Re: Windows XP welcome screen -- PCTECH

btw, tweakUI powertoy has an option to remove the "log off user" from
the start menu.

This won't happen again.

On 2/2/06, rick baird <rick.baird@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Here's the update on my logoff / admin / password problem.
>
> I never did supply xp with an admin password.  The system was set to
> not require a user and password.
>
> after a few google searches, I found this page describing what to do:
>
> http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=305
>
> It didn't describe my problem exactly, but it did give me options.  It
> involved 'recovering' the existing xp installation, by booting to the
> winxp cd and taking the recovery option.  During the 'finding devices'
> portion of the setup, I pressed shift - F10 to get a command prompt.
>
> From there you can key >nusrmgr.cpl to open the user accounts app in
> the control panel.  You can use that to change your passwords, delete
> or add users.
>
> but what I did, was key >control userpasswords2 which brings up
> another app which allows you to uncheck a box that says:
>
> "users must enter a user name and password to use this computer"
>
> This is what I did - it then asked me for the user name to log into
> when it restarts - I blanked this out (this was the wrong thing to
> do), applied changes and said ok.
>
> I let it finish the recovery, it rebooted and then offered an empty
> logon prompt and an error - "cannot log on <something or other>"
>
> I then tried entering Administrator without a password, no help.  I
> then tried "Richard Baird" - which was the name I registered it with -
> and no password, and I'm in!!!
>
> so, in retrospect, I'm thinking I could have saved myself having to
> reinstall (repair - saved all installs and settings except for AVG
> anti-virus).
>
> I believe (I will NOT be testing this) that I could have pressed
> CTL-ALT-DEL twice from the welcome screen to get a winNT style log on
> prompt and just typed in 'Richard Baird' with no password, and it
> would have worked.
>
> I'm still ticked off that it got me in this mess in the first place -
> why WHY would it let me log off, only give me the option for
> Administrator login, require a password when I never gave it one to
> begin with and not offer "Richard Baird" as a valid login?
>
> For the biggest, most advanced software company in the world, with the
> most resources, best 'talent', and richest owner, it's just
> inexcusable.  I'm certain i'm not the first person to do this, so
> there's no excuse to not have anything in the knowlege base to fix the
> problem either.
>
> no excuse whatsoever.
>
> anyway, thanks for all the suggestions,
>