Windows Registry : Autologon in Windows XP

Again one of those things which I forget when is needed. Autologon in Windows XP. Funny enough is the fact that each time I’m looking for this information is when I want to prevent Windows XP from auto logon and trying to disable that in registry using remote access from Registry Editor.

Fortunately Microsoft prepared full detailed description, so now I can write down in my scratchpad for future reference instead of using Google each time I need that 😀

• Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
• Locate the following registry key:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
• Using your account name and password, double-click the DefaultUserName entry, type your user name, and then click OK.
• Double-click the DefaultPassword entry, type your password under the value data box, and then click OK.
  If there is no DefaultPasswordvalue, create the value. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. In Registry Editor, click Edit, click New, and then click String Value.
  2. Type DefaultPassword as the value name, and then press ENTER.
  3. 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.

• 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:
  1. In Registry Editor, click Edit, click New, and then click String Value.
  2. Type AutoAdminLogon as the value name, and then press ENTER.
  3. Double-click the newly created key, and then type 1 in the Value Data box.
• Exit Registry Editor.
• Click Start, click Restart, and then click OK.

Source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315231