Windows XP login modification

W

wasssup1990

New Member
Hello!
Can anyone tell me how to let my computer automatically login to my password protected account on WinXP but stay at the login screen?

Thankyou ;)
 
am confused here, as long as you have a password windows will keep you at the login screen until you enter it !!
 
I'll rephrase

When I turn my computer ON windows XP loads up to the login screen and just waits for me to type in my password. I want windows XP to automatically login to my "Johnny" account but stay at the login screen so that no one can enter my account without knowing my password.
Thanks
 
wasssup1990 said:
When I turn my computer ON windows XP loads up to the login screen and just waits for me to type in my password. I want windows XP to automatically login to my "Johnny" account but stay at the login screen so that no one can enter my account without knowing my password.
Thanks
Click to expand...

What is the point of that for? You can either login or don't login. The only thing that I can relate to you wanting to do that is to have user switching;

Log in to your account, then use fast user switch (configurable in user setup in control panel) and let it sit there. So when you have to go into your account, it's still active, but you will have to put your password still.
 
I'll describe to you what I am currently doing to protect my computer from other people using it. Currently, when computer is turned on, it loads to the login screen and I have to enter my password to go into my account. Whenever I leave my computer I like to lock my computer (windows key + L). This takes you to the login screen again. So that is how I stop anyone else from tampering with my windows ok. So what I want to do is configure windows XP so that when I turn my computer ON it will login to my account automatically but stay at the login screen or 'switch user screen' as some people may know it as. The reason I want to do this - if you must know - is because I may turn my computer ON and walk away from it for a while; so what's the point of having my computer sit at the login screen and do nothing? I want my computer to automatically login and perform maintenance or whatever but stay secure by staying at the 'switch user screen'. That way, no one can enter my account while it is active since you need to know the password to enter the account. Get it? :confused:
Thankyou :)
 
wasssup1990 said:
I'll describe to you what I am currently doing to protect my computer from other people using it. Currently, when computer is turned on, it loads to the login screen and I have to enter my password to go into my account. Whenever I leave my computer I like to lock my computer (windows key + L). This takes you to the login screen again. So that is how I stop anyone else from tampering with my windows ok. So what I want to do is configure windows XP so that when I turn my computer ON it will login to my account automatically but stay at the login screen or 'switch user screen' as some people may know it as. The reason I want to do this - if you must know - is because I may turn my computer ON and walk away from it for a while; so what's the point of having my computer sit at the login screen and do nothing? I want my computer to automatically login and perform maintenance or whatever but stay secure by staying at the 'switch user screen'. That way, no one can enter my account while it is active since you need to know the password to enter the account. Get it? :confused:
Thankyou :)
Click to expand...


and do you think that's possible ?..unless you write some type of script that locks your pc at startup...lol..no ideas
 
Type 'control userpasswords2' into the Run dialog (Win+R)
Uncheck 'Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer', and a box will pop up for the account you want to login automatically.
Then create a new shortcut with the file location / argument 'user32.dll,LockWorkStation' and place the shortcut in the Startup folder of your user account.

What this does is it will automatically log you in when you switch on your computer and then lock the computer - the only problem with this is that sometimes there is a short gap before it locks the computer, however it shouldn't be too much of a problem, especially if you have a decent computer. I use it because it keeps the computer secure when switched on and loads up my desktop leaving a quick and responsive desktop once I enter my password.

HTH!
 
the funcitionality you want is not available,
you could set the machine to log you in automatically and then have the log in script log load up the switch user screen.
OR easier option would be to set a screensaver with a password :)
 
wasssup1990 said:
How do you do this?


Can't do that for various reasons.
Click to expand...

well if it were me I'd write a batch file, and put it in my startup folder. the command you need is "shutdown"
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/ballew_commandline.mspx
Shut Down the System

Although shutting down the computer from the Start menu is faster and easier, the shutdown command can also be issued at a command prompt to shut down the computer. The shutdown command also offers parameters to log off a user, restart the computer, and abort a system shutdown. If you ever have to boot to the command-line to troubleshoot a problem, you'll want to know how this command works. To shut down the computer and experiment with other options:

1.


Close all open programs to avoid loss of data.

2.


Open Command Prompt from the shortcut created in the previous section or by clicking Start, pointing to All Programs, pointing to Accessories, and clicking Command Prompt.

3.


At the command prompt, type shutdown -s. Press Enter or Return on the keyboard. A shutdown dialog box opens.

4.


To abort the shutdown in progress, at the command prompt, type shutdown -a.

Other options include -r to restart the system, -m \\computername to shut down a remote computer, and -l to log off of the computer. To see all the options, type shutdown /? at the command prompt.
Click to expand...

do some research on batch files
 
taj said:
Type 'control userpasswords2' into the Run dialog (Win+R)
Uncheck 'Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer', and a box will pop up for the account you want to login automatically.
Then create a new shortcut with the file location / argument 'user32.dll,LockWorkStation' and place the shortcut in the Startup folder of your user account.

What this does is it will automatically log you in when you switch on your computer and then lock the computer - the only problem with this is that sometimes there is a short gap before it locks the computer, however it shouldn't be too much of a problem, especially if you have a decent computer. I use it because it keeps the computer secure when switched on and loads up my desktop leaving a quick and responsive desktop once I enter my password.

HTH!
Click to expand...

Oops, I didn't see this post.:eek:

Then create a new shortcut with the file location / argument 'user32.dll,LockWorkStation'
Click to expand...

I created a shortcut and left out the quotes and it did not work.
 
But couldn't someone just turn off you computer, turn it back on, and after it starts automatically logging in, press Shift to bypass the loading of the LockWorkstation? Or does shift not bypass it?
 
If it automatically logs on, then it wouldnt lock workstation. It would just log on. Unless you recode some of windows, you cant really make it kinda "switch users" without actually getting on.
 
taj said:
Type 'control userpasswords2' into the Run dialog (Win+R)
Uncheck 'Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer', and a box will pop up for the account you want to login automatically.
Then create a new shortcut with the file location / argument 'user32.dll,LockWorkStation' and place the shortcut in the Startup folder of your user account.

What this does is it will automatically log you in when you switch on your computer and then lock the computer - the only problem with this is that sometimes there is a short gap before it locks the computer, however it shouldn't be too much of a problem, especially if you have a decent computer. I use it because it keeps the computer secure when switched on and loads up my desktop leaving a quick and responsive desktop once I enter my password.

HTH!
Click to expand...

Okay that is what I did in windows XP and it worked. Now I am using Vista and when I run 'control userpasswords2' and do what you told me, i cannot choose to login automatically.
I'm wanting to do the same thing now but in Vista instead.
Thanks. :)
 
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