Automatic restting of login passwords

[OffByOne]

This has happened twice (so far!).

In Windows ME, I set up user logins for all users in my household. I left each person's password empty (except mine, since I'm the "administrator&quot. One day, no one could log in, since the system was asking for a password, where previously it had not. I could not log in to my account, either. The password that I had used to that point was no longer valid.

Of course, no one had done anything to the computer. They never do.

I clicked "Cancel" and created new accounts, using the old accounts as a basis. Again I left everyone's password blank, except my own.

The next time I tried to log in, the password field in the login dialog was greyed out! Once I was logged in, I tried to add a password for myself, using both Users and Passwords from the Control Panel. Neither worked.

Recently, all accounts (except, inexplicably, mine) had been activated/changed. Again, no one had done anything. Again I created new accounts based on the old accounts.

Has anyone else experienced this behavior?

Thanks,

OffByOne

 

[Styx]

I've seen it quite a lot! Here's how to get out of the malfunction loop that you will not be able to escape from.

The multiple users feature was not designed, and neither was Windows, for the home user. It was designed for the corporate network environment (where the money is) where multiple users 'might' need the use of one computer. The feature was not necessarily used in that setting successfully. There is no need for its use in a home setting.

Just use and enjoy your computer.

1. If user profiles are setup, if not disregard this step: In the Users Control Panel (Start; Settings; Control Panel; Users) delete all users.

2. In the Passwords control panel click the User Profiles tab and verify that the 'All users of this PC use the same preferences and desktop settings' option is selected, and then click OK.

3. Click on Start; Find (or Search); Files or Folders.
4. In 'Search for files or folders named' (or Named) box: type in '*.pwl', without the quotation marks.
5. In the 'Look In' box use the drop-down arrow to ensure [C:] is selected.
6. Place a check mark by Include subfolders.
7. Click on "Find (or Search) Now'.
8. Right-click delete all the PWL files found.
9. Close the Find/Search utility and restart the computer via the Start button.
10. When you see the Windows Logon Prompt again, type in a name (preferrably Ima Nonymous) but do not type in a password and click on 'OK'. Emachines, Celeron 600, 256 Mb RAM, 10 Gb HDD, ADSL.

 

[OffByOne]

Thanks for the rapid response. I will certainly try deleting the *.PWL files.

Unfortunately, the primary reason I set up different users is because each person wants to have their desktop to be different from all others. Before I set up desktops for individual users, when I would sit down at the computer, the wallpaper would be changed, icons would be in unusual places, and strange sounds were played when different actions were taken or events occurred.

Why should I have to put up with other users changing the environment I spent so much time on arranging for my work/play habits?

If I upgrade to Windows XP Professional, will this problem go away? Also, I have heard that XP does NOT include a JVM; in order to surf to non-MS sites, you have to download and install a 3rd party JVM.

Thanks,

OffByOne