Stubborn Auto-Login User--Can't Change!

[pcombs]

I'll try to make this short...my school's main IT department makes an XP image that's put on all new incoming machines. Our department does our own thing and usually installs from scratch. This time I decided to save some time (!) and use their install as a base, deleting the apps we don't use and tailoring the incidentals to our liking. However, one aspect of their install will not die: they created an Administrator account with a different name (wsuadm) and made that account the default login user.

I created my own admin account, set up the image, then attempted to delete their account. XP won't let me (can't delete built-in accounts). I disabled it instead, and in my Sysprep config file have my Administrator account set as the default login account. After a sysprep the machine defaults back to the wsuadm user for login.

I've opened the registry, gone to HKLM|Software|Microsoft|WindowsNT|CurrentVersion|WinLogon and found the DefaultUserName key set to wsuadm. I change it to Administrator, verify that AltDefaultUserName is also Administrator, then exit regedit and do a sysprep. After the machine is restarted, wsuadm is back as the DefaultUserName.

Obviously this is getting rewritten from somewhere, but where?

[Ponch]

I created my own admin account, set up the image, then attempted to delete their account. XP won't let me (can't delete built-in accounts). I disabled it instead, and in my Sysprep config file have my Administrator account set as the default login account.

Of course you cannot replace one admin by an other. Do you not have the password for that first Admin ? Do you not work with those people ?

[pcombs]

I created my own admin account, set up the image, then attempted to delete their account. XP won't let me (can't delete built-in accounts). I disabled it instead, and in my Sysprep config file have my Administrator account set as the default login account.

Of course you cannot replace one admin by an other. Do you not have the password for that first Admin ? Do you not work with those people ?

Sure, we have the password. We just don't want them monkeying around with our machines/setups. (Mostly a political situation, but there are a few people there who simply don't know what they're doing.) Besides, we really want our Admin account login 'Administrator,' so their version isn't acceptable.

[IcemanND]

they are changing the built in administrator account name by local policy. Change it via policy to what you want and it should take care of it.

[scottyuk30]

I'll try to make this short...my school's main IT department makes an XP image that's put on all new incoming machines. Our department does our own thing and usually installs from scratch. This time I decided to save some time (!) and use their install as a base, deleting the apps we don't use and tailoring the incidentals to our liking. However, one aspect of their install will not die: they created an Administrator account with a different name (wsuadm) and made that account the default login user.

I created my own admin account, set up the image, then attempted to delete their account. XP won't let me (can't delete built-in accounts). I disabled it instead, and in my Sysprep config file have my Administrator account set as the default login account. After a sysprep the machine defaults back to the wsuadm user for login.

I've opened the registry, gone to HKLM|Software|Microsoft|WindowsNT|CurrentVersion|WinLogon and found the DefaultUserName key set to wsuadm. I change it to Administrator, verify that AltDefaultUserName is also Administrator, then exit regedit and do a sysprep. After the machine is restarted, wsuadm is back as the DefaultUserName.

Obviously this is getting rewritten from somewhere, but where?

Hi,

Are these machines logging onto a domain?

If they arn't then try the autologin feature built into XP.

Start

Run

type "Control userpasswords2" press enter

If there is a tick in the top box then take it out, click apply then specify the account you want to log on with, they then have no choice but to use the account you have created, unless they logoff of course then log in as who they want to but would they do this?

Hope this helps.

scott

[pcombs]

IcemanND--

I went into the Local Security policy as suggested and changed the account name to Administrator (after renaming the admin account I'd created Adm to eliminate confusion). After a reboot the machine still defaults to WSUadm as the login user. I searched the registry to find WSUadm and turned up blank.

ScottyUK30--

Did as you suggested. The top box you mention is already unchecked. All the other option buttons (add/remove/properties/reset password) are greyed out.

I'm thinking I may just say the hell with it and blow the machine away and reinstall from scratch as I should have. Lesson learned: Don't take shortcuts to save time, you'll only get burned.

[Idontwantspam]

That's the point. You need to CHECK the box require password to log on to the computer. Right now they DON'T need a passwprd, meaning someone is logged on automatically.