Make WindowsXP ask you to create an account next time you start Window

[Haider]

Hey there

Say, I am logged in with the Admin account.

For the next start, I would like to make XP to ask the user to create a new account.

How can this be done?

Its something like making an unattended installation, that installs a bunch of software, and then the last thing to do, is asking the user to create an account.

The different is, that I am making the complete installation, then I just want to leave it to another user who will start the computer and just create an account for himself and see the computer fresh and new installed.

Any idea?

/H.

[Doc Symbiosis]

You could leave autologon enabled and put an entry to a script into the runonce regkey whiich disables autologon, asks the user for the username, creates the user and asks for the password and logs off the user.

But if you do it this way, I'm not quite sure, if the user isn't able to do other things.

[Bezalel]

I think you can use sysprep to do this. Just make sure it doesn't deactivate your computer and provide the answers for all the other screens in the mini-setup.

[Haider]

Thanx dudes

But question is - exactly how shall it be done? I thought there was some easy method.

Allright, lets say sysprep - but is there any special setting to be done?

Or script - but exactly how?

I assume it has to be something with runOnce.

I was hoping to know which EXE file/program that needs to be runned once, so that this classic new-user window appears.

ciao

[Doc Symbiosis]

Create a folder with your last scripts, e.g. %SYSTEMDRIVE%\runlast containing turn_off_autologon.cmd and add_useraccount.vbs

Then you would just have to make an entry in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx, e.g. with this batch, which you should call after all other things:

@echo off
SET KEY=HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx
REG ADD %KEY% /V TITLE /D "Last steps" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\070 /VE /D "Turn off autologon" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\070 /V 1 /D "%SYSTEMDRIVE%\runlast\turn_off_autologon.cmd" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\071 /VE /D "Create new user" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\071 /V 1 /D "%SYSTEMDRIVE%\runlast\add_useraccount.vbs" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\072 /VE /D "Delete runlast folder" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\072 /V 1 /D "CMD /C rmdir %SYSTEMDRIVE%\runlast /Q" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\073 /VE /D "logoff this user" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\073 /V 1 /D "CMD /C shutdown -l -f -t 0" /f

This should it be, perhaps I'm missing something anywhere, but have a try. Hope it helps.

[Haider]

Thanx Doc

So it has to be done with batching?

I was using the sysprep tool, and it did 90% what I wantet to do.

It made the computer start just like when you buy a new computer, or when you installed a windows from scratch.

What was missing was the list where you can add a bunch of users - is it possible to make that window to appear, instead of using the batch method?

Regarding to sysprep, what is the parameter to make sysprep.exe to use the answer file settings (sysprep.inf I think, it is called)

Is it possible, to make the sysprep restart to ask me/someone about what users are going to use the computer?

[irvotheturbo]

Try using this before you run sysprep: NET USER <account> /DELETE

After you deleted your account(s), run sysprep and restart your computer. It should ask for Users now during Setup!

Note that your previous used Documents and Settings folder will still be there. You can just delete this on first boot (or during sysprep in cmdlines).