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Laptop XP Pro password

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9 replies

by xperimenter

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Laptop: Compaq nx7400
I have no problems signing on as administrator. If I stop using Laptop for several minutes and then return it asks for the admin password again - I provide this and all is OK. This is a real pain! How can I stop this or at least adjust the time to something more realistic The laptop lives at home with me as a single user and security is not a problem. Ideally I would like to remove the password altogether but I understand this is no possible in XP Pro. Any ideas?

9 replies

by boxfiddler Hot topic

Control Panel\Administrative Tools\Local Security Settings\Devices: Allow unlock without having to log on. Enable this.
Also, ensure that your screensaver is not password protected, and alter your Power Scheme via Display\Screensaver\Advanced.

by xperimenter

No Local Security settings folder and hence no Devices. Admin Tools shows local Security Policy but this does not contain Devices.

Screen Saver was not Password protected. I tried Power options as well as Display options.

Your instructions were clear and succinct but do not appear to be valid for my HP laptop. This is not the first time I have run into difficulties with an HP machine, they appear to have their own way of setting up computers.

by boxfiddler Hot topic

Devices is not a folder. It is one of many configuration options that show in the right hand pane of the management console. I also left out a couple of steps in the path - sorry about that. I use this tool a lot and my folder just opens to it automatically. I wasn't paying close enough attention.

Control Panel\Administrative Tools\Local Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options
In the right hand pane of the console look for: Devices: Allow unlock without having to log on. Enable this.

Edit to add:
Another setting to check: Display\Screensaver\Power\Advanced tab
Clear the checkmark from the "prompt for password when computer resumes from standby" option.

by tig2

Control Panel> Users> You should see a menu that has as its last entry, Change how users log in and out. There is a check box for the Welcome screen. If it is not checked, check it. That should remove the password demand.

Microsoft can be tricky like this. If there are two places that something has to be changed, you have to change it in both.

If this continues to be a problem, I would seriously consider a wipe/refresh. Not a requirement, certainly. Just me- when my computer starts being idiotic, I reload it.

Good Luck!

by ozi eagle

Hi,

If nothing has worked yey, try going into your user account through control panel etc., as above.
Then select CHANGE MY PASSWORD. You will need to provide your existing password first, then leave the new password fields blank.

Herb

by boxfiddler Hot topic

Given the on-again off-again nature of my work, I have a wipe and redo between every 5th semester policy in place for my home machines. In the event (as with this semester when big textbook changes and OS/Office Suite interface changes are happening in one fell swoop) I haven't the time for it, Thanksgiving vacation will be the time for that. One XP machine is just starting to get glitchy. Will leave it off for now, having backed up the data and play in Fedora again for surfing and hanging about here. Might even learn a bit more about Linux! :)

by xperimenter

Many thanks for detailed instructions. They worked perfectly.

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