Auto login on domain computer

[brentm]

Hello everyone - I have been hit with a bit of a challenge. We have 42 Dell Optiplex 9010 computers that we are setting up as kiosks in the hospital for medical records for the nursing staff. These systems have been pre configured at a different location and sent to me. The systems have been set up on the domain and have auto login working for the staff which is pretty much locked down. The problem that I am having is 1. the system don't have network connectivity and I am unable to access the local Administrator account for the system due to the auto login loop. If I am logged on as the user and switch users it will log out then pop right back in as the user. Same results if I log out of the user. I have tried to go into safe mode - no networking and the same results. Typically we could solve this if the system was seen on the network we could just manage the pc from the server and change the login registry key but because the system doesn't have network connection that is not an option. Does anyone know of a way that I could get logged into the local admin account on the local machine? The local Administrator accounts are all enabled and have a standard password. I need to change these computer names to meet our naming convention and disjoin the domain and rejoin the domain. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Brent

 

[ex_bubblehead]

You've stated that these machines have no network access. However, in order to rejoin the domain, a network connection is absolutely required. Can't be done without it. Same goes for killing the autologin loop. You're going to need a network connection to the domain so you can access the registry remotely.

 

[brentm]

You've stated that these machines have no network access. However, in order to rejoin the domain, a network connection is absolutely required. Can't be done without it. Same goes for killing the autologin loop. You're going to need a network connection to the domain so you can access the registry remotely.

The computers are plugged into good working network ports. Used all the time with other computers. I need to get in as the local admin to try and get these resolved. I believe at this moment I am just going to Image one of the working pc's and use sysprep to get them up and running. Seems ridiculous that windows doesn't have a back door for auto login in case of failure. or Some method to skip/by pass the auto login. I like the autologin feature makes things easy for users but if issues arise and network is not available it seems as if you are sitting with a large paper weight unless you want to re-image the machine. which seems to be the direction I must take now.

Any Ideas how to get access to the *\Administrator account with auto login in place?

 

[ex_bubblehead]

Are you now saying that what you stated earlier isn't the case?

...Typically we could solve this if the system was seen on the network we could just manage the pc from the server and change the login registry key but because the system doesn't have network connection that is not an option....

If in fact these machines are network connected, and, since these machines are domain members, the proper way to manage this is via GPO. There's no need to be reimaging or using sysprep or manually editing the registry.

 

[brentm]

Are you now saying that what you stated earlier isn't the case?

...Typically we could solve this if the system was seen on the network we could just manage the pc from the server and change the login registry key but because the system doesn't have network connection that is not an option....

If in fact these machines are network connected, and, since these machines are domain members, the proper way to manage this is via GPO. There's no need to be reimaging or using sysprep or manually editing the registry.

No, I still don't have network connection. There is something wrong with windows 7 They were built at a different office and joined to the domain at that site. But when I unpacked them here they don't see the network. could be many different reasons behind that which to trouble shoot this I need local admin access.

 

[winoutreach5]

You mentioned that you were joined to a domain and if that’s the case you should be able to login to any system as a domain administrator presuming each machine still has current connection to the domain controller.

Another thing to check would be to see if each computer has a valid IP address.

You can also use netplwiz as described in this TechNet magazine article to disable auto logon in Windows 7.

Alternatively, you might also want to look into the Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT) because you can make registry changes while the system is offline. DaRT is a component of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP). You can learn more about its features from the Springboard Series page here. Also, more on registry modifications can be found in this TechNet forums thread.

Please keep us posted on your progress!

Jessica
Windows Outreach Team – IT Pro

 

[hang-the-9]

If you hold down the Shift key when booting, it should bypass the auto logon. I am not sure if a specific key needs to be held down, or either Shift key will work.

 

[brentm]

You mentioned that you were joined to a domain and if that’s the case you should be able to login to any system as a domain administrator presuming each machine still has current connection to the domain controller.

Another thing to check would be to see if each computer has a valid IP address.

You can also use netplwiz as described in this TechNet magazine article to disable auto logon in Windows 7.

Alternatively, you might also want to look into the Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT) because you can make registry changes while the system is offline. DaRT is a component of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP). You can learn more about its features from the Springboard Series page here. Also, more on registry modifications can be found in this TechNet forums thread.

Please keep us posted on your progress!

Jessica
Windows Outreach Team – IT Pro

Hi, Thanks to the response. Yes these computers were configured on the domain but for what ever reason the tech had set these up with a static IP address which is not used on our campus. we use dhcp. I did find a way to get to the local administrator account with the auto login feature enabled. You just have to hold the shift key down while logging out of windows. You may have to do it a few times but eventually it will break the auto login loop and allow you to login as a different user and or an Administrator. Everything is working great and I am back in commission once again.

Thanks to all that has responded to my question.

-Brent

 

[winoutreach5]

You mentioned that you were joined to a domain and if that’s the case you should be able to login to any system as a domain administrator presuming each machine still has current connection to the domain controller.

Another thing to check would be to see if each computer has a valid IP address.

You can also use netplwiz as described in this TechNet magazine article to disable auto logon in Windows 7.

Alternatively, you might also want to look into the Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT) because you can make registry changes while the system is offline. DaRT is a component of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP). You can learn more about its features from the Springboard Series page here. Also, more on registry modifications can be found in this TechNet forums thread.

Please keep us posted on your progress!

Jessica
Windows Outreach Team – IT Pro

Hi, Thanks to the response. Yes these computers were configured on the domain but for what ever reason the tech had set these up with a static IP address which is not used on our campus. we use dhcp. I did find a way to get to the local administrator account with the auto login feature enabled. You just have to hold the shift key down while logging out of windows. You may have to do it a few times but eventually it will break the auto login loop and allow you to login as a different user and or an Administrator. Everything is working great and I am back in commission once again.

Thanks to all that has responded to my question.

-Brent

I am so happy to hear that everything is working great and that you are back in business.

Jessica
Windows Outreach Team -- IT Pro