Strange Behaviour in the Password Dept...

[ahhaa]

This old laptop is now a dual boot with Ubuntu; it has kept-current Norton and hasn't given a lick of trouble until a couple days ago.

I've used the same Admin password on it for years, and nobody else ever uses it. I have enough trouble bumping the CAPS LOCK key (why do we need one of those anyway) that I am quickly aware when it is on.

Yesterday, the Welcome screen refused my password 5 times before accepting it. Today it took 3 trys, and finally accepted the exact same thing I had been typing each time.

I do have a lot of passwords in my head, and it occurred to me that with many people, after checking the Caps Lock, they'd start entering other passwords to get their machine to finish the startup.

So on the off chance that this is some social engineering malware (Norton found nothing) I'm mentioning it for your consideration.

I also added another admin to the machine, not really a backdoor- more a 2nd front door. Hopefully it won't be needed.

[Bjs]

Its expected behavior of an aging system, rare on new installs.

Some updates (os or other) can cause minor issues users are unaware of over time, one being system performance slowing.

System startup where user logs on as system may still be busy loading system settings and because user is quick it throws the error, yet works after one or more tries.

A few updates are known to create backups of user accounts in the registry when applying system changes and fail to restore the accounts properly locking users out which is why in good practice to have a secondary account available if only available from safe mode where recovery is possible.

Notons also contributes to the slow loading of processes during desktop loading as it fights to gain system resources which can lead to the password error as system was not ready even though user saw the logon screen.

Its not Norton it's NOTORIOUS.

[TreeTops]

That's why I wait till my hard drive light stops flickering on startup. So many things going on when you first turn on the computer. Best to wait till all the stuff that need to be loaded get loaded.

[ahhaa]

Thanks BJ, or should I say G'day?:]

You're probably right; especially about Norton.
On both my laptops ( the other being much newer), I have a 2nd startup delay issue- more or less since the current version Norton was installed.

Neither Firefox nor Chrome will connect to the Internet until every last startup chore is completed, which apparently includes updating Norton in the background- it gets dibs!

Today, it just sat thinking for a while (30 sec) before accepting my original sign-in; just like a human would. I only posted about this because there is so much state-sponsored cyber-fencing in the news these these days.

[ahhaa]

TT- this is the kind of stuff that drives people to tablets!:]

[Nelson37]

Test if problem exists with different user, corrupted profile can cause this.

Run a drive scan for errors, with repair checked.

Double-check keyboard for stuck or joined keys.

Type password carefully with one finger.

Wait a minute or two or three after prompt appears before entering pasword, report behavior. If this solves it, then likely startup software issue.

I would remove Norton completely and totally, use something else, anything else. Norton too invasive on a faster PC, on an old box you are dragging a boat anchor.

Dual-boot on a single drive is an excellent way to make a PC less reliable. Pick one, or use a separate drive.

[ahhaa]

Thanks BJ! Good forensic procedure!*

Here's an update in case anyone else experiences the prob:

On the last trial boot, it sat and 'thought' for perhaps 15 secs, then accepted the original signin.

I added the 2nd Admin User, and have now started up the machine half dozen times with the original signin, but no further sign of the problem. This means back to not waiting and rattling in the pwd.
This eliminates a few of the possible culprits, like sticky keys, but not malware or file corruption.

*BJ, I certainly agree about the dual boot; but linux in general is still having major issues within itself- like not solving the play Flash media prob, inscrutable instructions on essential software like Wine, and a too diffused user base of distro tinkers.

I need to keep one foot in the Windows world, in case I gotta see that guy walking his tortoise in Tokyo!:]

[racer-x]

*BJ, I certainly agree about the dual boot; but linux in general is still having major issues within itself- like not solving the play Flash media prob, inscrutable instructions on essential software like Wine, and a too diffused user base of distro tinkers.

Could you post a link to the video in question that you can't play under Linux? I also multi-boot Win7/Linux on one of my Laptops, I never had any issues playing any flash videos under Linux using Firefox or Chrome.