I thought I followed the installation instructions but I have a problem when starting Vista in VMWare Fusion. I used my Mac name and password as my Vista name and password. When I start Vista My name comes up but when I enter my password Vista says it is incorrect. Si I re-read the installation instructions and I erased Vista and reinstalled. Same problem. So at the login screen I selected "switched user" and added my same name without a password and as an administrator. I was then able to run Vista. But I now have to "switch user" after Vista says my password is incorrect every time I restart Vista. My login name appears twice on the login screen but with different picture icons. I have to choose the one that was setup when I setup a second user. Then Vista starts. When I try to delete my original login from the users in control panel the original one doesn't show up.

Where did I go wrong?

I would like to start Vista without stopping at a login screen but I don't know how to bypass the login screen and now that I have set a password I am hesitant about trying to bypass the login screen for fear Vista won't start.

I installed Vista using Fusion v 1.3. I have since updated to v 2.0 Beta 2.

Vista Home Premium SP 1 with all updates, installed on a 60GB virtual HD.

MacBook Pro 2.4GHz, 4GB Ram, running OS 10.5.4

[WoodyZ]

FWIW As a general rule I never use a password during the initial install of Windows or any OS unless it's forced. The reason for this is mainly because of the number of reboots that will take place during the initial build out of the OS and Applications as it just make it easier and faster to get to the Desktop and proceed forward. Once the build out is complete then I assign a password. It also avoids the very issue you find yourself having.

If an Account is password protected then it will not boot directly to the Desktop unless you invoke a method to auto login which would require your password to be stored and this is not a good practice.

Have you tried reseting the password on the original account and testing if it works or not and if so and it works then just delete the second account and use the first one or delete the one that's not working and you will only have one account then.

You can use Computer Management in Administrative Tools in Control Panel to delete the account however do not delete the account is it shows it as a Built-in Account.

Also you may want to have a backup of the Virtual Machine Package or at the least a current Snapshot in place before you go deleting accounts so if there is an issue you can easily recover.

[WoodyZ]

Forgot to mention that you can also change account passwords from the Computer Management app as well.

[over65]

Thanks for your response, WoodyZ,

I still can't get around the original Windows user/password I mistakenly created when I installed Vista. I can log on to Vista through the account I created after the login screen is bypassed by selecting "switch user". The problem continues to be the account/password I created originally does not show up in the users in control panel/computer management. I don't know why either.

There is a "reset password" option at the login screen but one must create a floppy disk to change or delete a password. Needless to say, I do not have a floppy disk drive on my MacBook Pro. Why a CD disk option isn't available is remarkable to me. I don't even have floppy drive on my PC. I guess I will have to live with my aggrevating startup problem or reinstall Vista again. Reinstalling Vista plus the other Windows programs I have installed will take me many hours.

I will continue to look for a solution.

[WoodyZ]

I think what you're not understanding is that if you go to Start button > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Local Users and Groups > Users you will see all User Accounts that are on the Computer even the ones that don't show through Start button > Control Panel > User Accounts > Manage Accounts and you can also reset a password without knowing what the password is if you go the direction I pointed you to in my first reply and now this one too.

[over65]

WoodyZ, I do understand what you are saying. I have 2 other PCs running Vista and they both show just what you discribe in Control Panel. It is just Vista on the Mac running under Fusion with this problem. I say again, the problem is from Control Panel > Admin Tools > Computer Management the "Local Users and Groups" isn't there. Computer Management has (Local) after it. That was what I was trying to convey in my original question, i.e. When Vista starts it says "User Name or Password in incorrect" When I click on that, up comes my login name with a place to enter the password. When I do Vista says it is incorrect. To get past that I must choose "Switch User". When I do Vista starts without the need for any password. I can then set up a login name and assign myself admin rights and appear to have them. At that point when I run Control Panel > Admin Tools > Computer Management (Local). " Users and Groups" does not show up. I cannot find my original login name anywhere except on a cold start. But I can't get past the "name or password incorrect" problem every time I restart Vista. If you have any other suggestions I am ready to try them. I was hoping I could correct my problem without re-installing Vista.

I am a relatively new Mac user. My wife uses one at work so I bought her an iMac and a MacBook Pro and I am learning to use them too. I can't believe I'm the only dummy that has run across the problem after using a user name/password during a Vista installation on a Mac under VMware Fusion. I just may have to admit defeat and re-install Vista sans user name/password.

I am not claiming to be an expert but I am not a beginner and I am familiar with the installation of OSs. I have been a Windows user for many years. I have always upgraded within 6 months of any new Windows OS. I have "built" all my desktop PCs and I have installed an OEM OS on each one. I have done that 7 or 8 times in the last 15 years. Currently, I running Vista x64 Ultimate OEM on my primary desktop with a C2Q6600 CPU/8GB ram overclocked to 3.4GHz. I have been using Vista for nearly 2 years. I also have a HP Laptop that has Vista Home Premium on it. My problem is I'm not very smart. I just fumble-bumble my way along. Besides that, I'm old.:)

[WoodyZ]

If you're not seeing information as in the example picture then I have to assume something else is messed up with the install because even a Standard Account should be able to see what's listed.

Also you may just find it easier to start over however before you do here is the only other thing I can suggest and this is why you may find starting over easier.

I would attempt to enable the hidden Administrator Account and try to rectify the issue from that account.

Enable the (Hidden) Administrator Account on Windows Vista

If after enabling the account you cannot login then use the following to reset the Administrator's Password if you can't do it from another account.

Offline NT Password & Registry Editor, Bootdisk / CD

Direct Link: cd080802.zip

You do not need to know the existing password and just set it to a blank password until your back into Windows. (Note: You can also use this disc to enable the Administrator account.)

I have done this in the past and just did it again before I posted so I know this works and the URL I provided contains an ISO Image which I assigned to the CD/DVD drive of the Windows Vista Virtual Machine and had no problem booting the Virtual Machine and reseting the password to a blank password.

If your Virtual Machine is not booting the ISO Image then you may have to select the CD-ROM from the Boot Menu

Try bringing up the Boot Menu and selecting CD-ROM Drive...

At the bottom on the Virtual Machine window just above the Status Bar it says...

"Press F2 to enter SETUP, F12 for Network Boot, ESC for Boot Menu"

On the Status Bar it says...

"To direct input to this virtual machine, click inside the window."

Now the BIOS flashes by very quick so you have to be very quick but give it a try and if you can't bring up the Boot Menu then you will have to edit the Virtual Machines .vmx configuration file.

Okay, click the big Play button on the Virtual Machine window and quickly mouse click into the Virtual Machine's window and then press the Esc key to bring up the Boot Menu and select the CD-ROM Drive. If you get it and it boots the CD then fine and if you can't get the Boot Menu because it just goes to quick then...

Look at the Boot Delay section in A Power User's Guide to VMware Fusion and the Virtual Machine Files section in A Beginner's Guide to VMware Fusion on where the Virtual Machine's .vmx configuration file and add the following lines to the file. You can use TextEdit to edit the .vmx file.

bios.bootDelay = "3000"

To give more time to get the Boot Menu...

And or...

bios.forceSetupOnce = "TRUE"

To force it into the BIOS to change the Boot Order in the BIOS so the CD-ROM is first.

By default normal file based Fusion Virtual Machines are created in the "~/Documents/Virtual Machines" folder. Note: Depending on OS ver. and or Fusion ver. there may be a .localized after Virtual Machines although by default it is not visible in Finder.

~ Is your Home Folder

They are placed in a Folder (Bundle Package) with an extension of ".vmwarevm" which by default the extension is not visible in Finder.

Example: "~/Documents/Virtual Machines/Windows Vista.vmwarevm" would in Finder just look like an icon named "Windows Vista"

You can view the Package Contents of the "Windows Vista.vmwarevm" folder by ctrl-click (or right-click) the "Windows Vista" icon and select Show Package Contents.

To Edit the .vmx File:

You would ctrl-click (or right-click) on the "Windows Vista.vmx" file and select Open With > Other... then in Choose Application choose TextEdit.