Messed up user accounts by running "userpassword3" ... HELP!

[user accounts]

I was helping my Grandma clean up her computer. One thing that was bothering
her was that after start up her computer (XP operating system) would ask her
to sign in with a password. All she had to do was hit cancel and it would
take it passed that screen. I couldn't remember where to go to fix that so
it would just start right up and not ask for a password. So I googled it and
clicked on a link that said to go to: start, run and type in "userpasswords
3" ... so I did and I unchecked the box where it says it will prompt for a
password. It asked us to create a password. .. and I did. And then it
restarted and now all of her settings are reset. I can't even "switch
users" ... I'm pretty sure I messed it up! HELP!

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I was helping my Grandma clean up her computer. One thing that was
bothering her was that after start up her computer (XP operating
system) would ask her to sign in with a password. All she had to
do was hit cancel and it would take it passed that screen. I
couldn't remember where to go to fix that so it would just start
right up and not ask for a password. So I googled it and clicked
on a link that said to go to: start, run and type in "userpasswords
3" ... so I did and I unchecked the box where it says it will
prompt for a password. It asked us to create a password. .. and I
did. And then it restarted and now all of her settings are reset.
I can't even "switch users" ... I'm pretty sure I messed it up!
HELP!

There is no such thing as userpasswords3. If you had typed it once, that
would have been a type. Twice is a misunderstanding. Undo what you think
you did (step backwards) and then do the automatic logon properly.

Cancel worked with Windows 9x - not Windows XP

What you wanted was an automatic logon...

(Although - I *cannot* recommend it - I can tell you how.)

Recommended: Get TweakUI and use it to setup an automatic logon.

Automatic Logons:
------
Microsoft method:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315231
(Essentially the same... but different place:
http://www.pctools.com/guides/registry/detail/13/ )


Microsoft Method 2:
TweakUI from:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx


control userpasswords2 method:
1) Go to the Start Menu and the Run box.
2) Type in the following:

control userpasswords2

now click OK
3) In the new Windows that appears select the account you wish to make the
primary logon.
Now uncheck the "Users must enter a username and password..." box.
4) Hit Apply and a dialog box will appear asking you to confirm the selected
users password.
Click OK when you are done...
------

Hopefully that gets you where you are wanting to be.

It is a *good* thing in the user arena to:
1) Have strong passwords.
2) Have more than one administrator level account (with strong passwords).