DVR Server Manual ver.5.05/rel.092507
75
7.7 How to turn on automatic logon in Windows XP
View products that this article applies to.
Article ID
: 315231
Last Review : June 23, 2005
Revision
: 4.2
This article was previously published under Q315231
Important
This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to
back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to
back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge
Base:
256986
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986/) Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry
INTRODUCTION
This article describes how to configure Microsoft Windows XP to automate the logon process by storing your password and
other pertinent information in the registry database. This feature permits other users to start your computer and to use the
account that you establish to automatically log on.
Important
If you turn on autologon, using Windows XP becomes more convenient. However, using this feature can pose a
security risk.
MORE INFORMATION
Warning
If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your
operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly.
Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
If you set a computer for automatic logon, anyone who can physically gain access to the computer can also gain access to
everything that is on the computer, including any network or networks that the computer is connected to. Additionally, if
you turn on automatic logon, the password is stored in the registry in plain text. The specific registry key that stores this
value is remotely readable by the Authenticated Users group. Therefore, only use this setting if the computer is physically
secured and if you make sure that users who you do not trust cannot remotely see the registry.
You can use Registry Editor to add your log on information. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click
Start
, click
Run
, type regedit, and then click
OK
.
2.
Locate the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
3.
Using your account name and password, double-click the
DefaultUserName
entry, type your user name, and then click
OK
.
4.
Double-click the
DefaultPassword
entry, type your password under the value data box, and then click
OK
.
If there is no
DefaultPassword
value, create the value. To do this, follow these steps:
a. In Registry Editor, click
Edit
, click
New
, and then click
String Value
.
