Disable Password system in windows 2000

[Covertbox]

I'd like to completely disable the password system in windows 2000 professional so that it never asks for a username and password when booting into win 2000, copying from another win2000 computer on the network and printing from another win 2000 computer on the network.

Currently the operating system asks for a new password for the current users every 15 days or so, but the computers in our network have no material worth protecting, so if anything the passwording system is useless to us, does anyone have any ideas?

thanks

 

[wolluf]

I don't think you can completely disable password system - its a major part of operating system. You can have null passwords. Also, you don't have to have settings to force password change (presume these on your server - are you responsible for network or just some workstations - if network, then you can minimise impact of password system). If they're not on server - and its a workgroup network, somebody must have implemented 15 day change rule - you can undo this in local security policy. You can also set 2k up for auto-logon (ie, always logs on with same username/password - get tweakui to enable this - logon tab -

http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation/downloads/PowerToys/Networking/NTTweakUI.asp).

So, if you disable password restrictions, remove all your passwords, set up auto-logon....

 

[Eguy]

Covertbox;

"but the computers in our network have no material worth protecting"

\\soapbox = "ON"

BULL!
What about the network itself. These are business tools, a company asset if you will. Ask yourself 1 question. If you go to every work station in your organization and unplug every computer for the entire day, or two days, or three days, will company wide productivity be affected at all?

If your answer is yes, then you need security. If your answer is no, then you wasted a lot of money.

I have worked in this arena since 1977 (the mainframe days, before Lotus could count 1,2,3) , and I have never seen a system that did not need some protection.

\\soapbox = "OFF"
Please accept this in the spirit it was intended. ;-)

Ed

Please let me know if the suggestion(s) I provide are helpful to you.
Sometimes you're the windshield... Sometimes you're the bug.

 

[wolluf]

Ed - like the Soapbox!

 

[Covertbox]

Err, great, glad you know more about the productivity of my company than I do, or was that arrogance? hmmm.

 

[Eguy]

Covertbox;

This was just an observation based on my experience. I did not mean to imply that I knew more about your company in particular. This is a peer reviewed forum and any members expressing arrogance don't last long. If you feel my post was inappropiate, feel free to Red Flag it, (the link is right below my signature line) and the principals of this forum will review it. But first please re-read the part - "Please accept this in the spirit it was intended."

Ed
Please let me know if the suggestion(s) I provide are helpful to you.
Sometimes you're the windshield... Sometimes you're the bug.

 

[Ntr0P]

Eguy,

I'll second the "nice soapbox" comment. Think you nailed that one.

On a side note, I also like the signature: Sometimes you're the windshield... Sometimes you're the bug. I also think sometimes you're the one cleaning the bug off the windshield. But I digress. I might steal that if you don't mind terribly.