How do I fix this WinXP logon?

October 1, 2009 9:34 AM

To begin, click your user name. Huh?

I am the only user of my Windows XP Home computers. Until last week, when I booted up a computer I ended up on the Windows desktop.

Since installing a replacement internal DvD drive and it's accompanying software on my office machine, for some reason I now boot up into the screen which has a vertical line down the center, has "To begin, click your user name" on the left side of the screen, and my user name and icon on the right side.

Also, under my user name there's a notification of the number of new emails I've received as well as the number of programs open.

I'd like to go back to booting up into the Windows desktop without having to click through on my user name.

posted by imjustsaying to Computers & Internet (4 answers total)

Try
1. Go to the "Start" button and choose "Run"
2. Hence, copy and paste the command CONTROL USERPASSWORDS2. When done, click "OK"
3. From the given list, select the user that you want to allow automatic login on
4. Disable the option "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer" and click "OK"
5. When done, enter the password for the user account to allow this option
SOURCE
posted by syntheticfaith at 9:41 AM on October 1, 2009 [1 favorite]

For future reference, that screen you describe is known in Windows parlance as the Welcome Screen.
posted by Liver at 10:08 AM on October 1, 2009

You could also set it up to bypass the aformentioned Welcome Screen, but still require a password to be typed (which is always a good idea). From the Windows help system:

To turn the Welcome screen on or off

You must have a computer administrator account on a computer that is a member of a workgroup or is a stand-alone computer to turn on or turn off the Use the Welcome screen feature. Logging on at the Welcome screen is not available on computers that are members of a network domain.

1. Open User Accounts in Control Panel.

2. Click Change the way users log on or off.

3. Do one of the following:
* To specify that users log on to the computer using the Welcome screen, select the Use the Welcome screen check box.
A user logs on to the computer by clicking his or her user account name on the Welcome screen. If a password is assigned to the account, the user is prompted to type it.

* To specify that users log on to the computer without using the Welcome screen, clear the Use the Welcome screen check box.
The Welcome screen will no longer appear when you start the computer. To log on to the computer, type your user name (and password, if you have one) in the standard Log On to Windows dialog box.

This will give you a username/password box when you boot up, but it'll be last the user who signed in (that'd be you of course).
posted by hangashore at 1:18 PM on October 1, 2009

Response by poster: syntheticfaith's technique did the trick.

This may be common knowledge for many, but I'll note that the change (as per the syntheticfaith procedure) didn't "take" until I did a genuine system shutdown, as opposed to a restart.

Thanks all for the good info!
posted by imjustsaying at 1:41 PM on October 1, 2009