Windows Logon

For YEARS my Wifes' machine has booted up and gone right into Windows with no questions asked. We would just turn it on on the way by and it would go right into Windows.

All of the sudden it is coming up with a logon screen with the user name and a blank password line that we need to hit OK or Enter. And it will set there untill we do do something.

Now I do know there is a setting SOMEWHERE that will put this back to where it was. I went looking and can not seem to find where I messed up.

I must admint here that I THINK I did something but do not know what or where. And my PERSONAL memory stinks BIG TIME lately. So I would rather leave things as they are rather than make them worse.

Bottom line.
I think I messed up. Maybe even by doing too good a job at housecleaning. ( I deffintely have traveled that road. But just not with the OS itself.

BillyBob

 

Kinda odd as I often do but right now I don't have a win 98 partition going so I can't go through and give ya a path to follow.

As a hint I would look in the control panel for something like users and passwords. Once there look for a checkbox saying that users must sign in or the like... enter name and password... if it's there you'll see it. On win 2000 it's on the first page. Make sure it is not checked.

 

I saved the following hints from unknown places and don't know if they will help or not.

Using Windows 98, create a new logon by going to START>LOGOFF and when prompted, come up with a new logon ID but don't enter a password. It should work.

Enter your NAME and tap [ENTER]
LEAVE THE "ENTER PASSWORD" BOX BLANK
Tap [ENTER] to record a "blank" password

This *SHOULD* create an "empty password* (.PWL file)
and you *SHOULD* no longer receive the logon prompt.


Alternatively, if you have Windows 98, look for a program on the Windows 98 CD called TweakUI. A tab in the program lets you set Windows to a default user name and password, and your system will boot all the way to the GUI without prompting you for a password.
_____________________________________

IF the password dialog box is the Welcome to Windows logon box, asking for a password to logon to Windows, and not a power-on password then here is some more information.

To get a 'blank' Welcome to Windows password you can do a 'find' on .pwl and delete any you find, for example, sonny.pwl (or rename the extension, for example, sonny.pwx). Next time you boot and are asked for a Logon username and password, enter a user name but leave the password blank, and confirm it (leave blank again). If you do this you will have to reenter your Dial-up-Networking username and password so have it handy.

You can also go to Control Panel-Passwords and change your password to a blank password from there.
_____________________________________

I had a 'blank' password but I still got the Welcome to Windows' box every time I booted, already showing my Logon name. I had to hit 'ok' to get into windows. This was because I had User Profiles enabled. (You can tell by looking in Control Panel -Passwords).

What I did was to go to Passwords in Control Panel, and on the User Profiles tab, selected the first option, 'all users use the same preferences'. Since I had already established a blank password, when I restarted the computer the Welcome to Windows logon box was gone.

 

BillyBob, For the Win98 Machine don't you have TweakUI Installed? There's a feature that is located on it that'll correct this.

 

Good morning Christer

It seems like that is what may have happened here. I just looked closer ( for a change ) and it does say " Network Logon " But it also just sits a few seconds and goes right on to complete Windows Startup.

So. I think for now it might be in my best interests to leave it as is because we have a Daughter, 3 Grandkids, a Friend of theirs' ( all between 5 and 12 years old ) and a 5 year old ( that we are baby sitting ) here and they like to play on Grandma Nancys Machine. Also, I would not want to mess things up right now as WE are having too much FUN playing SORRY and other games over the LAN.

I am already hearing " Grandpa, why won't this game work ?" Grandpas' answer. " Because you did not follow instructions when you had problems with it last night and shut it down wrong." Not a real good thing to start the day with an angry Grandson.

So. The bottom line right now is It is working so leave it alone. I can work on it while Nancy is gone with them for a few days.

Also right now it is GREAT to have the three machines. ( As long as I can keep them all running and break up the fights over them that is ) They like to get on but hate to get off. I found a GREAT solution to that problem when they were here a while back. It is call " Windows Shutdown and Power Button" on the case.
I gotta get my 2nd cup of Java and get ready for the rest of the day.

Ya'll Have a fine day

BillyBob

 

Describes how to prevent Windows from prompting you for a password when you start Windows.

How to Prevent a Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me Logon Prompt at Startup