All User Accounts (including Administrator) Are Being Locked Out!

[Guest]

After successfully installing XP Pro (SP1) and downloading all Windows Updates, and attempting to configure Outlook 2000 clients for several user accounts, I experienced the most bizarre error. After I had completed the connection wizard for a particular user, tested the configuration, logged-off, and then attempted to log back in, I received an error stating that the account was locked. This, of course, removed the user account from the Welcome screen. I then attempted to log in as the "Computer Administrator" and also the remaining user accounts - same results. I re-started the workstation and logged in as "Administrator", "unlocked" each of the user accounts, and logged-off. When I attempted to log back in to any of the "unlocked" user accounts, I received the message the account was locked out. When I re-started the workstation, NO USER ACCOUNTS were displayed on the Welcome screen, not even the "Administrator" account! I was at loss for what to do next, so I blew away my partition and re-installed XP Professional! Not an optimum solution. Any ideas

FYI. I did configure an account policy setting that would lock out a user for 30-minutes after three unsuccessful login attempts. I know I was typing in the correct passwords (even checked to make sure Caps Lock was not on) and would get it immediately after the first attempt.

 

[Steven L Umbach]

I don't know what the problem is offhand but I would suggest that you raise
the account lockout threshold to at least ten [Microsoft suggested minimum
for high secure situations] and enable auditing of account logon events and
logon events for success and failure. You can then review the security log
in Event Viewer to see what is up with the failed logons and maybe get a
clue as to what the problem is. Also look in Event Viewer for any other
errors that may apply. You did not mention if you were in a domain or not,
but it sounds like you are not. --- Steve

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q248260 --- same
for XP
http://is-it-true.org/nt/atips/atips155.shtml

After successfully installing XP Pro (SP1) and downloading all Windows

Updates, and attempting to configure Outlook 2000 clients for several user
accounts, I experienced the most bizarre error. After I had completed the
connection wizard for a particular user, tested the configuration,
logged-off, and then attempted to log back in, I received an error stating
that the account was locked. This, of course, removed the user account from
the Welcome screen. I then attempted to log in as the "Computer
Administrator" and also the remaining user accounts - same results. I
re-started the workstation and logged in as "Administrator", "unlocked" each
of the user accounts, and logged-off. When I attempted to log back in to
any of the "unlocked" user accounts, I received the message the account was
locked out. When I re-started the workstation, NO USER ACCOUNTS were
displayed on the Welcome screen, not even the "Administrator" account! I
was at loss for what to do next, so I blew away my partition and
re-installed XP Professional! Not an optimum solution. Any ideas?

FYI. I did configure an account policy setting that would lock out a user

for 30-minutes after three unsuccessful login attempts. I know I was typing
in the correct passwords (even checked to make sure Caps Lock was not on)
and would get it immediately after the first attempt.