Fast User Switching Problem

[Howard Heflin]

Our machine is running XP Pro with SP2 and all of the MS updates
applied. We have two Users set up on the one machine. The machine is a
stand-alone at home. Both user accounts have admin privileges on the
machine. The machine custom rebuilt by a reputable local vendor by
adding a new motherboard to an AMD dual core 64 and increasing the
memory to 2G RAM so that we could run Vista when we decide to make that
upgrade.

When we attempt to do a Fast User Switch, the system does not disconnect
the internet dial-up modem connection. We have two connections set up
using the normal "Create Connection" in the Control Panel. Each user
connection has their own ISP internet log-on and the associated password
to the same ISP. The second person must then press the disconnect icon
in the system tray. However, when they then attempt to reconnect to the
internet by clicking on their own connection icon on their desktop. The
modem connects but it appears that the connection is made from the
previous users account information because when the new user opens their
individual email reader, they get a fail to connect properly sort of
message. There appears to be a conflict between their System User log
on and their dial-up internet log on.

I read the Help and that suggested that I should turn on Fast User
Switching. However, that option does not appear in the User Accounts
window. Further reading said that "Fast User Switching cannot be turned
off while multiple users are logged on to the computer" and "Fast User
Switching is not available on computers that are members of a network
domain." Well this machine is not, as far as I know a member of a
network domain.

In order to resolve the situation, we have found that the only solution
is to do a complete machine restart each time we want to look at our
individual email accounts or do any work in our individual system accounts.

I suspect that there is some system setting that is not correct. Can
someone give me the steps to finding where that switch is located and
tell me how to correct the problem?
Thanks,
Howard

 

[Guest]

When you ran the Network Setup to create the connection(s), you probably set
the option to 'share this connection'. I suggest creating a new connection
without that option.
Alternatively, you may have a check in:
Rightclick the connection icon in the 'Network Connections' folder
Properties, Networking tab, TCP/IP protocol properties, General tab, Advanced
button, General tab, see "use default gateway on remote network".

 

[Howard Heflin]

When you ran the Network Setup to create the connection(s), you probably set
the option to 'share this connection'. I suggest creating a new connection
without that option.
Alternatively, you may have a check in:
Rightclick the connection icon in the 'Network Connections' folder
Properties, Networking tab, TCP/IP protocol properties, General tab, Advanced
button, General tab, see "use default gateway on remote network".

Mark,
I created two new dial-up accounts and made each as non-shared. However
that did not resolve the problem. In your other suggestion above, you
said "see use default gateway on remote network". I have that item
checked. Is that correct? or should that be unchecked?
Howard

 

[Howard Heflin]

When you ran the Network Setup to create the connection(s), you probably set
the option to 'share this connection'. I suggest creating a new connection
without that option.
Alternatively, you may have a check in:
Rightclick the connection icon in the 'Network Connections' folder
Properties, Networking tab, TCP/IP protocol properties, General tab, Advanced
button, General tab, see "use default gateway on remote network".

Mark,
I created two new dial-up accounts and made each as non-shared. However
that did not fully resolve the problem.

I have tested further and find the following:
If I use a "Switch User" to move from one user to the other, then we are
able to use dial-up and get to our respective e-mail accounts. However,
if the user that Starts Windows, Logs into their Windows Account. Then
goes to there email account, completes that activity, closes the Outlook
Express, and does a "Log-off" when completed. Then the other user does
a "Log on" into their Windows account, then the dial up makes the
connection but the email access fails.

In your other suggestion above, you said "see use default gateway on
remote network". I have that item checked. Is that correct? or should
that be unchecked?

FWIW: I'm beginning to think that this is a Windows Account access
issue. The origination Account is not fully closing when the Log-off
command is issued. Is there someplace to check that issue? I'll
continue testing to see if there is some other combination of events
that will give us a further clue; but I'd still appreciate some hint as
to where to look.
Howard

 

[Guest]

Unchecking the 'remote gateway' setting should stop the connection sharing.

 

[Howard Heflin]

I'd like to say that all is well; but that simply is not the case.
There is some setting that is messed up when dialing up and connecting
to the POP server. It's like either the prior dial up connection is not
completely disconnecting or the Windows logging off is not being fully
executed when we do a log-off and then log into the new user Windows
account.

I say this because if we do a complete restart; and log into the other
account; and then make a dial up connection; we are able to connect to
the POP server and get our emails.

Is there any possibility that there is a corrupt setting in the
registry? If yes, where would I look for this and what should the
setting be? I am capable of editing the registry if necessary.
Howard

 

[Sylvia M]

It may be that you have recently uninstalled Zone Alarm?
When I had that problem, it took months with my internet provider,
then Dell's tech in India came up with the solution that ZA left a couple of
files in the registry.
It was some time ago, and I can't recall the exact files.

Vague, but it might help.

Sylvia M.

 

[Howard Heflin]

Thanks for the heads up. I suspect something like that; but haven't
been able to recall what was added and what was uninstalled when this
started to happen. I was thinking that it may have been when one of the
MS security updates hit in the last three or four weeks. Or when I
installed Office 2007. I had Office 2003 Pro on the machine and
installed Office 2007 Standard on top of it. The changes came about in
that time frame and those are the only changes that were made before the
problem began.
Howard