Eliminating request for password at boot

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dan
  • Start date Start date
D

Dan

As a result of a spybot problem, I recently reformatted one of my HDD's
(dual boot win2k system)& reinstalled win2k. Now when I boot, it pauses
to request a password for the default ID, even though I did not enter a
password for the ID during installation. I have to hit enter at this
point, then win2k starts as usual. How can I eliminate having to hit
enter at this point?

TIA

Dan
 
You can run regedit.exe and navigate to;
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
edit the Reg_Sz string values
"DefaultUserName"
and
"DefaultPassword"
to reflect the correct username and password. (note: the password for an
autologon account can not be blank)

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect


:
| As a result of a spybot problem, I recently reformatted one of my HDD's
| (dual boot win2k system)& reinstalled win2k. Now when I boot, it pauses
| to request a password for the default ID, even though I did not enter a
| password for the ID during installation. I have to hit enter at this
| point, then win2k starts as usual. How can I eliminate having to hit
| enter at this point?
|
| TIA
|
| Dan
 
Dave-Thanks for the reply, I see the line you refer to, it does have the
logon name, but there is no entry which mentions a password other than
passwordexpirywarning REG_DWORD 0x0000000e (14) Should I just add
"DefaultPassword REG_SZ Password"? Would this be a key, binary value,
string value or DWORD value? Assuming this works, I gather I would then
enter "Password" on boot, but how would it know then not to ask for
"Password" at boot?

Dan
 
The password for an autologon account can not be blank.

Yes add the Reg_Sz string value
"DefaultPassword"
to
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
with the cleartext password as it's value

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect


:
| Dave-Thanks for the reply, I see the line you refer to, it does have the
| logon name, but there is no entry which mentions a password other than
| passwordexpirywarning REG_DWORD 0x0000000e (14) Should I just add
| "DefaultPassword REG_SZ Password"? Would this be a key, binary value,
| string value or DWORD value? Assuming this works, I gather I would then
| enter "Password" on boot, but how would it know then not to ask for
| "Password" at boot?
|
| Dan
 
Dave-I added the line as you describe, with the password "password".
However now when the system starts & I type in "password", it says the
user name or password is incorrect, though neither is. I tried changing
the value in registry to "none", but I get the same response with this
word. I end up having to leave the "password" line blank & hitting
enter-just what I had before I put the password string in the registry.
I don't remember what if anything I put as a password when I have
previously installed win2k, but I was never asked to do anything
(password or enter) during start up; the machine just started. How can
I get this result? BTW as user name I entered "Administrator" during
instalation (it's my pc & I'm the only one who uses it, but I really
don't want to enter my "real" name there), maybe this was ill advised
given the system role of this word? I'm guessing this is probably
immaterial.

Thanks,

Dan
 
Control Panel|Users and Passwords and assign the account a password. Then
try the steps again.

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect


:
| Dave-I added the line as you describe, with the password "password".
| However now when the system starts & I type in "password", it says the
| user name or password is incorrect, though neither is. I tried changing
| the value in registry to "none", but I get the same response with this
| word. I end up having to leave the "password" line blank & hitting
| enter-just what I had before I put the password string in the registry.
| I don't remember what if anything I put as a password when I have
| previously installed win2k, but I was never asked to do anything
| (password or enter) during start up; the machine just started. How can
| I get this result? BTW as user name I entered "Administrator" during
| instalation (it's my pc & I'm the only one who uses it, but I really
| don't want to enter my "real" name there), maybe this was ill advised
| given the system role of this word? I'm guessing this is probably
| immaterial.
|
| Thanks,
|
| Dan
 
Dave-In Control Panel|Users and Passwords, there's a check box at the
top that says "Users must enter password... " after unchecking this I
then set my name as the default & it now logs it on w/o pause. Guess I
should have looked there to start with (obviously) but since I'd never
had this before I didn't think of it.

Thanks for your input,

Dan
 
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