Automatically logging me in

  • Thread starter Thread starter Edward Diener
  • Start date Start date
E

Edward Diener

I just installed XP and it is automatically logging me in. I do not want
this to happen and want to be forced to input a password for my user
name in order to login. I can not find anything in the XP help which
tells me how to change this unsafe "feature" of XP. Can anybody help ?
 
[email protected],
Edward Diener said:
I just installed XP and it is automatically logging me in. I
do not want this to happen and want to be forced to input a
password for my user name in order to login. I can not find
anything in the XP help which tells me how to change this
unsafe "feature" of XP. Can anybody help ?
Click to expand...

Go to Start -> Run and enter the following in the Open box.

control userpasswords2

Click OK.
On the Users page, put a check mark in the box next to "Users
must enter a user name and password to use this computer".
Click OK.
Restart your computer to see if you get the desired results.

Good luck

Nepatsfan
 
Nepatsfan said:
[email protected],


Go to Start -> Run and enter the following in the Open box.

control userpasswords2

Click OK.
On the Users page, put a check mark in the box next to "Users
must enter a user name and password to use this computer".
Click OK.
Restart your computer to see if you get the desired results.

Good luck

Nepatsfan
Click to expand...

Or, more logically, click Start, Settings, Control Panel to open Control
Panel.
Then click in User Accounts and you'll find you can manage the user
accounts from there. Click on an account, and then click on Create a
Password or whatever it's labeled.

At least this way you'll have an idea where the feature is instead of some
vague command to put in the Run box.

Remember to Restart, whichever way you do it.

Pop`
 
At least this way you'll have an idea where the feature is instead of
Automatic logon occurs due to two different reasons:

1. There is a single user account in the system, and is not password
protected.
2. There are multiple accounts present, but the user had configured
automatic logon earlier (using the userpasswords2 method, TweakUI or any
other third-party tool)

Your tip addressed case #1, and Nepatsfan addressed case #2. Both are
correct, BTW.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Nepatsfan said:
[email protected],


Go to Start -> Run and enter the following in the Open box.

control userpasswords2

Click OK.
On the Users page, put a check mark in the box next to "Users
must enter a user name and password to use this computer".
Click OK.
Restart your computer to see if you get the desired results.

Good luck

Nepatsfan
Click to expand...

Or, more logically, click Start, Settings, Control Panel to open Control
Panel.
Then click in User Accounts and you'll find you can manage the user
accounts from there. Click on an account, and then click on Create a
Password or whatever it's labeled.

At least this way you'll have an idea where the feature is instead of some
vague command to put in the Run box.

Remember to Restart, whichever way you do it.

Pop`
 
[email protected],
Pop` said:
Or, more logically, click Start, Settings, Control Panel to
open Control Panel.
Then click in User Accounts and you'll find you can manage
the user accounts from there. Click on an account, and then
click on Create a Password or whatever it's labeled.

At least this way you'll have an idea where the feature is
instead of some vague command to put in the Run box.

Remember to Restart, whichever way you do it.

Pop`
Click to expand...

You're right! I completely glossed over the fact that the OP
was dealing with a fresh installation.

Thanks for pointing out the right procedure.

Nepatsfan
 
Ramesh said:
Automatic logon occurs due to two different reasons:

1. There is a single user account in the system, and is not password
protected.
2. There are multiple accounts present, but the user had configured
automatic logon earlier (using the userpasswords2 method, TweakUI or
any other third-party tool)

Your tip addressed case #1, and Nepatsfan addressed case #2. Both are
correct, BTW.
Click to expand...

Yes, I didn't mean to imply that the preceding case wasn't correct.
Hmm, I'm learning something new I think. To clarify, you are saying that
IF, when there are multiple accounts present (as in my own case), and a
method other than the one I described were previously used to configure
auto-logon, that going in thru Control Panel can NOT be used to make the
changes?
If it were a third party app I could see it; the app has been put in
charge of the settings and even if you did change it, the app would just put
it back; right?
Are you saying that Case #2 is the same as if it were a 3rd party app and
negates the Control Panel ability to use User Accounts for changing it?
Would it be similar using Group Policies?

Normally I'd just go test it, but since I feel there are some details I'm
not aware of, I'd rather ask for more info first. I do have Norton's Sysem
Optimizer, but I avoid using it simply because it does take control away
from where XP indicates it is available, and without notice. I'd rather
learn the policies etc.; then I know where things came from months down the
line when I've forgotten<g>. So far I haven't found anything Norton ca set
that isn't natively available in XP, though it's useful for discovering what
IS available to change.

TIA,
Pop`
 
Nepatsfan said:
[email protected],


You're right! I completely glossed over the fact that the OP
was dealing with a fresh installation.

Thanks for pointing out the right procedure.

Nepatsfan
Click to expand...

No problem; note in another of my posts in this thread that I'm learning
something too. I bow to your superior knowledge and my "help" was
accidental<G>.

Pop`
 
Ramesh said:
Automatic logon occurs due to two different reasons:

1. There is a single user account in the system, and is not password
protected.
2. There are multiple accounts present, but the user had configured
automatic logon earlier (using the userpasswords2 method, TweakUI or any
other third-party tool)
Click to expand...

I noticed that after adding a password to my own account, the welcome
screen appeared and I was able to input my password. However I also
noticed that the welcome screen did not include the Administrator user
account even though that account has a password also. What controls
which accounts are listed on the welcome screen ? How can I add the
Administrator user account to the welcome screen ?
 
[email protected],
Edward Diener said:
I noticed that after adding a password to my own account,
the welcome screen appeared and I was able to input my
password. However I also noticed that the welcome screen did
not include the Administrator user account even though that
account has a password also. What controls which accounts
are listed on the welcome screen ? How can I add the
Administrator user account to the welcome screen ?
Click to expand...

I'm guessing that since you were able to add a password to the
Administrator account, you're running XP Professional. The
easiest way to add the Administrator account to the Welcome
Screen is with TweakUI which is available here:

Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

Direct download of TweakUI
http://download.microsoft.com/downl...a6-b352-839afb2a2679/TweakUiPowertoySetup.exe

Once you've downloaded and installed TweakUI, go to Start ->
All Programs -> Powertoys for Windows XP and launch the
program.
Click on Logon in the left hand column.
You should see Show "Administrator" on Welcome Screen in the
right hand pane.
Put a check mark in the box next to that entry.
Click OK.
Log off.
The Administrator account should now appear on your Welcome
Screen.

If you're interested in exactly what registry settings TweakUI
modifies, you might want to take a look at these articles,

Courtesy of Ramesh Srinivasan, MS-MVP
How to login as Administrator in Windows XP?
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/admins.htm

Show Administrator on the Welcome Screen
http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/1165/

If you're running XP Home Edition, the Administrator account is
only available in Safe Mode. While you can and should password
protect the Administrator account in XP HE, there's really no
reason to add it to the Welcome Screen. It shows up by default
on the Welcome Screen when you boot into Safe Mode.

Good luck

Nepatsfan
 
Nepatsfan said:
[email protected],


I'm guessing that since you were able to add a password to the
Administrator account, you're running XP Professional.
Yes.

The
easiest way to add the Administrator account to the Welcome
Screen is with TweakUI which is available here:

Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx
Click to expand...

Thanks ! I have used TweakUI before and had forgotten about it.

How odd that Microsoft should make things MORE difficult on XP than they
had been before.
 
Pop,

1. IF, when there are multiple accounts present (as in my own case), and a
method other than the one I described were previously used to configure
auto-logon, that going in thru Control Panel can NOT be used to make the
changes?

Yes. This is because the automatic logon credentials still remain in the
registry, and automatic logon continues to happen.

2. If it were a third party app I could see it; the app has been put in
charge of the settings and even if you did change it, the app would just put
it back; right?

May be, but it depends upon the application. TweakUI and AutoLogon (from
www.sysinternals.com) don't automaticlly put the credentials back.


3. Are you saying that Case #2 is the same as if it were a 3rd party app and
negates the Control Panel ability to use User Accounts for changing it?
Would it be similar using Group Policies?

Nope. Not similar to GPO. My point is that assigning password to an user
account (via User Accounts applet) does not remove the credentials already
stored (using userpasswords2 method / TweakUI / other tool). The
username/pwd still remain in the registry, in a protected area of course, in
an encrypted form.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Ramesh said:
Automatic logon occurs due to two different reasons:

1. There is a single user account in the system, and is not password
protected.
2. There are multiple accounts present, but the user had configured
automatic logon earlier (using the userpasswords2 method, TweakUI or
any other third-party tool)

Your tip addressed case #1, and Nepatsfan addressed case #2. Both are
correct, BTW.
Click to expand...

Yes, I didn't mean to imply that the preceding case wasn't correct.
Hmm, I'm learning something new I think. To clarify, you are saying that
IF, when there are multiple accounts present (as in my own case), and a
method other than the one I described were previously used to configure
auto-logon, that going in thru Control Panel can NOT be used to make the
changes?
If it were a third party app I could see it; the app has been put in
charge of the settings and even if you did change it, the app would just put
it back; right?
Are you saying that Case #2 is the same as if it were a 3rd party app and
negates the Control Panel ability to use User Accounts for changing it?
Would it be similar using Group Policies?

Normally I'd just go test it, but since I feel there are some details I'm
not aware of, I'd rather ask for more info first. I do have Norton's Sysem
Optimizer, but I avoid using it simply because it does take control away
from where XP indicates it is available, and without notice. I'd rather
learn the policies etc.; then I know where things came from months down the
line when I've forgotten<g>. So far I haven't found anything Norton ca set
that isn't natively available in XP, though it's useful for discovering what
IS available to change.

TIA,
Pop`
 
Back
Top