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Win2K advance server (Auto Login)

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by adrehman

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I am using windows 2000 advance server. I want to run some applications at the time of startup of windows 2000. So I want to logon windows 2000 automatically without any human interaction.

i have to logon win2k server cuz i want to access other computers on local network and i don't think i can access other computers without logging on.

Please let me know if there is any way.

Ad Rehman
Developer
ZRG International
Adrehman@hotmail.com

4 replies

by bill_h

This can be done by making a few changes in the registry. This topic is covered in the Platform SDK Documentation; the section is titled "MSGina.dll Features", and can be viewed at:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?URL=/library/psdk/logauth/winlogon_about_004z.htm

(Enter the URL as a single entry...if it does not work, locate and remove any spaces inserted by the TechRepublic system).

I paraphrase here (and in a subsequent comment) the applicable information:

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Automatic Logon

This feature allows a Windows NT system to log on a user automatically every time the system boots, by using default information and disabling the CTRL+ALT+DEL logon box.

This feature uses the following values of the Winlogon key, which is found in the registry at:

\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

(Some of the following keys may already be present on your system; if not, add a string value with the appropriate name and value.)

AutoAdminLogon - set the value to 1.

AutoLogonCount - set the value to the number of times to do an automatic logon; if you wish to have an *unlimited* number of automatic logons, remove this key if it is already present.

DefaultUserName- set the value to the name of the user account to be logged on.

DefaultDomainName - set the value to the name of the domain that the user account is in.

DefaultPassword - set the value to the password of the user account.

If the AutoAdminLogon key value is present and contains a 1, and the AutoLogonCount key value is not present, an automatic logon will occur every time the current user logs off or the system is rebooted. The account being logged onto is specified using the DefaultUserName and DefaultDomainName key values, and the password is specified in DefaultPassword key value.

(Continued in comment below...)

by bill_h

(continued...)

If the AutoAdminLogon key value is present and contains a 1, and if the AutoLogonCount key value is present and is not zero, AutoLogonCount will determine the number of automatic logons that occur. Each time the system is rebooted,the value of AutoLogonCount will be decremented by 1, until it reaches 0. When AutoLogonCount reaches 0, no account will be logged on automatically, the AutoLogonCount and DefaultPassword key values will be deleted from the registry, and AutoAdminLogon will be set to 0.

There is one additional caveat to using AutoAdminLogon: By default, MSGina.dll checks the state of the SHIFT key when AutoAdminLogon is 1. If the SHIFT key is held down during the boot process, MSGina.dll will ignore the AutoAdminLogon key value, and prompt the user for identification and authentication information interactively. This is a useful feature when you are debugging a dedicated application. To disable the meaning of the SHIFT key, set the IgnoreShiftOverride key value to 1.
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Although the docs only mention Windows NT, this *does* work for Win2K.

Allow me to add another caveat...the default password is maintained in CLEAR TEXT in the registry - if the machine is accessible to others, think carefully before you implement this.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me through the Peer Directory.

Hope this helps.

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