Member Avatar for jupiter_fourty

Does anyone know if its possible to force windows to log all the way on to a password-protected account without stopping at the Log In screen, but still prompt the user for a password before allowing access to the account?

What I want to achieve is an automatic log-on, thus cutting down startup time, with password protection.

Sounds a bit far out to me, so I'm not expecting anything.

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Dani AI

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A practical way to get the machine to finish startup while still requiring a password before anyone uses it is to combine an automatic sign-in with an immediate lock. That satisfies ’s wish to have the laptop ready when returning, and avoids the constant mouse nudging implied by a very short screensaver lock that mentioned.

Use the Microsoft/Sysinternals Autologon utility to enable automatic sign-in for the account (it encrypts the stored credentials instead of leaving them plainly readable). Download and enable it for the account you want to autologin: Autologon (Sysinternals).

Have Windows lock the workstation right after that autologin completes so the desktop is not usable until the password is entered. Create a Scheduled Task (trigger = At log on for that specific user) that runs shortly after sign-in (set a 15–30 second delay so startup programs can initialize) and runs the lock command. The simplest action is:

rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation

See the Task Scheduler documentation for creating a user-scoped, interactive task: Task Scheduler. The lock itself is the standard Windows API call: LockWorkStation.

Security notes: autologon inherently stores credentials (Autologon encrypts them, but they still exist on the system), so prefer using a local standard (non-admin) account for autologin or protect the machine with full-disk encryption (BitLocker) if theft or physical access is a concern. This approach gives the fastest startup while keeping the session blocked for anyone who arrives before the owner.

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Member Avatar for bobbyraw

this really sound far fetch, why would you want to pass the log on screen only to have the user sign on to the account anyway, what screen would theu use for sign on

Member Avatar for jupiter_fourty

Its just that I like to go away while my laptop loads up so its ready to use when I get back. The password screen stops it from loading all the way. On the other hand, I want to keep the password protection to stop my siblings from working their greasy fingers into my business.

Never mind, just a little whim.

Member Avatar for bobbyraw

so do away with the log on screen, and set the screen saver to 1 min with password protection

Member Avatar for jupiter_fourty

Good idea, but I think it might get tiresome having to nudge the mouse every minute whilst reading a page or something.

Nah, ill just suffer in my tragic malcontentment. Write a spiteful letter to Bill Gates and not send it. Ill put it with all the others.

:D

Member Avatar for bobbyraw

LOL when you are using the pc set a keyboard shortcut to turn off and turn on screen saver.

Member Avatar for jupiter_fourty

Ah, sly. Oh but even then, it won't hinder them if they've just turned on the computer.

Member Avatar for bobbyraw

well use a program to lock the hDD and all programs installed. i use to use a program to lock the internet or any browser thats installed, even used it in my previous job. file lock is what it's called

Member Avatar for jupiter_fourty

ah goodie, shall investigate.

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