Can't switch users

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  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

After installing Vista, I could switch users, but now there is no option for
switch users in the shut down menu in the start menu.
Windows-L shortcut doesn't work either, it just goes to the locked screen.
I'm not sure what broke it.

I've tried a fix referenced in this post
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/co...=7f1c400a-5370-45c0-be8b-ac939977f9a0&m=1&p=1

but it didn't work. I can't find any control panel options or registry
settings to enable/disable fast user
switching. I'm using the release version of Windows Vista Home Premium. I'm
not joined to a domain.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jason
 
I haven't used any of the home versions of Vista, so not sure I can be of any
help at all. In the Business version, AFAIK, the Windows-L combination always
locks the system, but I could be wrong about that. One of the first things I
do in configuring any Windows system is to configure it to require
Ctrl-Alt-Del for logon, and to NOT show the previous logon username.

So, understanding my limitations in experience here, the only thing that
pops immediately into mind is a group policy settings. And I'm not even sure
that Home Premium has a GP Editor, but I imagine that it does. If that's the
case, is it possible that that a policy called "Hide entry points for fast
user switching" has been enabled on that system?

If, indeed, you have a Group Policy Editor it would be located by cranking
up the GP Editor (Start | Run | gpedit.msc) then navigating to Local Computer
Policy | Computer Configuration | Administrative Templates | System | Logon,
then looking in the right-hand pane of the policy editor for the above-named
policy.

Other than that, I got nothin'. I'll follow your thread in hopes of learning
something from someone who knows more about this than I do, or in the
much-less-likely-to-happen circumstance that I can think of something more
useful.
 
Thanks, but I don't think Home Premium has the group policy editor. I can't
find it anywhere, and running gpedit.msc doesn't work.
 
I have only one thing to say -- DAYUM! (long drawn-out damn)

I have to confess that Microsoft's marketing "strategy" has me perplexed
these days. It certainly seems to control everything they do. The multitude
of versions and the bizarre (to me) decisions as to what to include in (for
instance) the "premium" home version just doesn't cut it in my mind. These
days I'm having a pretty hard time understanding why anyone would install
anything other than the Business version -- unless they had to support a home
entertainment system.

I hope someone will be able to suggest something to help you.
 
Hi Jason,

After pressing WinKey+L to lock the workstation, select the "Switch User" button at the bottom. If this button is missing, it's most probably due to a Policy setting which turns off Fast User Switching.

Follow the registry route indicated in the following article:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/128/1/
Note that you'll need to delete the value named "HideFastUserSwitching" if it exists.

--
Regards,

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


Thanks, but I don't think Home Premium has the group policy editor. I can't
find it anywhere, and running gpedit.msc doesn't work.
 
Hi, Ramesh.

I'm glad you came along with the registry setting information. One thing
that doesn't seem to be mentioned in the article to which you referred is how
the disable FUS setting would come to be set on a system with no GP Editor.
I'm assuming that, perhaps, the installation process for some type of
software would set it to prevent multiple users from being logged on at once
for some reason?

Thanks for the information.
 
Hi jimmuh,
software would set it to prevent multiple users from being logged on at once
for some reason?

My thoughts, exactly, especially a tweak/tuner program.

--
Regards,

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


Hi, Ramesh.

I'm glad you came along with the registry setting information. One thing
that doesn't seem to be mentioned in the article to which you referred is how
the disable FUS setting would come to be set on a system with no GP Editor.
I'm assuming that, perhaps, the installation process for some type of
software would set it to prevent multiple users from being logged on at once
for some reason?

Thanks for the information.



Ramesh said:
Hi Jason,

After pressing WinKey+L to lock the workstation, select the "Switch User" button at the bottom. If this button is missing, it's most probably due to a Policy setting which turns off Fast User Switching.

Follow the registry route indicated in the following article:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/128/1/
Note that you'll need to delete the value named "HideFastUserSwitching" if it exists.

--
Regards,

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


Thanks, but I don't think Home Premium has the group policy editor. I can't
find it anywhere, and running gpedit.msc doesn't work.
Click to expand...
 
Ramesh,

Thank you! That worked, I can now switch users. I can only assume some
program I installed disabled fast user switching.

Thanks again,

Jason
 
Glad that helped, Jason.
Thanks for the feedback!

--
Regards,

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


Ramesh,

Thank you! That worked, I can now switch users. I can only assume some
program I installed disabled fast user switching.

Thanks again,

Jason
 
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