Remote desktop without a password?

[Ray Mitchell]

Hello,

I have been using Remote Desktop on my local (client) WinXP computer to
connect to my remote (host) WinXP computer with no trouble. The remote host
has required the typical password-protected logon for each user and when I
start the Remote Desktop application on my local computer it asks for that
password so it can pass it on to the remote host. However, my host
requirement has changed and I need it to boot up and logon completely by
itself. As a result, I removed its requirement for a password. However, now
when I start the Remote Desktop application on my local computer and it asks
for a password, it will not connect no matter what I enter, including an
empty password. With a bogus password it tells me the password is incorrect
(duh!), whereas with an empty password I get the error message, "Unable to
log you on because of an account restriction.". So, what is the account
restriction and how do I change it, or does Remote Desktop simply not work
with a host computer that does not use a password?

Thanks,
Ray

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have been using Remote Desktop on my local (client) WinXP
computer to connect to my remote (host) WinXP computer with no
trouble. The remote host has required the typical
password-protected logon for each user and when I start the Remote
Desktop application on my local computer it asks for that password
so it can pass it on to the remote host. However, my host
requirement has changed and I need it to boot up and logon
completely by itself. As a result, I removed its requirement for a
password. However, now when I start the Remote Desktop application
on my local computer and it asks for a password, it will not
connect no matter what I enter, including an empty password. With
a bogus password it tells me the password is incorrect (duh!),
whereas with an empty password I get the error message, "Unable to
log you on because of an account restriction.". So, what is the
account restriction and how do I change it, or does Remote Desktop
simply not work with a host computer that does not use a password?

The short answer is that Remote Desktop is not supported without user
passwords. Use "Automatic Logon" to solve your first issue which will - in
turn, solve your second issue.

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).

 

[Adam]

Are you sure about this. There is a group policy called "Accounts: Limit
local account use of blank passwords to console logon only".

I haven't tried it myself, but I believe if you disable that group policy,
you may be able to use remote desktop without a password.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have been using Remote Desktop on my local (client) WinXP
computer to connect to my remote (host) WinXP computer with no
trouble. The remote host has required the typical
password-protected logon for each user and when I start the Remote
Desktop application on my local computer it asks for that password
so it can pass it on to the remote host. However, my host
requirement has changed and I need it to boot up and logon
completely by itself. As a result, I removed its requirement for a
password. However, now when I start the Remote Desktop application
on my local computer and it asks for a password, it will not
connect no matter what I enter, including an empty password. With
a bogus password it tells me the password is incorrect (duh!),
whereas with an empty password I get the error message, "Unable to
log you on because of an account restriction.". So, what is the
account restriction and how do I change it, or does Remote Desktop
simply not work with a host computer that does not use a password?

The short answer is that Remote Desktop is not supported without
user passwords. Use "Automatic Logon" to solve your first issue
which will - in turn, solve your second issue.

<snipped instruction for automatic logon setup>

Are you sure about this. There is a group policy called "Accounts:
Limit local account use of blank passwords to console logon only".

I haven't tried it myself, but I believe if you disable that group
policy, you may be able to use remote desktop without a password.

True - thus why I said "supported".

Just because you can do something does not mean that action is one supported
by anyone.

That method is unwise at best.

The secure way to setup a system so that it automatically logs in and your
remote desktop is safe from random people connecting to it without a
password is what I have given. You can even return the screen to the
console after you are done with your remote session with an easy command.

 

[Ray Mitchell]

Hello,

I have been using Remote Desktop on my local (client) WinXP computer to
connect to my remote (host) WinXP computer with no trouble. The remote host
has required the typical password-protected logon for each user and when I
start the Remote Desktop application on my local computer it asks for that
password so it can pass it on to the remote host. However, my host
requirement has changed and I need it to boot up and logon completely by
itself. As a result, I removed its requirement for a password. However, now
when I start the Remote Desktop application on my local computer and it asks
for a password, it will not connect no matter what I enter, including an
empty password. With a bogus password it tells me the password is incorrect
(duh!), whereas with an empty password I get the error message, "Unable to
log you on because of an account restriction.". So, what is the account
restriction and how do I change it, or does Remote Desktop simply not work
with a host computer that does not use a password?

Thanks,
Ray

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions. It helped me to arrive at a
satisfactory solution.

Ray