Windows XP: User log on automatically
If several users are created, Windows XP requires a password when it starts. You can also bypass a user automatically.
Automatic XP registration via registry
You can automate the registration process with a registry entry.
- To start the Registry Editor open "Start | Run", type "regedit" and click "OK". Navigate to the key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ CurrentVersion \ Winlogon".
- Double-click to open the "AltDefaultUserName" entry and enter the name of the desired user account for the automatic login as the value.
- Use "Edit | New | String" to create the "AutoAdminLogon" entry. Double click on it and set the "Value" to "1".
- Then create the string "DefaultPassword" and pass it the password of the user account as "Value".
If other people have access to your computer, automatic login is a security risk. You should therefore only use the function for as long as necessary and then deactivate it again by setting the value to "0". If you hold down the spacebar at system startup, Windows ignores the automatic login and you can log in to another user account.