Making an account to run an app then logoff?

[Tigz]

Hi everyone! I'm faced with a rather intriguing problem, I was wondering if any of you could help me out with it please?

I'd like to be able to log in with a given username and password - and when I do, Windows XP won't start up fully, it won't touch the startup folders/registries or even load Explorer, it'll just run a certain program, wait for it to finish, then log off. I've seen this done at my university with Internet Explorer in kiosk-type setups, but I'd like to be able to do this on my own laptop with other programs that could do with the performance boost.

Does anyone have any ideas how I could do this please? Thanks a lot!

[Tigz]

i am not sure how to change the shell (maybe registry somewhere), but you can edit/set the logon script to do what you want:

1. start > programs > admin tools > computer management

2. local > system tools > local users and groups > users > dblclick user to edit

3. click profile tab > enter a path for logon script (usually a CMD/BAT file)

note: don't forget to have the logon script make the user's session end!!

Wow, thanks for your tips, wasn't expecting a reply so soon! I tried it, and I see two problems with it... one with a workaround, one without a workaround that I can see.

Problem 1... "local users and groups" wasn't anywhere to be seen when I looked at computer management. I got around that at command prompt, with the ol' faithful "NET USER" command, made a batch script, then plugged it in. The batch script reads as follows if you're curious:

vboy_adv.exe
shutdown -l -t 25

Problem 2... the script ran, but immediately after running the program I wanted it to run (we're talking hardly enough time to get the window up), the shutdown box came up - I put a timer on it so I'd know when it happened, because I did suspect it might. I can't actually see any way around that... I'm guessing the program detatches itself and runs in a separate thread, and I'm not sure how to get around that. Does anyone have any ideas, please?

And finally... I don't know how to change the shell either, and a Google search turned up nothing. It does sound like a good idea, though, and could be accomplished by overwriting explorer.exe... but I don't want to do that as it would affect ALL users Anyone out there know?

Thanks again

[jdoe]

Hi,

If you want your shutdown.exe to wait after vboy_adv.exe before execute then

add start /wait before vboy_adv.exe

I hope thats what you wanted

[gandalfgrey]

you can change shells for each user in 2k/xp.

link, check around win2k for litestep, replace with needed paths.