Discussion on:

Securing an auto logon in Windows XP

This seems a great idea, but I don't get the check box listed in Step 3, nor the Auto Log On dialog of Step 4.
Presumably because I'm in a Domain?

Being on a Domain I believe is the issue.

I use XP home edition at work. I followed the directions and when I got to #8 things did not go as planned. I got the blue login screen and my profile was missing. The only thing I could do was 'shutdown' my profile - the only option on the screen other than another persons profile. I restarted, it automatically logged on and the startup programs continued to load. I clicked on the lock down button to test it and it up came with the administrator and password box. I entered my password but it rejected all that I tried. I used to have administrator priviledges but my profile now shows as 'guest'. Can anyone help me out? Will system restore work?

I tried doing this but I ended up losing my profile and, i hope not, access to my files saved in that profile's My Documents. Help please!

Ok, so based on the instructions you may have removed your account, but not your files.

Go start run and then type control userpasswords2 and hit enter or click ok. If your account is no longer listed then its gone, but your files are probably still there.

Check the %systemdrive%\documents and settings\%username%\ folder and see if it exists

where %systemdrive% is the installed drive (probably c:) and %username% is the name of the account that is missing.

If you see your profile folder then what you can do then is move that folder out of the documents and settings folder to a temp location. Create an account with the same name. Log in once. Log out and then Log in with an administrator account. (not the one you just created) Then copy over all your files over top of your new account folder with the backed up profile folder.

Then log out and log in again. If you get access error messages try safe mode. Also check permissions. If you selected that your my documents should be private you may have to take ownership of the whole folder before you can properly move.

Note because of the way permissions work just by creating a new account with the same name does not give you the same permissions. You'll have to recreate all permissions. Nothing can be done about that.

Note if you don't log in at least once this won't work what will happen is when you do log in it will create a second folder with some garbage at the end.

For example original name user, new account folder user.local

The same is true if you don't move the folder some where else before you log in for the first time, not a big deal, but some of your shortcuts might not work properly

wbeach thanks a bunch, however, I had access to very little on my computer. I tried a number of things with no luck and couldn't even access the 'paste' command. My files were there but I was unable to use any of my Office programs such as Access, Excel, etc. as it said I did not have the priviledges. Not being able to do this I couldn't back up my files. As I needed my computer 'now' to carry on with my work I needed help immediately and ended up re-installing windows. I have much to learn about XP but it's really a challenge when things like this happen. I hope tibak had better luck and was able to use your instructions.

Its unfortunate that you reloaded your PC, but like you said sometimes we can't live without the bloody things.

Take some advise from me, a guy who hates to lose his stuff.

Ask yourself how much do you actually need for the OS? Believe it or not its like only 30 gigs max, maybe 40 if you want some nice breathing room. I'm not counting games mind you.

From here either have a second hdd or a second partition then redirect your 'my documents' folder to the other partition. Unless the thing blows up you'll never lose your data again.

I'm a savage when it comes to way too much space. I have a 250gb drive and a 120gb. I split my 250 into two 125gb hdd and then I got the 120 gb drive by itself.

OS is on one partition, second partition is for my documents, and the single hdd by itself has all my downloads and recorded tv. (I have media center installed)

Hard to lose files that way.

Then what people do is load all their games to another partition and not the main OS one.

Anyways, if you need any more help let me know. It is a tech website, so sometimes I skim over things I assume other people know already.

i'm also ignorant of other XP features and have been gullible enough to believe there was no need to back up my files before going through with the log on process recommended here. now i learned -the painful way- to be super-skeptical of microsoft.

The Active Directory group policies in a domain exclude these features from being used. Doesn't really comply with security model...

M$ has several KB articles on autologin. KB315231 & KB310584 are two of them. They tell you how to edit the registry to enable autologin as the administrator or another user.
This will work in a domain as long as it's not blocked by GPO. Read M$'s notes on the passwords being in the registry in clear text so anyone with remote registry access can obtain your pwe.
I particularly like the lockdown provided in this article. Thanks.

That would be up to you to know whether or not you're in a domain.

If you notice the very last line states:

Note: This tip applies to both Windows XP Professional and Home when used in standalone or in workgroup configurations.

The 'when used in standalone or workgroup configurations' is the key. In a domain & when utilizing Group Policies (again, in a domain), you are not able to implement this tip.

This works for domain accounts. You can get it from:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

then you add the shortcut to your startup folder.

The TweakUI autologon combined with the Lockdown shortcut works fine on my office machine except for the "splash screen" that my company has pop up before the logon screen. You must click OK to move to the logon screen. Any ideas how to bypass that?

There's no way to bypass that due to the Group Policies that your company has setup, sorry.

Hi,

Start->Run->gpedit.msc

Computer Configuration->
Windows Settings->
Security Settines->
Security Options!

Look for
Interactive Login: Message text for users...
Interactive Login: Message title for users...

I believe if you don't define these then you will not get the dialog box. If they are defined anywhere but local you are pretty much hosed!

Hope that helps.

Tried as you suggested. Under Message title is says "undefined", however, under Message txt there is a blank. I assume this means policy is not set locally.

Thanks for the help

If you keep pressed the SHIFT key the "Start up" folders items will be ignored.

precisely. Domain users don't have that, but you can download TweakUI and set the AutoLogin; the shortcut will still work them same as described.

Even those of us in a domain can use the shortcut part. Though I can't automatically log on (domain policy requires the three-finger salute), I can still use the shortcut. My PC boots to the login prompt relatively quickly. I have several programs that auto-start upon login however (E-Mail, Media Player, et. al.). In this case I can log on to the PC and then walk away while all of the start-up programs sort themselves out whilst starting up. Yes the screen-saver will kick in after 10 minutes and can be adjusted but the automatic lock occurs much sooner.

First the shift key thing. Computers are fast enough to boot up and start logging in within the span the user is still in the vicinity of the computer.

What are we suspecting someone of crouching around the corner and making a mad dash for the shift key the moment you walk away?

Or are they smart enough to restart your computer and hold shift on next reload? Just, so that they can get past the lock workstation and hack the registry to figure out your password?

The intended environment for this is a workgroup environment. Meaning 5 to 10 employee's. If it gets higher then that ususally a domain is involved. 5-10 people don't require a constant 24 an hour IT person. He's probably someone with multiple clients who makes periodic trips if necessary.

With that being said who is this Ninja hacking into their computers?

I believe this tip is intended to stop your annoying fellow co-workers who feel compelled to log in to your machine and muck around or your little sister or brother who talks to your msn buddies while you go get juice or whatever.

Honestly speaking I could come up with a dozen more methods to hack into the computer locally with enough time.

If your on a domain, ask your domain administrator if its ok if you muck with your machine and use an autologin feature. I'm sure he'll say no.

Are you the domain admin and are considering using this tip? Because if so, well ok whatever that's your choice, but I wouldn't.

Great tip many thanks. I followed your instructions to the letter and then put the shortcut into my start folder so it loaded as directed in the article.
I use the WINDOWS welcome screen, instead of the boring classic login. When I turn on the computer, XP automatically logs me on and loads all of my START folder files (including LOCK DOWN) behind my welcome screen picture. Then when I select my login and enter password, all my programs are loaded and ready for use instead of having to wait.
First class tip and great time saver.

If you have a home PC with multi-user logons, does this apply??

This works great, but there's one thing your readers should know, this meathod of locking the desktop can easily be bypassed by holding down the shift key right after the logon screen flashes on the screen. (holding the shift key down bypasses everything in the startup folder).

If you have XP Pro or 2K3 in a domain, you can press Windows + L to lock your workstation.

Quick and easy!

May I recommend , then "Lock Computer." Does this provide the same funtionality?
-Allen

C'mon folks, read the article...this is for when you want to secure the workstation, but bypass the security at startup.

Yes, you can ctrl-alt-del, and Windows-L, etc. but that's not what the article is about. And if you run this and walk away and someone comes to your PC and holds the shift key while booting, then you have real problems.

This way you can have the PC start all the way up and just login when all processes are up and running. Then you can go enjoy you coffee while it boots, rather than having to boot to login, login, wait for it to boot, then begin working...

The Office shortcut still works;
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office[Version]\OSA.EXE" -s
runs the screen saver. Password protect it, and you can achive a similar result, just make sure the 'grace period' it set as low as possible.

is there a way to skip through the username like to login to your thing.. on windows, like a short cut

for really secure autologon look LogonExpert tool http:/www.logonexpert.com , it encrypts password by AES 256bit