You want to automatically log a user onto a Windows 2003 Server after it has booted up. My first piece of advice would be… don’t do it! It’s a significant security issue to leave an account logged into the server console unattended, or indeed any PC!
In the scenario I faced today though, using Auto Logon it was unavoidable. The server in question also hosted some CCTV monitoring software (Geovision) that needed to be running 24/7 to allow constant monitoring. I tried to set the software up to run as a service – but it crashed every time. Getting in touch with Geovision Support in the UK and Taiwan saw the same response come back – running the software as a service is only supported under Windows XP. Drat.
Migrating the software to another PC would now have been the best option, but one that wasn’t available to me so it was a case of biting the bullet and setting the server to auto-logon.
Fortunately, digging around in the registry to set the right options for Auto Logon is no longer required. Thanks to the guys at Sysinternals (now owned by Microsoft) a simple executable that sets everything up for you is available for download here.
Sometimes as an SMB IT Consultant your choices are limited by budget or circumstance and so you are forced to “make do” – I guess this would be one of those times!
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Thanks for the link. I hear you on the "make do" thing. It’s infuriating when software developers throw security out of the window and leave you with no other alternatives.
I have a GEO-Vision GV-650 system running under server 2003 Ent.
To use Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe) to turn on automatic logon, follow these steps:
1.Click Start, and then click Run.
2.In the Open box, type Regedt32.exe, and then press ENTER.
3.Locate the following subkey in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
4.Double-click the DefaultUserName entry, type your user name, and then click OK.
5.Double-click the DefaultPassword entry, type your password, and then click OK.NOTE: If the DefaultPassword value does not exist, it must be added. To add the value, follow these steps:
a.On the Edit menu, click New, and then point to String Value.
b.Type DefaultPassword, and then press ENTER.
c.Double-click DefaultPassword.
d.In the Edit String dialog, type your password and then click OK.
NOTE: If no DefaultPassword string is specified, Windows automatically changes the value of the AutoAdminLogon key from 1 (true) to 0 (false), disabling the AutoAdminLogon feature.
6.On the Edit menu, click New, and then point to String Value.
7.Type AutoAdminLogon, and then press ENTER.
8.Double-click AutoAdminLogon.
9.In the Edit String dialog box, type 1 and then click OK.
10.Quit Registry Editor.
11.Click Start, click Shutdown, and then type a reason in the Comment text box.
12.Click OK to turn off your computer.
13.Restart your computer. You can now log on automatically.
Works like a champ. This will not work with server 2008 or above!
Norm – thanks for taking the time to leave these instructions, very useful!