This may put you more than two steps above computer literate. Make sure you follow these instructions EXACTLY.

This may be due to a corrupted registry entry.

Run regedit (Start/Run and type 'regedit') and navigate to:

HK_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows NT/CurrentVersion/Winlogon

In there there should be a value (on right hand side of screen) called Userinit.

The data for this value is probably something similar to:

C:\windows\system32\userinit.exe,C:\windows\system32\userinit.exe,

If you see a duplicated string in there, or anything different to the above - double click on the Userinit value and edit the data so as to delete everything to the right of the first comma (,). You should be left with only:

C:\windows\system32\userinit.exe,      (note the comma at the end)


ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION (Perhaps easier)

Click Start then Run and type msconfig in the "Run" box...click "Ok".

Click on the "Startup" tab when the Configuration Box comes up.

Look in the startup list and remove the check from the box next to EXPLORER.EXE, click "Apply" then "Ok".

Restart your computer. Upon restart, you may get a Selective Startup dialog box...if you do, check the box in the lower left corner of the window and click "Ok"

I think you must have been looking in the wrong area of Regedit.

The Winlogon key should contain a lot of entries. Make sure that you have navigated to the precise location:

HK_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows NT/CurrentVersion/Winlogon

  OK....I got there, and the  value is exactly what you said it should be.  Is there anything else I should try?  Or, if it's doing no harm, should I just ignore the darned thing?

   Restore did it...on the third try.  I had to go back farther than I thought.  I lost a couple of recent downloads, but nothing major.

Thank you so much for your help.  I'm so glad a friend sent me the link to your site!