Log in changed without me doing anything

[tedsmith]

I have 2 users, one the administrator and the other "Ted" (with full admin privileges)
I have a blank password for both and never use one because I am the only one who ever uses this computer.

Until recently the computer would boot up and go straight to "Ted's" desktop icons without me having to log in or do anything at all.

Then last week when I turned it on it booted up straight to administrator account icons instead (without any log in or password required)

Now the only way I can get to my user account is to log off and enter my name to log back in as "Ted".

How can I restore it so "Ted" account cones up first instead of the administrator? Doesn't seem to be an option?

I think I removed power without closing down before this happened, so maybe it went back to an earlier restore point?

Using XP pro service pack 2

 

[strongm]

I would imagine you have somehow messed up the autologon setup on your PC (not that I think autologon is a good idea, not least becaeu it keeps a copy of your password in the registry).

Here's how yopu migth fix that:

1.Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
2.Locate the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\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.
b.Type DefaultPassword as the value name, and then press ENTER.
c.Double-click the newly created key, and then type your password in the Value Data box.
Note: If the DefaultPassword registry entry does not exist, Windows XP automatically changes the value of the AutoAdminLogonregistry key from 1 (true) to 0 (false) to turn off the AutoAdminLogon feature after the computer is restarted.
5.Double-click the AutoAdminLogon entry, type 1 in the Value Data box, and then click OK.

If there is no AutoAdminLogon entry, create the entry. To do this, follow these steps: a.In Registry Editor, click Edit, click New, and then click String Value.
b.Type AutoAdminLogon as the value name, and then press ENTER.
c.Double-click the newly created key, and then type 1 in the Value Data box.

6. Exit Registry Editor.
7.Click Start, click Restart, and then click OK.
After your computer restarts and Windows XP starts, you can log on automatically.

If you want to bypass the automatic logon to log on as a different user, hold down the SHIFT key after you log off or after Windows XP restarts. Note that this procedure applies only to the first logon. To enforce this setting for future logoffs, the administrator must set the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Value:ForceAutoLogon
Type: REG_SZ
Data: 1


You may also like to Google Userpasswords2 for an alternative method of doing much the same thing but via GUI-friendly User Account dialogs.

 

[cdogg]

strongm's suggestion should work. Here's the alternate method that includes disabling the Welcome Screen and Fast User Switching:

http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/285/xp-logon-automatically-when-starting-windows/

-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

[tab][navy]For this site's posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[tedsmith]

Thanks
When I examined cdogg's suggestion I found my settings are already as the linked article said.
I will try strongm's idea tomorrow.

 

[strongm]

Fixed?

 

[tedsmith]

I won't be able to test it for a few weeks as I have to visit my daughter in a distant city whose husband was killed in an industrial accident.

(If you work in a glass factory don't make a spectacle of yourself by falling into a vat of molten optical glass)