HELP: Macbook Pro continuously logging me out!

[arlo22]

Hopefully someone can help me. I trying to figure out why my macbook pro running tiger has started logging me out immediately after I log in, and what I can do to fix this.

I am correctly entering the password (just in case you thought I didn't know the password) as it accepts it and logs in, starts to change the desktop background and then just as the Finder bar appears I am logged out and send straight back to the main login box.

It does this for the main User (admin) account. I have tried booting in safe mode and this does the same thing. The Guest login does work however.

I believe this started becahse my mac was taking an inordinately LONG time to shutdown (>3min) and I powered down the machine manually during the grey screen after waiting too long. Since then this log in problem has occured - essentially locking me out of my computer.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[arlo22]

anyone?

 

[airplaneman]

anyone?

Might be a virus though I highly doubt it... I'm not sure what the issue is here. Sorry I couldn't be of much help.

Some ideas:
1. Disk permissions problem
2. Did you download anything?
3. Bad app

 

[arlo22]

can't seem to figure this out without losing all my data

 

[davidlv]

can't seem to figure this out without losing all my data

Shut down your malfunctioning computer and connect it to another Mac via a firewire cable. Then start it up in Target Disk mode, holding down the "T" key when you push the power button. The internal disk should then be shown as a firewire disk on the other Mac's desktop, allowing you to backup your files.
While connected try using Disk Utility or better yet Disk Warrior if it's available, to check and repair the HD.
You could also try an Archive and Install to correct the login problem, if it is caused by a corrupted system file or files rather than hardwire, after booting from the system install DVD, which should leave your data intact (would be more reassuring to have it backed up first).
If all else fails, I would suggest visiting an Apple Genius.

 

[chadamorrill]

Further, if you have an external hard drive, you can install OSX to it using your start up discs. Then access your HD contents that way. I believe you can boot of the cd by holding down the C or Option key on boot.

 

[LedCop]

can't seem to figure this out without losing all my data

I have two suggestions:

1) Re-install Mac OS X and customize the installation to keep your user folder.

2) Have a completely fresh installation on an external hard disk and use the migration assistant to copy the user folder over.

I'm not sure if my two suggestions actually differ at all but that's what I'd try as it shouldn't cause any loss of data.