I recently had a virus (or some malicious code) attack my system and I was able to get into safe mode and remove the threat using AVG scanner and a spyware remover application. I noticed that the foreign element came in on a fake java update. I believed that I had removed all of the elements, but when I reinstalled java from the sun website and rebooted, my computer is stuck in a welcome screen / incorrect password loop. I cannot enter my password as the system continues to display the "Welcome " logo with the spinning icon and every 15 sec or so it briefly shows the logon screen then shows incorrect password, then back to the welcome logo. Any suggestions? I am about to reboot into safe mode and run hijack this and see if there's anything suspicious there. I will also try a startup repair and a system file checker scan. If this helps, the virus seemed to change my internet settings to have a proxy server used. I changed it back and everything seemed fine, until I rebooted from my java install.

Try to use the safe mode, uninstall the installed java application, run a AVG scan. Repair your OS and check if your problem is solved or not.

Used safe mode, uninstalled java, ran avg scan. ran the startup repair and SFC (without error), turned off system restore, ran superspyware remover, rebooted into safe mode with network support and ran TrendMicro's housecall. The AVG and Housecall found different trojans and apparently removed them. I'm still stuck in the welcome screen loop. I will attempt a restore from backup before reinstalling windows completely. That is the last thing I want to do at this point due to this being the busy season for a photographer such as myself. If anyone has further suggestions, I'm all ears.

I said repair you operating system install and not run the startup repair. This is how to proceed to repair your operating system: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

It looks like the system is deeply infected with malware. If you used system image backup, you can use a system image to restore the contents of your computer. For more information, please refer to this article: Restore your computer from a system image backup Also, you can go to Microsoft Virus and Security Solution Center for more assistance. However, if the issue still exists it is recommended reformat the hard drive and reinstall Windows 7 to completed delete the malware and infected files. Regards, Linda Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

...However, if the issue still exists it is recommended reformat the hard drive and reinstall Windows 7 to completed delete the malware and infected files. Regards, Linda I've encountered malware that would detect a reformat and reload of XP and survive. The critter burried itself down in the MBR of the disk. The only way I was able to take control of the machine was to use Linux to reformat the HD and install its bootloader, then boot the XP install CD, delete all the partitions Linux made, and let it reformat the HD to NTFS and reload XP. Maybe Win 7 is better at reformatting the entire HD than XP was. Dave M